LUCRATIVE PAYDAY AWAITS AUSTRALIAN HORSE OF THE YEAR IN HONKERS

A LUCRATIVE payday awaits reigning Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast if he can upstage the world’s best sprinters in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The Western Australian champion will claim a $US1 million bonus if he can prove triumphant in the $US1.55m Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.

Amongst the 13 rivals he will have to defeat are Victorian cult hero Apache Cat and explosive New South Wales sprinter All Silent.

The International Sprint, which will be run at 5.40pm (AEDT), is the eighth and final leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, a series that takes in elite races in Australia, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and Japan.

Any horse that wins Group 1 Challenge races in three different countries is entitled to the bonus which is split 75 per cent to the owner and 25 per cent to the trainer.

Scenic Blast won the Group 1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in January, before capturing the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot, UK in June.

He took aim at the bonus in the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama, Japan in early October, but finished unplaced after meeting with severe interference.

Trainer Danny Morton said the bonus provided an enticing carrot for the connections of Scenic Blast, although Sunday’s opposition is arguably the strongest he’s met all year.

“It would be a big thrill if we could win the bonus and certainly a great achievement for the horse, but it won’t be easy,” he said from Hong Kong.

“It’s a strong field and any one of half a dozen horses have really strong claims so we’re going to have to be at our best to win the bonus.”

Morton said that a recent setback involving bruising to the horse’s feet was now a distant memory and that he expects Scenic Blast, who’ll be ridden by leading Victorian jockey Steven Arnold, to put in a great performance.

“It probably took me four or five days to get over his setback, but the horse is spot on now and I’m really happy with him,” he said.

“Since then he’s had a good solid trial up the straight (at Sha Tin) and did a nice piece of work on the course proper yesterday so I’m really happy with where he’s at.”

The barrier draw for the International Sprint will take place tomorrow, with Morton relaxed about what scenarios it may present for his stable star.

“Everyone’s pretty keen on an inside draw, but my fellow’s a big galloper who enjoys a bit of room so it won’t be the end of the world if he draws a little bit wider. In the end you’ve just got to deal with what you get,” he said.

The Greg Eurell-trained Apache Cat, who’ll be ridden by two-time International Sprint winner Damien Oliver, is out to improve on his narrow third as favourite in last year’s race.

The Grahame Begg-trained All Silent, who’ll be ridden by Victorian young gun Nicholas Hall, comes off a last start victory in the seventh leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on 6 November.

Also carrying the Aussie flag on Sunday is NSW galloper Racing To Win who lines up in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at 6.50pm (AEDT).

The Hong Kong International meeting will be broadcast live from Sha Tin on TVN and Sky Channel from 3.25pm (AEST), with the Victorian TAB wagering on all races.

The Moonee Valley Racing Club will conduct a twilight meeting from 3.45pm in conjunction with Hong Kong and are offering a unique promotion thanks to the support of the TAB.

The Club and TAB are giving away 500 ‘Apache Attack’ vouchers to patrons on-course. The vouchers entitle the holder to a free $20 tote bet on Apache Cat when they invest $20 or more on the cult hero in the International Sprint.

In addition, a special Sunday BIG6 will take in two races from Moonee Valley and four races from Sha Tin, whilst a $24,933 TAB Quaddie jackpot is on offer on the Sha Tin meeting.

To view the Hong Kong fields visit http://www.hkjc.com/english/hrc/hindex.asp.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE

CONTACT: Shaun Kelly – RVL Communications Manager M: 0417 145 796 P: (03) 9258 4252

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