FOLLOWING the receipt of additional information from US racing officials, jockey Patrick Valenzuela was today granted a licence by Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) to ride at Flemington on Saturday.

Valenzuela, a winner of over 4000 races, has been booked to ride star USA sprinter Cannonball in the $500,000 Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m, Group 1) – the opening leg of the 2010 Global Sprint Challenge. Cannonball will make a special guest appearance at the launch of the Global Sprint Challenge, which incorporates the Lightning Stakes barrier draw and media conference, at Flemington tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

The Wesley Ward-trained Cannonball will become the first USA-trained horse to compete in Australia when he lines up in the Lightning Stakes.

Cannonball headlines the nominations for the Lightning Stakes which kick starts the 2010 Melbourne Festival of Racing.

A total of 15 horses have been entered for the Group 1 sprint which also doubles as the opening leg of the 2010 Global Sprint Challenge – a $US8 million series which takes in races in Australia, United Kingdom, Japan and Hong Kong.

Featured amongst the nominations, which closed with Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) today, are eight three-year-olds including last start Group 1 winners Starspangledbanner (The Age Caulfield Guineas) and Headway (Coolmore Stud Stakes).

Other high profile entries are the David Hayes-trained Nicconi, who’s unbeaten in three 1000-metre starts; Queensland speedster Burdekin Blues who’s shooting for five straight wins; and the brilliant Lucky Secret who’s won six of eight starts over the sprint strip.

Victoria’s premier trainer Peter Moody and Sydney mentor Anthony Cummings share the honor for the most entries with three apiece. Moody has Headway, Wanted and Duporth nominated, whilst Cummings has Sister Madly, Seeking Attention and Five Car Stud.

Hayes is the other trainer with multiple entries with the Coolmore-owned three-year-old filly Irish Lights, a winner of the Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas, joining Nicconi.

The Wesley Ward-trained Cannonball will become the first USA-trained horse to compete in Australia when he lines up in the 1000-metre dash.

He was one of seven Lightning Stakes entrants to contest jump-outs up the Flemington straight this morning and clocked the fastest last 400-metre split of 22.68 seconds.

Acceptances for the Lightning Stakes will be taken at 9am on Thursday, 28 January, with the field announced and barrier draw conducted as part of the Global Sprint Challenge launch to be held at Flemington from 9.30am that morning.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE

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