Scenic Blast in Japan, and Hong Kong beckons

Australia’s Horse of the Year Scenic Blast has arrived in Japan from Newmarket, his UK base, to prepare for the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes (WFA 1200m) at Nakayama on October 4, perhaps the first of three Asian runs this campaign.

The Sprinters Stakes is a leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, and a win will give West Australian connections a $1million bonus for success in Group 1s in three of the member countries – their gelding won the Lightning Stakes (WFA 1000m) at Flemington and the King’s Stand Stakes (WFA 1000m) at Royal Ascot in England. Trainer Dan Morton is entitled to $250,000 of the bonus.

If Scenic Blast (b/br g 5, Scenic (IRE)-Daughter’s Charm, by Delgado (USA)) does not get the bonus in Japan he will get another chance in Hong Kong, in the Group 1 Cathay Pacific International Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on December 13.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has made it easier for Scenic Blast to get fit for that race by opening up its International Sprint Trial (WFA 1200m) to visitors for the first time – the race is on November 22, three weeks before the Group 1 Sprint.

Hong Kong’s international racing manager Mark Player told the South China Morning Post that Scenic Blast, equal top of world sprint rankings with Hong Kong’s Sacred Kingdom, was the catalyst for the change announced this week.

“We were particularly keen to get Scenic Blast here for a showdown with Sacred Kingdom and our other top sprinters in December,” Player said. “But the problem for his trainer, Danny Morton, is that (the Japanese race) is more than two months before Hong Kong.

“Now he is required to leave Japan after that race, but returning to England, where he has been since the July Cup (his second, and failed start in the UK, in which he finished 10th), was going to be his only option. He could not return to Australia and then come back here. Not only is going back to England before he comes here a tough ask of a horse, but he would have been going there when the weather is starting to get cold.

“Seventy days between runs was not going to be an ideal preparation for a race like the Hong Kong Sprint. This way, Scenic Blast gets a suitable race, the fans get to see him run against most of his main opposition for the race in December, and everyone has a better idea of how he lines up on the big day.

“As awareness of our international races continues to rise, it’s important we make it as appealing as possible for people to bring horses here and know they are going to do themselves justice; if that means providing a lead-up opportunity then we believe we should do that.”

The Australian-bred Sacred Kingdom (B g 6, Encosta De Lago-Courtroom Sweetie, by Zeditave) will not go to Japan because of a hoof injury, but trainer Ricky Yiu hopes to have him fit for the Hong Kong races.

The International Racing Bureau reported that Scenic Blast left England, where he stayed after his June-July races, on Tuesday and arrived in Japan yesterday.

Melbourne jockey Mark Zahra will ride Scenic Blast in the Sprinters Stakes because Steven Arnold has commitments at Flemington’s Turnbull Stakes meeting.

Meanwhile, top Hong Kong-based jockeys Douglas Whyte, Brett Prebble, Olivier Doleuze and Howard Cheng will compete against Victoria’s best, Damien Oliver, Craig Williams, Dwayne Dunn and Craig Newitt, in the Cathay Pacific Superstar8 Jockeys’ Challenge at Moonee Valley tomorrow night. The series covers races 2-4, one over 1200m, the others 1600m.

*The Spring edition of The Thoroughbred magazine, out next week, has a special feature on Dan Morton and the Scenic route he and father Len, also a trainer, have taken with Scenic Blast.