Wednesday 17th June 2009
Scenic Blast targets more sprint glory
After destroying his rivals on his British debut in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday, Australian sprint sensation Scenic Blast is due to bid for further Group One glory in the £400,000 Darley July Cup, highlight of the third day of the Champagne Lanson July Festival at Newmarket on Friday, July 10.
A total of 43 horses remain following the first scratching stage - revealed today. The six-furlong contest is the third British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.
Connections entered the white-faced five-year-old in the second British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, but have elected to wait until Newmarket to step him up to six furlongs.
Having seen his star sprinter gain a terrific victory yesterday over fellow Darley July Cup hopeful Fleeting Spirit, trainer Dan Morton revealed this morning: “Scenic Blast has come out of yesterday’s race really good. He won’t run on Saturday. I had the Golden Jubilee Stakes as a back-stop, just in case, but he will now head to Newmarket for the Darley July Cup next month.
“It was great achievement by the horse to win the King’s Stand Stakes. Everybody had a pretty good night celebrating last night.”
Winning jockey Steven Arnold was full of praise for his mount, adding: “He travelled really well and I actually got there too soon. I had to pop out behind because he was going too well and he soon put paid to them with a furlong to go - a bit early but it was a super effort.
“When he’s fresh, he is probably a better horse over five furlongs and he was spot on today. The plan wasn’t to run him in the Golden Jubilee Stakes so soon after this and I think that we will head to Newmarket now.
“Once he has a race under his belt, then he’s not as fresh and so the six furlongs of the Darley July Cup should be ideal for him.”
While Scenic Blast has already proved his credentials as one of the world top sprinters in Australia and at Royal Ascot, 15 other Darley July Cup entries are set to contest the Golden Jubilee Stakes on Saturday.
