News

Global Sprint Challenge Takes Off With Lightning Clash

29th Jan 2009

Racing Victoria - Media Release - Thursday, 29 January 2009

The 2009 Global Sprint Challenge will start with a bang this weekend when Australia’s two top sprinters, Weekend Hussler and Apache Cat clash for the first time in the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The mouth-watering clash will provide the perfect start to the Global Sprint Challenge which is now in its fifth year. The series, worth US$8 million, is conducted in four countries across the globe; Australia, United Kingdom, Japan and Hong Kong.

Apache Cat topped the points table in last year’s Global Sprint Challenge courtesy of his win in the Lightning Stakes and third placing in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Sprint at Sha Tin in December. He headed an all-Aussie trifecta at the top of the points table, beating Takeover Target and Swick, another of his rivals on Saturday.

Following the Lightning Stakes Apache Cat is likely to be aimed at an international campaign which will include a trip to the famous Royal Ascot meeting in June which features two further legs of the Global Sprint Challenge; the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes.

A US$1 million bonus is again on offer for any horse that can win three Group 1 races in three countries. This year the bonus will be split between the owner (75 percent) and trainer (25 percent).

Racing Victoria Limited Chief Executive Officer Rob Hines said, “Australian horses have a fantastic reputation when it comes to the Global Sprint Challenge having dominated the series over the past few years against some of the world’s best sprinters.

“In conjunction with the Victoria Racing Club and our international partners in the series, we eagerly await the first leg of the world’s premier racing series for sprinters this weekend and encourage connections of the best sprinters from the four continents to take up the challenge.”

2009 Global Sprint Challenge Program

COUNTRY DATE RACE
Australia Sat 31 Jan Coolmore Lightning Stakes, 1000m (GR1)
UK Tue 16 Jun King’s Stand Stakes, 1000m (GR1)
UK Sat 20 Jun Golden Jubilee Stakes, 1200m (GR1)
UK Fri 10 Jul Darley July Cup, 1200m (GR1)
Japan Sun 13 Sep Centaur Stakes, 1200m (GR2)
Japan Sun 4 Oct Sprinters Stakes, 1200m (GR1)
Australia Sat 7 Nov Patinack Farm Classic, 1200m (GR1)
Hong Kong Sun 13 Dec Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, 1200m (GR1)