There is no doubt Australia stands out as the country with the best sprinters in the world. In 2005 the Global Sprint Challenge series began as a series of six sprint races run in three countries: Australia (the Lightning Stakes and The Age Classic), England (King's Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes) and Japan (Centaur Stakes and Sprinters Stakes). I have to admit when the series first began I was skeptical about Australia's involvement but this was more about me not knowing too much about
There is no doubt Australia stands out as the country with the best sprinters in the world. In 2005 the Global Sprint Challenge series began as a series of six sprint races run in three countries: Australia (the Lightning Stakes and The Age Classic), England (King's Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes) and Japan (Centaur Stakes and Sprinters Stakes). I have to admit when the series first began I was skeptical about Australia's involvement but this was more about me not knowing too much about the overseas sprinters. In Australia we have been used to reading or seeing replays of distance races that are traditional lead up races in the UK for the Melbourne Cup and, of course, our personal involvement in the Japan Cup. I cannot remember seeing any of the major Japanese or British sprint races bar on Sky Channel at odd times and even then I did not know the names of the key runners.
In 2006 the Hong Kong International Sprint was added to the series as was the July Cup (UK) in 2008 to make a grand total of eight. I have no doubt the USA, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore will eventually join the fray to make this series even more of a challenge to the world's best sprinters. The challenge winners have been Cape Of Good Hope, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Apache Cat and Scenic Blast, respectively, from 2005 to 2009, and all things being equal we are in with a chance again after Nicconi's excellent Lightning Stakes win last Saturday.
In the past I have been highly critical of the massive shift whereby Australia is becoming a nation whose horses are sprinters as opposed to stayers as I grew up with the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup history from a young age. The Golden Slipper was always there as was the Blue Diamond, and that was fine, but now with the Magic Millions concept well and truly entrenched in our racing scene we will continue to be dominant in the sprinting world. The breeders are sprint oriented as are the buyers seeking a quick return for their investments and as a punter I do not have to contend with the stop start tactics of the staying races. With the likes of John Singleton and Gerry Harvey pushing for massive prizemoney increases towards sprint races for the Magic Million concept one wonders if one day the prizemoney for a sprint race will outstrip the prizemoney for the Melbourne Cup.
Years ago I would have laughed at such an idea but Australia is now the leading sprinting nation of the world and with the success of the overseas Global Sprint Challenge what is stopping the onslaught. Nothing but some imagination as far as I see it.