Cannonball draws post 7 in Lightning

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred sprinter CANNONBALL (Catienus) will break

from post 7 in a 13-horse field in Saturday's A$500,000 Lightning S. (Aus-G1) at

Flemington, where the Wesley Ward charge will become the first American-trained

horse to compete in an Australian race. For those watching from the United

States, post time is set for 1:10 a.m. (EST). Pat Valenzuela makes the trek all the

way from Fair Grounds for the ride.

"I'm OK with the barrier," traveling foreman Declan Murphy told

racingandsports.com.au. "He's settled in beautifully and he's a very good horse.

We haven't been able to see his best potential as yet.

"Mr. Ramsey is very excited about this," Murphy also told the website.

"Unfortunately he's not able to make it with commitments in the U.S., but

certainly it would be good if Cannonball performs well regardless of what

happens."

The Lightning is a 1,000-meter (about five-furlong) charge down the

straightaway. Cannonball got the hang of racing on straight courses at Royal

Ascot last summer. Sixth in the King's Stand S. (Eng-G1) in his English debut,

he wheeled right back to finish a near-miss second in the Golden Jubilee S.

(Eng-G1).

"I must say in his first race up the straight in the King's Stand, he did

look around a fair bit and he missed the kick and didn't participate in the

race," Murphy said. "Having had that experience, he raced in the Golden Jubilee

and was narrowly beaten finishing second.

"Obviously a 1,000-meter straight race is a unique race. We'd have loved him

to have had a race over 1,000 meters here before, but he had a gallop here (down

the straight course at Flemington) the other day. He had a look around and

hopefully he's better for it."

After his Royal Ascot foray, Cannonball made a winning American reappearance

in the Commentator S. at Saratoga, then finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf

Sprint at Santa Anita. He went on his travels again, this time to the Far East,

only to spike a fever and wind up a subpar 10th in the December 13 Hong Kong

Sprint (HK-G1). Cannonball has not endured any such setbacks since shipping to

Australia.

Ironically, given the historic nature of Cannonball's quest, one of his chief

rivals in the Lightning is STARSPANGLEDBANNER (Choisir). The celebrated

three-year-old is making his first appearance since capturing the Caulfield

Guineas (Aus-G1) at about one mile in October.

In a story developing on Friday, Racing Post reports that

Starspangledbanner has just been purchased by Coolmore interests. After he

completes his Australian campaign, plans call for him to join trainer Aidan

O'Brien in Ireland and point for Royal Ascot.

Also attracting considerable

support in the Lightning market is BURDEKIN BLUES (Sequalo), who scored his signature

victory in last season's Expressway S. (Aus-G2). The five-year-old gelding is

riding a four-race winning streak, capped by a score in an about 4 1/2-furlong

event at the Gold Coast on January 2.

Cannonball is residing at the Flemington stable of renowned trainer David

Hayes, who will send out the first-rate duo of Thousand Guineas (Aus-G1) heroine

IRISH LIGHTS (Fastnet Rock) and Galaxy S. (Aus-G1) victor NICCONI (Bianconi) off

layoffs. Irish Lights was last seen finishing a respectable fifth in the Ascot

Vale S. (Aus-G1) at Flemington on Halloween, while Nicconi's most recent

appearance was an uncharacteristic ninth in the Victoria Racing Club S. (Aus-G1)

at this venue on November 7.

Horseman Peter Moody is triple-handed, courtesy of HEADWAY (Charge Forward),

who garnered the Ascot Vale last out; B.T.C. Cup hero DUPORTH (Red

Ransom), beaten all of a length in the October 3 Gilgai S. (Aus-G2) here two

back; and WANTED (Fastnet Rock), runner-up in the Victoria Racing Club in his

latest.

Roman Consul S. (Aus-G2) winner SHELLSCRAPE (Dane Shadow), who was a

desperately close third to

Headway in the Ascot Vale, and Flight S. (Aus-G1) runner-up SISTER MADLY (Redoute's

Choice) likewise have Group 1 form in the book. Both have warmed up for their

reappearance with recent barrier trials at Randwick.

The Lightning is the first leg of the 2010 Global Sprint Challenge, an

eight-race series that includes the King's Stand, Golden Jubilee and Hong Kong

Sprint. The Global Sprint Challenge offers a $1 million bonus to a horse who

wins at least three of its Group 1 races in three different countries. In

addition to the lucrative bonus, points are awarded to the competitors in each

race according to a sliding scale, and horses competing in Group 1 events

outside of their jurisdiction will earn double points. Should a horse earn at

least 42 points while participating in Challenge races in at least three

countries, that horse would be awarded the Champion Sprinter Trophy.