Dubai Golden Shaheen added to Global Sprint Challenge

by Brisnet.com

The 2012 Global Sprint Challenge (GSC) will be the most expansive yet as the

series extends to 10 legs with the addition of Dubai Racing Club's Group 1 Dubai

Golden Shaheen. The introduction of the Dubai Golden Shaheen, to be run on the

synthetic Tapeta surface at Meydan Racecourse on March 31 next year, takes to

six the number of countries hosting GSC races.

First conducted in 2005, the GSC now takes in races across Australia, Japan,

Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Singapore and now the United Arab Emirates.

GSC Chairman, Leigh Jordon, said it was fitting that the Challenge would now

enjoy a presence at the world's richest race fixture.

"The Dubai Golden Shaheen is one of the world's top sprints with a proven

record of attracting horses from multiple jurisdictions and will be a welcome

addition to the Global Sprint Challenge," Jordon said.

In addition to the Dubai Golden Shaheen's inclusion in the series, changes to

the $1 million GSC bonus structure to make it more attainable were also

announced.

To be eligible for the lucrative bonus in 2012, a horse must win a GSC race

in three countries which can include the horse's country of origin. This differs

from 2011 when a horse had to register three GSC wins outside its own racing

jurisdiction to be eligible for the prize.

The bonus will be split 75 percent to the owners and 25 percent to the

trainer, with the $1 million pool split equally if more than one horse achieves

the feat in 2012.

"We hope that the combination of an additional sixth host country within the

Global Sprint Challenge, coupled with the changes announced to the bonus

structure, will see owners and trainers actively target what is a very

achievable bonus when planning the campaigns of their star sprinters," Jordon

added.