Global Sprint Challenge expands to eight races

Newmarket's July Cup (Eng-G1) and The Age Classic (Aus-G1), run at

Flemington's Spring Racing

Carnival in November, have been added to the Global Sprint Challenge, creating a

series of eight races in 2008.

The Age Classic, which will be a weight-for-age event from next year, replaces

the Australia S. (Aus-G1).

The series kicks

off as usual with the Lightning S. (Aus-G1) at Flemington in February. A

bonus of $1 million will be paid out to

the connections of any horse that wins Group 1 Challenge races in three

different countries, as well as competing

in a qualifying race in the fourth country.

The four partners in the Global

Sprint Challenge -- Ascot Racecourse

Ltd., Hong Kong Jockey Club, Japan Racing Association and Racing Victoria

Ltd. -- believe the changes to

the structure will strengthen the series and encourage more European-trained

horses to be campaigned within the

Challenge.

"The inclusion of the Darley July Cup is a welcome and natural extension to

the existing series," said Nick Smith, Ascot's Head of Public Relations. "The Global Sprint Challenge has

quickly established itself and has

added a new dimension to the Royal Meeting, with Miss Andretti becoming the

third horse trained outside Europe

to win at Royal Ascot in as many years. The record of the Australian-trained

horses in the King's Stand S. (Eng-G2),

especially this year when they filled three of the top four places, has been a

significant contributory factor to the

increase in quality of that race. We're delighted to be able to announce that

the King's Stand will be run for £250,000 next year, and the Golden Jubilee S.

(Eng-G1) will be run for £375,000."

"To have a leg of the Global Sprint Challenge run during Victoria's

prestigious Spring Racing Carnival is further proof of the growing status of the

series and shows that the Spring

Racing Carnival is a truly international event, which is growing every year,"

added Leigh

Jordon, director of racing operations for Racing Victoria.

GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE 2008

DATE		RACE		VENUE		PURSE ($)
2/2		Lightning S. (Aus-G1)		Flemington		430,400
6/17		King's Stand S. (Eng-G2)		Ascot		501,300
6/21		Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1)		Ascot		752,000
7/11		July Cup (Eng-G1)		Newmarket		802,000
*9/14		Centaur S. (Jpn-G2)		Hanshin		1,111,300
*10/5		Sprinters S. (Jpn-G1)		Nakayama		1,759,570
11/8		The Age Classic (Aus-G1)		Flemington		430,400
12/14		Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1)		Sha Tin		1,500,600

*Dates for JPN races subject to change.