NEWS
Scenic Blast crowned Australian Horse of the Year
Posted: Monday, August 31, 2009 6:11 PM
The connections of Scenic Blast collected plenty of hardware on Monday night at Australia’s Racehorse of the Year Awards at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
The Scenic gelding was named Australian Horse of the Year, collecting 38 of the 69 votes to defeat finalists Theseo, Maldivian, Niconero, Samantha Miss, and Takeover Target. Scenic Blast also earned champion sprinter and International performer honors, the latter for his three-quarter-length score during England’s prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in the King’s Stand Stakes (Eng-G1) on June 16.
Dan Morton trains Scenic Blast for a partnership. He also won the Crown Newmarket Handicap (Aus-G1) and Coolmore Lightning Stakes (Aus-G1) during his championship campaign. Morton plucked Scenic Blast out of the 2006 Magic Millions Perth yearling sale for $63,070.
Tattersalls W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1) winner Theseo was named champion middle-distance horse and finished second in the Horse of the Year voting with 15 votes. Theseo also counted the Arrowfield Stud Epsom Handicap (Aus-G1), Crown Mackinnon Stakes (Aus-G1), and Ranvet Rawson Stakes (Aus-G1) among his four Group 1 wins last season.
2008-’09 Australian champions
Horse of the Year Scenic Blast
Two-year-old Phelan Ready
Three-year-old male Whobegotyou
Three-year-old filly Samantha Miss
Stayer Viewed
Middle distance Theseo
Sprinter Scenic Blast
Jumper Pentiffic
International performer Scenic Blast
Australian-bred international Sacred Kingdom
Leading stallion Encosta de Lago
Trainer Gai Waterhouse
Jockey Nash Rawiller
