The Global Sprint Challenge is a Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse racing

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 series inaugurated in 2005 as a series of six sprint races run across three racing jurisdictions in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. In 2006 the series expanded to seven races across four racing jurisdictions with the inclusion of a race in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

. In 2008 the series expanded to eight races when an additional race in England became part of the series and in 2011 the series expands to nine races with the inclusion of a race in Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

.

• The Champion Sprinter trophy is awarded to the connections of the horse that accumulates 42 points or more in a single season, and participates in challenge races in at least three countries.

• The Global Sprint Challenge Champion is eligible to win a $US1,000,000 bonus for connections, provided the champion wins a minimum of three Group 1
  Group races
  Group races are the highest standard of Thoroughbred horseraces in Australia. The Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board which races shall be designated as Group races...
  
   races in the series in three different countries other than their own racing jurisdiction. Important changes to the series for 2009 will see the $US1,000,000 bonus being split $US750,000 to the owner and $US250,000 to the trainer and there is now no necessity to race in all four countries to be eligible for the bonus.

Challenge History

2005 – Inauguration of six race series

2006 – Series expanded to seven races with the inclusion of the Hong Kong International Sprint

Hong Kong Sprint

The Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....

2006 – $US1,000,000 bonus incentive added to series

2008 – King's Stand Stakes

King's Stand Stakes

The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

 upgraded to Group 1 from Group 2

2008 – Series expanded to eight races with the inclusion of the July Cup

July Cup

The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....

2008 – The Age Classic

The Age Classic

The Patinack Farm Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres...

 replaces the Australia Stakes

Australia Stakes

The William Reid Stakes, formerly Australia Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1200 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 was A$500,000....

 as the second Australian leg of the series

2011 – Series expanded to nine races with the inclusion of the KrisFlyer International Sprint

KrisFlyer International Sprint

The KrisFlyer International Sprint is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid May at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore. Contested on turf over a left-handed course, the International Group 1 sprint race is run over a distance 1200 meters and is open to horses age three and older...

 

2011 – The Takamatsunomiya Kinen

Takamatsunomiya Kinen

The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Chukyo Racecourse in late March.The forerunner of this race was the...

 replaces the Centaur Stakes

Centaur Stakes

The is a Grade 2 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Hanshin Racecourse in September....

 as the first Japanese leg of the series

Global Sprint Challenge races

Lightning Stakes

Lightning Stakes

The Lightning Stakes is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney is A$750,000...

 (G1) at Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...

Takamatsunomiya Kinen

Takamatsunomiya Kinen

The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Chukyo Racecourse in late March.The forerunner of this race was the...

 (G1) at Chukyo Racecourse

Chukyo Racecourse

is located in Toyoake, Aichi, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 58,400. It has 8,795 seats.-Physical attributes:Chukyo Racecourse has a grass courses, a dirt course.The turf's measures 1600m...

 (2011 run at Hanshin Racecourse

Hanshin Racecourse

is located in Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan. It is used for horse racing. The land was originally owned by Kawanishi Aircraft Company, which manufactured combat planes during World War II. After the WWII, GHQ ordered the company to stop manufacturing combat planes, which ended in closing the factory. In...

)

KrisFlyer International Sprint

KrisFlyer International Sprint

The KrisFlyer International Sprint is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid May at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore. Contested on turf over a left-handed course, the International Group 1 sprint race is run over a distance 1200 meters and is open to horses age three and older...

 (G1) at Kranji Racecourse

Kranji Racecourse

The Singapore Racecourse is a venue for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Kranji area of Singapore. Built and operated by the Singapore Turf Club, it opened in 2000 as a modern replacement for the Bukit Timah Race Course....

King's Stand Stakes

King's Stand Stakes

The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

 (G1) at Royal Ascot

Golden Jubilee Stakes

Golden Jubilee Stakes

The Golden Jubilee Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

 (G1) at Royal Ascot 

July Cup

July Cup

The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....

 (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse

Newmarket Racecourse

The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...

Sprinters Stakes

Sprinters Stakes

The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan open to thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Nakayama Racecourse, and it takes place annually in late September or early October....

 (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse

Nakayama Racecourse

is located in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It has a capacity of 165,676. It was built in 1990. It has 15,944 seats.-Physical attributes:Nakayama Race Course has two grass courses, a dirt course, and a jump course....

The Age Classic

The Age Classic

The Patinack Farm Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres...

 (G1) at Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...

Hong Kong International Sprint

Hong Kong Sprint

The Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....

 (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse

Sha Tin Racecourse

Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.Penfold Park is encircled by the track.-History:...

The Challenge Winners

• 2005 – Cape of Good Hope
  Cape of Good Hope (horse)
  Cape of Good Hope is a British thoroughbred racehorse based in Hong Kong. Sired by Inchinor to dam Cape Merino, the chestnut gelding was trained by David Oughton...
  
  
• 2006 – Takeover Target
  Takeover Target
  Takeover Target is a much travelled Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who has won top sprinting races in each of the five major cities in Australia as well as the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore....
  
  
• 2007 – Miss Andretti
  Miss Andretti
  Miss Andretti was the 2007 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year and is the only Thoroughbred in racing history to simultaneously hold a total of five track records in Australia and England.-Breeding:...
  
   *
• 2008 – Apache Cat
  Apache Cat
  Apache Cat is a popular Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who had 43 starts for 19 wins and was placed on another 11 occasions from for just under $4.6 million in prizemoney....
  
   *
• 2009 – Scenic Blast
  Scenic Blast
  Scenic Blast is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in Australia. His first group win was in the HDF McNeil Stakes. In 2009, he won two group one races, the Lightning Stakes and the King's Stand Stakes.-References:**...
  
   *
• 2010 – Starspangledbanner
  Starspangledbanner
  Starspangledbanner is an Australian-bred and internationally raced Thoroughbred racehorse who won six of his sixteen group or listed race starts including the group one Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, G1 July Cup at Newmarket, G1 Oakleigh Plate and the G1 Caulfield Guineas for A$2,198,503 in...
  
  *

* Champion Sprinter trophy not awarded