Scenic Blast: King's Stand hero 'going from strength to strength'

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham  

Scenic Blast connections confident about Cup bid

SCENIC BLAST has his connections brimming with confidence as he bids to become the first horse since Never So Bold 24 years ago to win both the King's Stand Stakes and Darley July Cup.

Australians have become accustomed to success at Royal Ascot but trainer Danny Morton believes Scenic Blast can improve on his impressive display in the King's Stand, in which he beat Fleeting Spirit by three-quarters of a length.

Fleeting Spirit is among the opposition again, as are Golden Jubilee winner Art Connoisseur and top South African J J The Jet Plane. However, Queen Anne Stakes winner Paco Boy will not run if the ground is too fast.

Morton said: "The horse has come out of the race really well and he'll strip fitter for this one. This year the horse has been going from strength to strength.

"I think it's a real bonus we have been able to take him to the July course twice and work alongside Takeover Target. The course won't be foreign to him. The undulating track has been in the back of my mind, but he's had some experience there and he's the sort of horse who travels well in his races and that will help him."

Jockey Jay Ford is sticking to the view that Scenic Blast's compatriot Takeover Target can still have a say in the destination of the Group 1 race.

Unable to run at Royal Ascot because of a temperature, Takeover Target has one shot at adding another British prize to the King's Stand success he secured three years ago.

Ford said: "After Scenic Blast won the King's Stand, we've been able to slip under the radar, but I reckon we'll let them all know we're there on Friday and will give the scribes something to write about."

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