Scenic Blast has broken down on the eve of his return to racing in Perth.  The 2009 Australian Horse of the Year was due to resume in the G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes at Ascot on Tuesday.

Scenic Blast (8g Scenic – Daughter’s Charm by Delgado) fractured a hind leg during trackwork on Saturday morning.  He retires with a career card of 8 wins in 31 starts and over $2.12 million in prizemoney.

Trainer Dan Morton sent him on an international campaign after winning the G1 Lightning Stakes and G1 Newmarket Hcp at Flemington in 2009.  He claimed the G1 King’s Stand Stakes at his next start at Royal Ascot but failed to salute in a further 13 starts in Japan, Hong Kong, USA and Australia.

At his penultimate start, he was runner-up to Sea Siren in the G1 BTC Cup at Doomben.

Scenic Blast is a younger brother to ill-fated G1 Railway Stakes winner Gilded Venom (Golden Snake).  Morton also retired his veteran stablemate Scenic Shot earlier this season.