Ill-fated Durham Lodge stallion Scenic (Saddler’s Wells) sired his thirteenth G1 winner last Saturday when Scenic Shot broke through for a well deserved win at the top level.  He joins Melbourne Cup winner Viewed and Newmarket Handicap winner Scenic Blast as Scenic’s other G1 winners this season.

Ridden to perfection by veteran hoop Shane Scriven, Scenic Shot (6g Scenic-Sweepshot by Dr Grace) came with a perfectly timed run to catch leader Sir Slick in the shadows of the post.  Len Morton, deputising for his son Dan, who was busy in Perth putting the polish on Scenic Blast’s overseas campaign, confirmed post race that Scenic Shot would head to the G2 PJ O’Shea Stakes on May 30, the race he won last year.

“He will go to the O’Shea after this, but we will wait and see how we go with the Cup. The weight is a bit of a worry there, but the weight-for-age of the O’Shea suits us,” Morton said.  “If ever a horse should have been able to win a Group One this guy should.

“We are really thrilled for him.  The Hollindale (Stakes, last start) didn’t suit him. Maybe it was the track. We couldn’t put our finger on it, but they can put in an indifferent run every now and then.”

Morton Snr added the stable were fairly confident leading into the run following a good week on the track.  “I have never got a thrill as big watching a horse in track work as I did with this horse on Thursday,” Morton said.  “I thought if he got a crack at them he would be very, very hard to hold out.  “He is a really consistent horse, who is great to work with.”

A $36,000 purchase from the 2004 Perth Magic Millions, Scenic Shot has proven a good money spinner for connections earning just under $1.5 million from his 47 starts, which have yielded 12 wins and 10 minor placings.

He is the first G1 winner for the lightly raced and G3 placed Sweepshot and is a half brother to stakes placed Flight Path (Bletchley Park).  Sweepshot has a yearling filly by Bletchley Park and a weanling filly by Durham Lodge’s Danehill sire Blackfriars. She was served by Mungrup Stud’s Scenic sire Due Sasso last year.

The stakes winners continued to roll for Scenic on Saturday when Grand Nirvana (3g Scenic-Paradise Park by Bletchley Park) nosed out Megatic and Vain Raider to win the Listed H G Bolton Sprint at Belmont.