The Global Sprint Challenge is a Thoroughbred horse racing series inaugurated in 2005 as a series of six sprint races run across three racing jurisdictions in Australia, England and Japan. In 2006 the series expanded to seven races across four racing jurisdictions with the inclusion of a race in Hong Kong. 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.
2005 – Inauguration of six race series
2006 – Series expanded to seven races with the inclusion of the Hong Kong International Sprint
2006 – $US1,000,000 bonus incentive added to series
2008 – King's Stand Stakes upgraded to Group 1 from Group 2
2008 – Series expanded to eight races with the inclusion of the July Cup
2008 – The Age Classic replaces the Australia Stakes as the second Australian leg of the series
2011 – Series expanded to nine races with the inclusion of the KrisFlyer International Sprint
2011 – The Takamatsunomiya Kinen replaces the Centaur Stakes as the first Japanese leg of the series
2012 – Series expanded to ten races with the inclusion of the Dubai Golden Shaheen
2016 – Series expanded to ten races with the inclusion of the Chairman's Sprint Prize
2017 - Al Quoz Sprint replaced the Dubai Golden Shaheen, meaning that all ten races will be run on turf
The 2018 series was suspended due to an ongoing dispute between the racing authorities in Australia and Hong Kong over quarantine arrangements.[1]
All races are Group / Grade One events run on turf.