The top-four local placegetters from September’s International Korea Cup will meet again at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday as the race towards the season-ending Grand Prix Stakes picks up full steam with the KRA Cup Classic (2000M KOR-G2).
While Japan's Crown Pride may have emphatically ended the chances of Winner's Man retaining the Korea Cup that he won in 2022, the five-year-old led home the Korean challenge with a smart and fast finishing 3rd place, banishing any pre-race question marks over his fitness. Winner's Man won the Herald Business Trophy over the same 2000M at Seoul in April and while he then suffered two setbacks, his Cup performance showed he is still to be taken seriously. He will probably start as favourite on Sunday.
The setbacks that Winner's Man endured came in May and July in the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) and Busan Mayor's Cup (1800M KOR-G2) both times at the hands of TUHUNUI BANSEOK. The Verrazano five-year-old entire made all for an emphatic win in the YTN before being passed late on by Winner's Man in the Busan Mayor's only to rouse himself again and fight back and win. He led the Korea Cup until the Japanese pair of Crown Pride and Gloria Mundi went past and ultimately finished in 6th place. The Bart Rice-trainee is not to be ruled out of overhauling Winner's Man again.
Success Macho won nine out of his first ten races but appeared to have been found out at the elite level. A ten-month layoff between last October and this June appeared to do him the world of good though as just second-up on his return, he won the Busan Owners' Cup (1600M KOR-G3) to claim his first Group success and then ran a strong 4th in the Korea Cup, just half a length behind Winner's Man. With Franco Da Silva aboard, he will drop back and run on late.
The Korea Cup also marked a return to form for HAENGBOK WANGJA. The 2021 Grand Prix Stakes winner never really kicked on from that success and endured a challenging and fruitless trip to the Dubai World Cup Carnival earlier this year. He shrugged that off though with a strong 5th place in the Korea Cup, just a length off 3rd and almost two-lengths in front of Tuhonui Banseok, marking a welcome return to form.
SIMJANGUI GODONG and THE GUMPU were further back in the Korea Cup but back in just local company, both are entitled to have a say on Sunday.
The KRA Cup Classic is race 8 on an 11-race card at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday.
Selections: (7) Winner's Man (1) Tuhonui Banseok (3) Success Macho (10) Simjangui Godong
