The Asia Challenge Cup, the first international invitational race in the history of Korean horse racing is set to be run at Seoul Racecourse on 31 August 2014.
The Korea Racing Authority (KRA) has long intended to host international races in order to provide high quality races for local racing fans, to produce stronger and faster Korean-bred horses and to promote horseracing as a sport.
On 1 September 2013, overseas-trained horses ran in Korea for the very first time. Three Japanese runners from Ohi Racecourse in Tokyo competed with 11 Korean horses in the SBS ESPN Goodwill Cup.
The race, which was shown ‘live’ on a major TV Sports Network in Korea, was won by Japanese visitor Tosen Archer. The return match in Tokyo was held on 26 November 2013 with three Korean horses travelling to Ohi Racecourse to compete against 11 Japanese horses. This time, it was a Korean horse, Watts Village, who saluted.
This year, the KRA will host its first international invitational race, the Asia Challenge Cup, on 31 August. The race run over a distance of 1400 metres, has attracted three runners from Singapore, one of the powerhouses of Asian horse racing and three Japanese horses. The international horses will be pitted against eight Korean horses (6 from Seoul, 2 from Busan).
It is anticipated that the Asia Challenge Cup will not only offer local fans the highest quality of horse racing on the calendar but will also attract the attention of the sport’s leading owners, trainers and jockeys from around the world. The race will also be telecast ‘live’ to Singapore.
The KRA aims to host high-quality international races every year as part of its efforts to upgrade the quality of Korean races for inclusion in Part 2 of the International Cataloguing Standards.
The international horses are:
SINGAPORE
EL PADRINO (NZ) [Mr. Nancho – Crownie (Luskin Star)] Six-year-old gelding (28/7/5/4) – One of Singapore’s leading sprinters, El Padrino won the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m), the first Leg of the Singapore Sprint Series, in March this year. That win earned him an invitation to the Dubai Golden Shaheen at this year’s Dubai World Cup meeting. However, he did not make the trip. He did run in Dubai in 2012 when known as Ip Man, winning one race. This year, he ran sixth to Lucky Nine in the KrisFlyer International Sprint in May.
TRUDEAU (AUS) [Exceed And Excel – Canadian Legacy (Kris)] Seven-year-old gelding (33/7/5/9) – A surprise winner of the Group 3 Garden City Trophy (1200m) in Singapore last September, he followed that up with another victory two months later, in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m). He comes to Korea on the back of a win in a Malaysian Group 1 race in June, the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor, when ridden by Noel “King” Callow, the winner of last year’s Seoul International Jockey Challenge. With Callow back to ride him, he should stand a good chance.
SPEEDY CAT (NZ) [Scaredee Cat – Lane Cove (Magic Of Sydney)] Six-year-old gelding (35/8/7/5) – This very experienced horse boasts eight career wins to his name including two at this distance, one of which was last year’s Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m). He is yet to win in 2014 but he has gone close a few times and cannot be ruled out.
JAPAN
CHOCOLAT VERRINE (JPN) [Gold Allure – Breezy Woods (Timber County)] Five-year-old mare (24/6/5/3) – Runner-up in the Narashino Kirrato Sprint at Funabashi in July, Chocolat Verrine comes into this race in fine form, having finished outside the top two only once in five starts in 2014.
TOSHI GANG STAR (JPN) [Kurofune – Pisa No Birkin (Sunday Silence)] Seven-year-old horse (46/4/6/0) – A vastly-experienced horse, Toshi Gang Star has two big-race wins to his name. He has only run four times so far in 2014 with a second place at Ohi his best result.
PIERRE TIGER (JPN) [Cacoethes – Be Fragrant (Daitaku Helios)] Six-year-old horse (38/13/5/4) – Recently back in action after a five-month layoff, Pierre Tiger has two big-race wins among his 13 career victories to date. His biggest victory came in the 2012 Mile Grand Prix at Ohi Racecourse. His best performance in three runs this year was a third-placed finish over a mile at Kawasaki.
(3yo’s will carry 55Kg and 4yo’s 57Kg. Fillies & Mares receive a 2Kg allowance).
– Korea Racing Authority
