OBS Korea Cup 2024 – Form Comments

Crown Pride

OBS KOREA CUP (1800M) G3

Seoul Racecourse – Sunday September 8, 2024

Form Comments

1. WINNER’S MAN – He won this race in 2022 when the Japanese challenge wasn’t as strong and was 3rd last year but he hasn’t raced since successfully defending the Grand Prix Stakes in December due to a fracture requiring surgery. He has been back in work since June and looked well in an August trial. A very hard ask first-up but is of top quality.

2. GLOBAL HIT – In Winner’s Man’s absence earlier, last year’s Korean Derby winner established himself as Korea’s top horse with three Group race wins from four starts so far this campaign, most recently the KRA Cup Classic over 2000M here in early August. Generally sits midfield and runs on, he is the best local hope.

3. VICS GO – Dropped back to a sprint distance and won a Listed race back in February but has been in indifferent form since. Likes to be on or close to the pace and he has won at up to 2000M, but his recent efforts make him hard to have here.

4. LIGHT WARRIOR – A nine-time winner, most recently at Listed level over 2000M at Kawasaki in April. Most recently was 6th in the Teio Sho at Oi in June so he does have form to overturn on Wilso Tesoro He is an on-pace runner so draws very nicely and can be expected to get to the front and can be in this a long way.

5. SUCCESS MACHO – Just like Winner’s Man, Success Macho is racing for the first time since the Grand Prix Stakes last December when he ran 3rd and subsequently sustained a chip fracture. He is a G3 winner, and he looked good in an August trial. He is tactically versatile, having raced well when forward and when closing and while this is hard, he can be in the mix.

6. HEUK JEONSA – Well back in his last Group outing in the Busan Mayor’s Cup in May, he gets his chance here having run a solid 3rd in a class 1 handicap over this distance in August when he led for much of the way. At the risk of stating the obvious, this is a whole lot harder.

7. SIMJANGUI GODONG – He had an unsuccessful trip to Dubai, but he bounced back well with his best in four starts since returning 2nd place in the G3 Busan Owners’ Cup over a mile in June. He has a strong finish, and he will be running on. He was 10th in this race last year.

8. WILSON TESORO – A two-time G1 runner-up and earlier this year finished 4th behind Laurel River in the Dubai World Cup.  He comes in off a runner-up finish behind King’s Sword in the Teio Sho at Oi. He can race on pace or come from behind and Yuga Kawada, who won on Crown Pride last year, climbs on. Big chance.

9. MONTAUK CHAT – The lowest rated in the race by a significant margin, his previous start was a similar shy at the stumps in the KRA Cup Classic in August when finishing 6th, thirteen lengths behind Global Hit and seven behind Simjangui Godang. The outsider of the field.  

10. GALAXY ROAD – He has won at up to 2000M at class 1 level and enters with recent form reading fairly with a 6th and a 4th from his latest two in G2 and G3 company. Likes to settle back and run on and he could pass a few late on.

11. CROWN PRIDE – The defending champion won this race from gate fourteen last year, so the wide draw holds no fears. He came back into form when winning at Listed level at Morioka in July and if he is peaking again here, then it could spell trouble for the rest. Every chance of a repeat.