KOR G1 – 1200m – Sand
| 1 | Dia Socks | A versatile and solid Class 1 campaigner, who is rarely far away. He does though seem to have an aversion to winning, something he has only done on three occasions. He returned in June following a seven-month lay-off and has two 4th places and a 2nd in three starts since, including 4th behind Global Captain in August latest. He’ll come from off the pace and will be among the outsiders here. |
| 2 | Final Energy | Winner of six from 12 so far, he gets his chance here having won back to back over this distance, both in fast times, at Class 3 and Class 2. He is capable of coming from off the pace and has a strong finish, but he remains untested in this kind of company and this looks too stiff. |
| 3 | Fast Pass | A very solid and consistent campaigner who spent most of his career on the West Coast of the USA before relocating to Gulfstream in late 2018. Won three of his eight starts in Florida, also a good 3rd in the G3 Smile Sprint Stakes (1200m) in June. Tends to come from off the pace so draw not a huge issue. Others may be favoured but he knows where the finish line is. |
| 4 | Doraonpogyeongseon | 3rd in this race in both 2017 and 2018 but he hasn’t quite seemed the same since being asked to go around 2000m in the KOR G3 KRA Cup Classic last October. He does love the 1200m at Seoul though and he managed to get up for 2nd to Gaon Champ in June’s SBS Sports Sprint, a race which he had won in both the two preceding years. He comes through late and strong and while he may not be quite at the level he was a year ago, don’t rule out a good run. |
| 5 | Holy Legal | She’s done the majority of her racing in Uruguay where she won five races in a row between August 2018 and January 2019 culminating in the G2 Gran Premio Maronas over 1000m. She then transferred to the US where she has raced twice at Arlington, both finished 3rd. Undoubted speed and her experience on the South American tracks may serve her well in Seoul. Likely to settle just behind the early speed, she has a chance. |
| 6 | Gaon Champ | A winner of nine from 12, having started his last three at Group level with a number of these behind him on each occasion. Currently the top sprinter in Korea, he made all to hold off Doraonpoyeongseon in the KOR G3 SBS Sports Sprint (1200m) here in June, overcoming a wide draw. If he gets to the front, he may be hard to dislodge. He will though, need to go faster than he has before in order to win. |
| 7 | Heartwood | Has won two out of three starts in 2019, the first a 1200m Listed event at Oaklawn Park and then a modest race at Beltarra Park in July. This is probably a stiffer test, but he has good early speed and if he can get on pace, then he is not without a chance of challenging for some prize money. |
| 8 | Spring Back | Won by 4L in a Class 2 in June, before 5L 2nd behind Global Captain on his first try in Class 1 company latest. He has plenty to make up on him, but he will need to be close to the front from the start if he is to have any chance of finding the money. |
| 9 | Global Captain | Six wins from eight, he was 3rd behind Gaon Champ in the KOR G3 SBS Sports Sprint in June. He’s come on a bit since then and put in a huge performance when, coming just off the pace, winning his second consecutive Class 1 by five-lengths in August. He only carried 115lb that day so level weight here will be more challenging and the competition is much stiffer too, but he’s an exciting prospect. |
| 10 | Today | Lots of experience and last year even ran 3rd in a 1200m sprint at Kranji in Singapore. He returned to Korea to finish 11th in this last year. Sent up to try longer distances since, ran 3rd in a 2300m KOR G1 last December before winning over 2000m in January. He hasn’t raced since then but looked assured in a trial in early August. Has undoubted quality but this may be a bit too much too soon. |
| 11 | Pass the Vino | Still up and coming three-year-old gelding, he’s established himself a serious player in some good British sprints this year. He won a handicap at Newmarket in early July at odds of 25/1 but backed that up with a 2nd place at the same track two weeks later and then another runner-up finish at Ascot. Most recently ran a creditable 5th of 19 at York. The question mark will be the track surface, but he’s by no means alone in that and he has won on all-weather at Wolverhampton. |
| 12 | Ugly Warrior | Me Tsui’s Fight Hero ran a storming race in the Sprint last year, coming home 2nd from the widest gate. Ugly Warrior is another Sha Tin all-weather specialist. He won twice in the 2018/2019 season most recently in his latest start in June over this distance. Unlike Fight Hero, he may need to get on pace early. Capable to get close here. |
| 13 | Blue Chipper | Korea’s big up and coming hope. He’s won four in a row since his latest comeback by a combined 41 lengths, including a 10-length score in his first Korean Group race, the KOR G3 Busan Owners’ Cup (1600m) in July. While untested in elite company at sprint distances, he’s won in a fast time over today’s trip. He’ll try and dominate from the start and could be the one to beat. |
| 14 | Ace Korea | Finished 5th in this race last year having led early, he then went back to Busan and won a Listed race, earning himself a trip to the Dubai Carnival in the process. He subsequently blew the start in both Meydan appearances and came home. He ran 4th in the KOR G3 SBS Sports Sprint (1200m) in June, his first start back, before winning a 1400m Class 1 handicap at Busan in early July. Draw a line though his latest appearance when the mile distance didn’t suit. At his best he’d be right in this but there are too many question marks for him to be recommended. |
| 15 | Bakoel Koffie | Solid French-trained sprinter whose last win was two back in a 1100m Listed turf race at Fontainebleau. Also ran 2nd in his last run on all-weather, in a 1300m event at Chantilly in March. Will need to make sure he doesn’t get too far back if he is to be competitive here but connections have shrewdly enlisted Seoul’s champion jockey Antonio Da Silva. |
| 16 | Wonder Bolt | A stalwart of the last few years, back in 2014 he ran 2nd in the Asia Challenge Cup, the precursor to this race. He ran again in the race in 2015 and has participated in both the Cup and Sprint before. However, now a 9YO, he’s not the horse he was and while he usually beats a few, he can be safely held here. |
