Success Baekpa has emerged as Korea’s leading hope in the G3 Korea Cup (1800m, sand) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday (7 September) following an injury to multiple Group 1 winner Global Hit in last month’s KRA Cup Classic.

To be challenged by Hong Kong’s Chancheng Glory and a host of quality Japanese contenders, Success Baekpa impressed Jin Kyum after a four-length Cup Classic victory: “Yes, Global Hit wasn’t at 100%, but even if he had been, I don’t know if the result would have been much different.”

Success Baekpa won two legs of the Triple Crown last year and was third in the Korean Derby. He finished his three-year-old campaign with fourth place in the G1 President’s Cup and third in the G1 Grand Prix.

This year, in Global Hit’s Dubai absence, Success Baekpa won the G3 Herald Business Cup and then finally got the better of his older rival in the KRA Cup Classic.

“I wasn’t nervous, but I am now. I have to maintain my pride!” trainer Min Jang-gi said this week when it was put to him that his charge was the best hope of a home upset in the Cup. 

“He galloped this week, and his condition was as good as it was before his last race. In the Cup the pace will be on, and we will need to be up there. Can we win? Well, I wish to,” he said.

Francis Lui-trained Chancheng Glory will be ridden by Jerry Chau.

In the G3 Korea Sprint (1200m, sand), which features Manfred Man’s Self Improvement, local hopes of keeping the prize at home rest with Vincero Cavallo.

A four-year-old by Cowboy Cal, Vincero Cavallo ran sixth in last year’s Korea Sprint. He has since dominated the local sprinting ranks, sweeping all three legs of the Sprint Series between March and May. He hasn’t raced since the series finale, the G2 SROA Chairman’s Sprint, on 18 May.

Indeed, there was some concern when Vincero Cavallo missed a scheduled run in a Class 1 race at the end of July, a race which was scheduled to fill the summer sprinting void for those targeting the international race.

Given the baking hot conditions that weekend – the hottest of the entire summer – it may not have been a bad thing.

“He was OK, not injured, he just needed a rest, that’s why he didn’t run,” said jockey Jo Jae-ro, for whom Vincero Cavallo has been a breakout horse.

Instead, Vincero Cavallo went through two August barrier trials, being given an easy time in the first of them and then asked for more in the second when he cruised away from the pack.

“Everything has been about getting him to the Korea Sprint in the best possible condition,” Jo said.

“I would estimate that right now he is 90% there and on race day he will be fully ready.”

Given the calibre of the opposition, both Success Baekpa and Vincero Cavallo will need to be fully ready and then some if they are to pull off what would surely be the greatest of home victories in Cup and Sprint history this weekend.

Self Improvement will also be ridden by Chau.