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The first Group race of the 2019 Korean season will be run at Seoul on Sunday
It could hardly be stronger as some of Seoul’s top performers step out over 1200M in the G3(KOR) SROA Chairman’s Cup (Owner’s Cup). They include Seoul’s top-rated horse, Cheongdam Dokki, champion mare Silver Wolf as well as up and coming stars Mask and Gaon Champ.
A winner of twelve of nineteen career starts, Cheongdam Dokki is a force at any distance and the five-year-old kicks off his campaign having concluded 2018 by running 2nd in the Grand Prix Stakes, a race in which he beat Dolkong, who is now at Meydan preparing to run in the Dubai World Cup. Since then he’s moved stables and makes his first start for Italian trainer Luigi Riccardi. Antonio Da Silva rides for the first time with the pair having looked sharp when smartly finishing off a trial in February. At his best, he will be very difficult to beat.
Silver Wolf is always difficult to beat. The mare, who won all three legs of the Queens’ Tour in 2017, beat Triple Crown and Grand Prix Stakes winner Power Blade on her way to victory in the Busan Ilbo Cup last year and although she came up slightly short in the very best company throughout the summer and autumn, she began this season with a strong win in the Donga Ilbo Cup over 1800M a month ago. Unlike many in this race, she doesn’t need to lead and if she gets a good trip, her class will see her very close.
As for the four-year-olds, last year’s Korean Derby runner-up Mask was an impressive winner of the Segye Ilbo Cup at the end of January, beating Sinui Myeongryeong, who also takes her chance here, by over two lengths. It was a strong performance and Mask is ideally drawn in gate 1 to sit behind the early leaders and come through powerfully in the latter part of the race.
Then there is Gaon Champ. Conservatively campaigned after suffering some setbacks – he’s only raced nine times in total, winning seven – he was last seen winning the Trainers’ Cup at this distance just before Christmas. While he hasn’t been spectacular, he has been consistently fast and may raise his game in his first test at the elite level.
Aside form the big-four there are plenty of others capable on their day, including last year’s victor Cheonji Storm and prolific class 1 handicap winner Cheonjiga. The grand old man of Korean sprinters is in attendance too although drawing gate 12 has done 2015 Asia Challenge Cup winner Choegang Schiller no favours.
The G3 SROA Chairman’s Cup is race 9 on the 11-race card at Seoul on Sunday.