Self Improvement toughed out a famous victory in the G3 Korea Sprint (1200m, sand) at Seoul this afternoon (Sunday, 7 September) before Chancheng Glory fell valiantly short of completing a momentous double for Hong Kong, China in the G3 Korea Cup (1800m, sand) in South Korea.
Becoming the second Hong Kong-trained horse to win the Korea Sprint after Super Jockey claimed the inaugural running in 2016, Self Improvement rolled through the deep sand course under a supreme Jerry Chau steer for trainer Manfred Man, edging past Japan's Chikappa with Yutaka Take in the plate for trainer Kazuya Nakatake and South Korea's Super Finish, second and third, respectively.
"He's a great jockey (Yutaka Take) and that was a great horse (Chikappa ). I think the key of winning is because we got to the front earlier and didn't get the kickback. It was helpful for my horse. In the straight my horse had a very big heart. When the other horse passed him, he tried to go again and fight back. I was really happy with that," Chau said.
Pressing forward and into open space early from barrier seven, Chau opted to avoid as much kickback as possible, while the pace-setting Super Finish found an early lead. Positioned to the leader's outside in the run and away from much of the rebounding sand, Self Improvement stalked his rival's every move before taking over at the top of Seoul's home straight alongside Chikappa.
Trading blows in the stretch run as they both chased the lion's share of the KRW1.4 billion (approx. HK$7.98 million) purse, six-year-old Deep Field gelding Self Improvement eventually got the better of Chikappa by a half length in 1m 10.5s – rewarded with his biggest win to date and the fifth of his career racing in Hong Kong and South Korea.
Korea Sprint victory offers the winner free entry and a substantial travel subsidy to compete at the Breeders' Cup (31 October-1 November) at Del Mar in California, the United States of America, where Self Improvement has the opportunity to run in the G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint (1200m, dirt) and test his mettle against North American competition.
Man, who was jubilant on-course watching on at Sha Tin, said: "I'm very happy, it's my first time to send a horse to Korea."
Man and Chau – who secured their first overseas wins on a Hong Kong horse – are the second all-local duo after trainer Ricky Yiu and former jockey Alex Lai, who won the 2010 G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) with Ultra Fantasy in Japan, to win a race abroad.
"It's amazing and it's my honour to represent Hong Kong and Mr Wong, and trainer Mr Manfred Man. It's a very great honour for me and the horse brings me success. I really appreciate it," Chau said.
Two races later, Francis Lui's Chancheng Glory – who enjoyed a similar trip to Self Improvement, just outside the leader from barrier two – tenaciously came second in the eighth running of the Korea Cup to Japan's Diktaean by one length. Chau pressed forward with Chancheng Glory, travelling to the outside of Great Winner throughout.
Chau made his move aboard the American-bred son of Mor Spirit as the field turned for home. A tiring Great Winner came back through the field, while the Group 1-placed Chancheng Glory and Japan's Ramjet pulled clear. Producing a memorable stretch battle, the pair were neck and neck heading for home before a rampaging Diktaean – with jockey Takayuki Yano up for trainer Katsunori Arayama – pounced late with a superior burst of speed to land the KRW1.6 billion (approx. HK$9.12 million) contest in 1m 50.8s by a length.
