Success Baekpa Downs Global Hit in Group 2 KRA Cup Classic

Trainer Min's 4YO gains revenge on favourite after losing to him twice in 2025

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SEOUL - Defending champion Global Hit tasted defeat for the first time in South Korea in 11 months, when Success Baekpa swept past him to take out the 700 million Korean won (S$651,000) Group 2 KRA Cup Classic (2,000m) in Seoul on Aug 3.

After running third in the international Group 3 Korea Cup (1,800m) on Sept 8, 2024, Global Hit has gone on to win four more Group races in the country, including the Group 1 President's Cup (2,000m) and the Group 1 Grand Prix (2,300m) in 2024.

The To Honor And Serve five-year-old contested in two international races in Dubai earlier this year, when he finished unplaced in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge (1,900m) on Jan 24, but ran third in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic (2,000m) on March 1.

Global Hit returned to his home soil and claimed the Group 3 YTN Cup (2,000m) on April 20, and the Group 2 Busan Mayor's Cup (1,800m) on May 25.

The Bang Dong-suk-trained horse was sent off as the favourite in the KRA Cup Classic, but he had to settle for second.

In a race with no early speed, regular partner Kim Hye-sun took Global Hit to the front from the widest gate 11.