Chancheng Glory Seoul-Bound

2024-2025 HK Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising peerless in first trial ahead of return

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SEOUL - Chancheng Glory and Self Improvement are gearing up for their international assignments in South Korea on Sept 7.

Trained by Francis Lui, Chancheng Glory will aim at the 1.6 billion Korean won (S$1.48 million) international Group 3 Korea Cup (1,800m), while Manfred Man's Self Improvement will line up in the 1.4 billion Korean won international Group 3 Korea Sprint (1,200m) at the Seoul racecourse.

Both horses trialled at Sha Tin on Aug 22 with Jerry Chau, who is booked to partner the pair in the two feature races that are run on Seoul's deep sand surface.

A six-year-old son of Deep Field, Self Improvement won his trial, while the American-bred Chancheng Glory finished eighth in another trial behind top sprinter Lucky Sweynesse.

An eight-time winner all on the turf, including his only Group win in the Group 3 The Centenary Vase (1,800m) on Jan 31, Chancheng Glory had another round of gallop on Aug 26 with Chau on board.

Lui has kept the Mor Spirit five-year-old ticking over after his trial, as owners from the Chancheng Racing Syndicate were keen on a stab at glory in Seoul.

"It's early in the season and, after the break, so he (Chancheng Glory) needs to improve," he said.