American recruit Wild Dude heads to Seoul for the Keeneland Korea Sprint

Michael Halford has tasted success from Royal Ascot to Dubai but the

Kildare trainer will venture into the unknown next month when his new American recruit Wild Dude lines up in the Korean capital Seoul.

A dual-Grade 1 winner in California last year, Wild Dude has been sent to Halford by Chinese owner, Zhang Yuesheng, to prepare for the six-furlong Keeneland Korea Sprint, worth over €500,000, at Seoul racecourse on September 11th. Conor Hoban will travel to take the ride.

“The owner purchased him with this race as a target. It’s great to get him. Korea is somewhere I haven’t been but we’re learning and it’s a great challenge and the race is worth a lot of money,” Halford said.

The six-year-old Wild Dude last ran in May when successful in a Grade 2 at Santa Anita. He opened his Grade 1 account in July last year in the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and in October also landed the Santa Anita Sprint.

The course of his future career could be determined by how he fares in Seoul where his possible opposition could include the star Hong Kong sprinter, Rich Tapestry.

“The owner has a lot of interests around the world and bought him as a prospective stallion as well. But depending on how we go, Dubai could be on our minds too,” Halford added.

The Korean race will be run on sand and is part of an international programme that also includes the nine-furlong Korea Cup over almost €750,000. Halford has met with officials from the Korea Racing Club to discuss the logistics of Wild Dude’s Asian raid although the trainer is likely to stay at home. “We look like being busy over the two days of ‘Champions Weekend’ at home but it’s a great opportunity for all of us here and we’re looking forward to it,” said the trainer who also memorably secured Group 1 success in 2010 with Casamento in the Racing Post Trophy.