David Egan and Paul D'Arcy looking forward to Pass The Vino's South Korean test

Trainer Paul D'Arcy and jockey David Egan are hoping their enterprise will be rewarded when Pass The Vino contests a top sprint in South Korea next weekend.

The Keeneland Korea Cup over six furlongs is the target for Pass The Vino who has been a model of consistency this summer, winning a handicap at the Newmarket July meeting before finishing second at Ascot and York.

The son of Power has already touched down in Seoul and is being prepared for a first taste of a sand surface at the left-handed track where the British and Irish have been regular features in the past few years.

David Egan will take both mounts and D'Arcy said: "Pass The Vino left on Thursday and arrived in Korea late on Friday night. It's fantastic prize money of around US $750,000 which is why we are going.

"I spoke with Darryl Holland who knows the track well and he says it's deep sand but a fast track where they need plenty of early speed."

As for his home prep, D'Arcy added: "I've watched the last two runnings of the race which were won by Japanese horses but because of a trade dispute they can't run this year, which is a bonus for us.

"Roger Varian has kindly allowed David Egan some time off to go over and take the ride on Pass The Vino, which will be good experience for him. I fly out on Thursday and it's furthest we've been with a runner."

Three years ago, Jane Chapple-Hyam was a pioneer for the Europeans when sending Solar Deity out to contest the Keeneland Korea Cup and tries again in the rival 1m1f contest with Ambassadorial, who has won and been placed at Chelmsford this summer.

The ongoing trade dispute between South Korea and Japan has escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis over the past few weeks, meaning that Japanese-trained horses are unable to be invited to the meeting.

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