Woorim will get his chance to win a Group 1 in Melbourne after successful defending his Glasshouse Handicap crown at Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Woorim (5g Show a Heart – Wabble by Canadian Silver) took his record to 8 wins from 30 starts with a typical blistering finish under perfectly timed ride by Damian Browne.
The winner set a new weight-carrying record of 58.5kg and he also became the first horse to win the race in successive years. Ranchos Coup was the only other dual winner of the race in 1995 and 1997.
Owner-breeder Ross Cutts tasted Group 1 glory in Melbourne with Woorim’s sire Show A Heart and is keen to give his latest star an opportunity at the spring carnival. “What a horse and what a ride by Damian,” Cutts said. “We thought Woorim could win the Stradbroke but Damian was suspended and he finished seventh to Sincero.”
Browne had piloted Woorim to a G3 victory in the BTC Sprint at Doomben prior to the Stradbroke.
Woorim is by Glenlogan Park’s champion sire Show a Heart and Cutts kept him after bidding failed to reach a $75,000 reserve at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions. He is a younger brother My Limit who has won 6 races in Brisbane and earned more than $361,000.
Woorim travelled to Melbourne last year and his best effort in that five-race campaign was a half-length third to Response and No Evidence Needed in the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
His dam Wabble foaled a colt by Any Suggestion last year. The sire is a close relation of Show A Heart’s and stands in NZ at Rich Hill Stud.