Overseas-trained accepted nominations for the Keeneland Korea Cup & Sprint have been released as have the preliminary ones for Korean-trained horses. And some of those Korean-trained ones will line up at Busan on Sunday afternoon in the valuable Group 3 Owners’ Cup.
Triple Nine, Success Story and Gumpo Sky are all nominated for the Cup and they along with Rock Band will be the top fancies for the Owner’s Cup which will be run over a mile and will be available for betting on the TAB in Australia. English racecards are here. Brief notes on selected races below:
Seoul Race 6: Class 5 / 1300M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 12:20 (SIN)
(6) HONEY BUTTER NINO is ready to win again on what will be his fourth attempt at this class. Beaten four lengths into 2nd last time, he can go one better here. The danger is (8) DEVIL MAN, who’s had a string of near misses and drops back in trip following back to back 3rd places at 1700M Both will look to come from just off the pace. That pace is likely to be set by (2) PINK STAR, who’s been in form of late and can stay on while (5) WANJEON MULGYEOL and up-in-class (1) HAPPIEST are others with claims.
| Selections | (6) Honey Butter Nino (8) Devil Man (2) Pink Star (1) Happiest |
| Next Best | 5, 3, 12, 4 |
| Outsiders | 7, 9, 10, 11 |
| Fast Starters | 2, 3 |
Busan Race 1: Class 5 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 12:40 (SIN)
(10) FEISTY flopped when favourite in a competitive race over 1300M on July 8th but Kim Young Kwan’s gelding showed good ability in two starts prior to that and is favoured to come back into form here. Similarly disappointing when well backed last time was (8) ICE MARINE and she too should improve today. One who ran to expectations last time was (6) CHOA, the gelding running 2nd over class and distance on July 15th and a repeat should be aimed for here. (4) SUNGANUI BEOPCHIK and (5) ONLY BLUE are also in contention.
| Selections | (10) Feisty (8) Ice Marine (6) Choa (5) Only Blue |
| Next Best | 4, 9, 7 |
| Outsiders | 1, 2, 3 |
| Fast Starters | 5, 8 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 / 1000M / Handicap / KRW 60 Million / 13:05 (SIN)
With two wins from four and back to the minimum distance today, (1) GOLD MORNING has plenty of potential and is the one to beat here. She should lead gate-to-wire. It won’t be a procession though. Both (5) JOARA and (9) GOLD MUSIC have proved capable at this level and will be dangerous. The former beat (2) BEYOND LIMIT last start but Beyond Limit too could welcome the opportunity to run at the minimum distance again. (10) JINNGYEONGUI GEOIN hasn’t really pushed on from an impressive start to his career but was a close 5th last time and is one of the quickest of these on his day.
| Selections | (1) Gold Morning (2) Beyond Limit (10) Jinngyeongui Geoin (5) Joara |
| Next Best | 9, 4, 3, 8 |
| Outsiders | 6, 7, 11 |
| Fast Starters | 1, 7, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 2: Class 4 / 1300M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 13:25 (SIN)
Small but competitive field here. Both (5) OCEAN LINE and (6) ACE SINHWA drop back in trip today, the latter for the first time in many months. Ocean Line will look to lead while the Aussie-bred Ace Sinhwa will try to come from just off the pace and both should be involved at the business end of the race. (8) BIO BLUE is two races into a comeback following a lengthy absence. Neither have gone especially well but both have been at 1000M and the increased trip should be beneficial and we will expect an improvement today. (9) TOUGH COUNTRY is still looking for his maiden win but comes in following consecutive 3rd places and should match. (1) SEVEN PARTY will welcome the drop back in distance.
| Selections | (6) Ace Sinhwa (8) Bio Blue (5) Ocean Line (9) Tough Country |
| Next Best | 1, 4, 3 |
| Outsiders | 2, 7 |
| Fast Starters | 3, 5, 8 |
Busan Race 3: Class 3 / 1400M / Handicap / KRW 72 Million / 14:15 (SIN)
He struggled in the Korean Derby and also in the Minister’s Cup, the final two legs of the Korean Triple Crown at Seoul, but back in Busan and back at seven furlongs today, (8) SAEROUN STEALTH should have far too much for this field. (3) SUPER STORM and (6) MACHU PICCHU, who ran 2nd in decent races at 1400M and 1600M respectively last time are the two with the strongest claims to be able to compete with the favourite while (4) BYEOLMURI was an improved 5th (behind Super Storm) last start and can look for more improvement. Second place specialist (2) WIN GO MAN is rather unfortunate to find himself up in class here but should be able to give a good account of himself.
| Selections | (8) Saeroun Stealth (3) Super Storm (6) Machu Picchu (2) Win Go Man |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Outsiders | 1, 5 |
| Fast Starters | 3, 4 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 3 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 75 Million / 15:00 (SIN)
Up in class following a comfortable victory over a decent class 4 field at 1200M at the end of June, (7) CLEAN UP KING can make an immediate impact here. Most likely content to let others lead, he has strong finishing speed and the lightly raced three-year-old can win this. (1) MENI MUSIC hasn’t quite lived up to her early potential but is always well backed and generally gives a good account of herself. She will set the pace here and winning this is within her scope. (8) JEWELRY PARK was a well-beaten 3rd of 7 on her first try at this level last month but with champion jockey Moon Se Young returning to the ride, she’ll have backers to make amends here. (2) HUIMANG ROCKET, up in class after a solid win, and (6) NORTHERN HOJAE best of the rest.
| Selections | (7) Clean Up King (1) Meni Music (8) Jewelry Park (2) Huimang Rocket |
| Next Best | 6, 5 |
| Outsiders | 3, 4 |
| Fast Starters | 1, 2, 5 |
Busan Race 4: Class Open – The Owners’ Cup (KOR G3) – 1600M / Weight for Age / KRW 400 Million / 15:30 (SIN)
(5) TRIPLE NINE has suffered unexpected reverses in his last two races but he will still be heavy favourite to triumph here. He won Korea’s richest race last year and beat Success Story by a nose in the 1800M Mayor’s Cup last start. He is the one to beat. (8) SUCCESS STORY landed two 3rd place finishes at the Dubai World Cup Carnival earlier this year and since returning to Korea has added two more 3rd places. He’ll be on speed early as ever and this time can go at least one better. (10) ROCK BAND is Triple Nine’s stablemate and was his big rival last autumn before injury saw him out of action for several months. He returned in June and was back in the winner’s circle in July winning an admittedly indifferent handicap over 1800M. With a bit more progress he will be competitive again here. (4) GUMPO SKY was well beaten in the Mayor’s Cup but remains a danger and will be on the early speed. (7) CHEONJI PARK is an improver and looks to be the wildcard.
| Selections | (5) Triple Nine (8) Success Story (10) Rock Band (4) Gumpo Sky |
| Next Best | 7 |
| Outsiders | 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 |
| Fast Starters | 2, 4, 8, 10 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 3 / 1400M / Handicap / KRW 75 Million / 16:00 (SIN)
It took (4) BOEUN YONGSA ten goes to get his maiden victory but once he did, another win followed right away at class and distance and he’s got every chance of making it three in a row here. Although he did win at class 4 carrying this weight, today he’s giving plenty away, including 5kg to (8) FORMER MISSION. The US import by Temple City is up in class following his own maiden win on July 17th. The class gap shouldn’t be a problem and the increased trip should be to his advantage. (2) REWARD HIGH is up in class following her maiden win at the ninth time of asking and can be competitive at this level while (7) KWAESOK POWER completes the set of those at this level for the first time and is a winner at this distance. (1) TRIPLE SHINING should improve today in more favourable company than his last two outings.
| Selections | (8) Former Mission (4) Boeun Yongsa (2) Reward High (1) Triple Shining |
| Next Best | 7, 3 |
| Outsiders | 5, 6 |
| Fast Starters | 1, 5 |
Seoul Race 11: Class 1 / 1800M / Handicap / KRW 120 Million / 16:30 (SIN)
A disappointingly small field here as Seoul’s class 1 contingent remains in its boxes instead of facing (7) CLEAN UP JOY, who will be a prohibitive favourite to maintain his 100% record at his home track this year. He was beaten by Triple Nine and Success Story by a length in the Busan Mayor’s Cup last month but is superior to his rivals here even if he is giving them all a minimum of 8kg. That weight is perhaps the only doubt and should anyone wish to take him on they should look to YTN Cup winner (5) MISO WANGJA who is still a work in progress with plenty of potential. (3) BEST RUN and (4) WINNING ANDY are other candidates for places.
| Selections | (7) Clean Up Joy (5) Miso Wangja (3) Best Run (4) Winning Andy |
| Next Best | 1, 6, 2 |
| Fast Starters | 2, 5 |
Horse Racing in Korea 