Day: May 26, 2018

YTN Cup Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (May 27)

It’s YTN Cup Day! Cheongdam Dokki takes on Clean Up Joy once more in the big race at Seoul but there’s a whole host of other action going on both in the capital and at Busan. Click here for an in depth preview of the big race. There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 12:40 to 17:05. Here is the race-by-race:

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Lim Gi Won was among the winners on Saturday and should be on Sunday too, not least with Cheongdam Dokki in the YTN Cup (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

(11) ROMAN BLADE has shown promise across two starts so far, leading for much of her latest outing on April 7th before just weakening a little late on and ending in 3rd. She’s had seven weeks off since then and should win this all-filly affair. (1) CULLINAN made a fresh start in April, several months after her debut and she ran well in 3rd in a similar race to this four weeks ago. (5) BAEKSAN FORCE was three-lengths behind in 4th that day and both can challenge today. (2) L CHOICE debuted in the same race but despite being well backed on the strength of winning a March trial, only beat two home and better will be expected here. There are three first-time starters and among them, (10) SAGWARANG will be best supported, having won a trial just last week.

Selections (11) Roman Blade (1) Cullinan (5) Baeksan Force (10) Sagwarang
Next Best 2, 9
Fast Start 1, 9, 10, 11

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

(5) HANIL DALBIT was just beaten a neck into 2nd place on his first try at this distance on April 29th, having made all until close to the line and he has as good a chance as any in what is not a strong, but very competitive race. (11) GANGHWA CHONGGAK registered his second consecutive 3rd place that day and can go close again. (3) GONG SAN has shown good progression across three outings so far, running a good 2nd last time and should be in the hunt. (4) STAR LIST too was an improved 2nd in what wasn’t an especially strong race last time and could go well once more. (7) BURUI GORI ran a creditable 4th on debut at the distance last month and he too has every chance of building on it today.

Selections (5) Hanil Dalbit (7) Burui Gori (3) Gong San (11) Ganghwa Chonggak
Next Best 4, 10
Fast Start 3, 5, 10, 11

Seoul Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(9) THE FINAL began her career with three consecutive 3rd place finishes, improving to 2nd on her first try at this class last time. Today, she can finally come out on top, most likely looking to lead from the gate. (8) SARYEONI DREAM actually beat The Final when registering his solitary win to date back in January. He finished 4th last start but hung out to the extent he was sent back to trial afterwards. He completed his trial in good-looking fashion and should be a factor here. Other factors include (2) DUSON WANGJA, who despite being yet to win, has never been too far away across seven efforts to date, and (11) HIN BYEOL, up in class and distance following a decent win over 1000M at the end of last month.

Selections (9) The Final (8) Saryeoni Dream (2) Duson Wangja (11) Hin Byeol
Next Best 4, 1
Fast Start 9, 10, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Small field and (7) HAMBAK MISO looks the one to beat. A winner on debut in March, he’s run well for 5th and 3rd in two subsequent starts at this class over 1200M and 1300M. He can take a sit behind the early lead and finish off strongly. (4) SOMETHING MYSTERY got his maiden win at the fourth time of asking in March and steps up in class here following a ten-week break. His stable is in great form at the moment and he should go close. (5) PENETRO showed some talent across four starts in the latter half of last year but hasn’t raced since running 3rd in a good race on December 17th. He romped home in a trial two weeks ago – with (1) JEONGSANG MANSE eight-lengths adrift in 2nd – and can be in the hunt first up. (2) HANIL MAGIC another one with a chance and likely to be on pace early.

Selections (7) Hambak Miso (4) Something Mystery (5) Penetro (2) Hanil Magic
Next Best 6
Fast Start 2, 4, 5

Busan Race 1 will not be on any international simulcast service but…selections…ok…(6) CLASSIC MATCH should win: 6-2-10-7.

Seoul Race 5: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(9) GLOBAL QUEEN won on debut on Christmas Day 2016 and then didn’t race again until this March. She was runner-up on her return before winning at this distance at class 5 on April 28th. She is up in both class and distance today but should have too much for this field. (2) WING FLY is up in class following a good win at 1300M a month ago and should be competitive while (3) WELLBEING STORY can be respected having won at long odds on a muddy track last time out. (6) RAON ACE disappointed when favourite at class (more…)

YTN Cup Full Preview: Cheongdam Dokki Takes On Clean Up Joy Again

Cheongdam Dokki has spent the past few months systematically replacing Clean Up Joy as Seoul’s top horse. Cheongdam Dokki beat the older horse in both the KRA Cup Classic last October and the Herald Business Cup last month with Clean Up Joy the defending champion in both and found time in between to finish ahead of him in the Grand Prix Stakes and beat him in a handicap for good measure. A year ago, Clean Up Joy won the YTN Cup and on Seoul on Sunday, Cheongdam Dokki will be odds-on to take it off him. 

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Cheongdam Dokki & Lim Gi Won winning the Herald Business (Pic: Ross Holburt)

A field of twelve will assemble for the YTN Cup, which the 2nd leg in the “Stayer’s Series” – the Herald Business was the 1st and the Busan Mayor’s Cup is the final leg on July 1st on the South Coast.

Cheongdam Dokki was very much a handful last year with mounting yard and post parade antics making him a difficult watch for those who had backed him at short odds. Since his 4th place in the Grand Prix Stakes when he set blistering fractions only to run out of steam in the closing stages of the 2300M, he appears to have calmed down and looks to be maturing as a racehorse too. Under Lim Gi Won, who keeps the mount despite both previous riders Moon Se Young and Kim Yong Geun being back from injury, he will be expected to dictate from gate to wire.

It’s still a ten-furlong horse-race though and anything can happen. Clean Up Joy, got within two and a half lengths of him in the Herald Business Cup and clearly isn’t a spent force yet. He will run his usual race, being badly away from the outside gate, which connections always request due to his awkward way of starting, and then improving in the back straight before finishing strongly. If he can be close enough at the top of the straight so Cheongdam Dokki feels he has some competition, then we may have a race.

Clean Up Joy’s stablemate Shamrocker will be there too as will Places To Go, who provides a final Stakes runner for trainer Ha Jae Heung, who retires this weekend. Places To Go enters off three consecutive class 1 wins and may have a say. Pioneerof The Nile colt Moonhak Chief, with five wins from his eight starts so far also takes his chance. It is probably a little too much too soon, but he looks to have plenty of promise for the future.

  1. AREUMDAUNDONGHAENG – Formerly top mare who has gone very cold of late David Breux tasked with bringing some spark to her.
  2. SHAMROCKER – Took on Cheongdam Dokki for speed in January which was predictably futile. Ran his own race in the Herald Business and did better, finishing a good 3rd. Should place again.
  3. WINNER RED – 4th behind Places To Go at 1400M on only start this year. Outsider but may challenge for the lead which could be interesting.
  4. WONDER BOLT – 2nd to Silver Wolf in the Sports Donga in March but well back behind Cheongdam Dokki, Clean Up Joy and Shamrocker in the Herald Business.
  5. PLACES TO GO – A revelation this year going 3 for 3 at Class 1. Tougher opposition today but placing chances.
  6. CHEONGDAM DOKKI – If he runs anything approaching his best, he wins leading from gate to wire.
  7. CHEONJEOK – Well back in the Herald Business and a big outsider today.
  8. MISO WANGJA – Not much in recent form stands out. Another who may well opt to take on Cheongdam Dokki early.
  9. CHANMA – Decent enough at class 1 finishing 4th behind Places To Go last start. Big ask here but outside chance of the minor money.
  10. WILD THUNDER – Class 2 winner at this distance on April 21st which allows him to take his chance here. Big step up in competition though.
  11. MOONHAK CHIEF – Plenty of promise and the only three-year-old in the race. First time at the distance and perhaps a little too much too soon.
  12. CLEAN UP JOY – Still very dangerous, if Cheongdam Dokki does anything wrong, he’s the one to take advantage.

Selections: (6) Cheongdam Dokki (12) Clean Up Joy (2) Shamrocker (5) Places To Go