Day: April 15, 2023

Herald Business Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (April 16)

Sunday’s feature is the G3 Herald Business where Winner’s Man, who went on to win the Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes, will bid to retain the trophy he was a year ago. See here for a full preview of the race. There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:35 to 18:00 plus 6 at Busan from 11:00 to 15:40. Here are the previews:

Winner’s Man beat Raon The Fighter in the Grand Prix but the big screen shows just how close Tuhonui Banseok got in 3rd (Pic; KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens and (10) THEME TANSAENG will be the favourite. After running 5th on debut, he was an improved 2nd at start number two over this distance on March 4th. He was well beaten by a good winner that day, but the time was fair, and his running style so far suggests that the wide draw won’t be a problem. (4) HIGH BORN ME was an improved 3rd on his latest start over 1300M on March 18th. He was ridden forward for the first time that day having been slow away and settled back in each of his previous three and with similar tactics here, he can make further progress. (5) GOLD MIGHTY has three top-four finishes from four starts so far. He has a strong finish on him and can sit behind the speed and run on here. (6) SAENAE VIVA, who has the fastest time of any of these over the distance, and (9) COLITAS are other potentials for minor money.

Selections(10) Theme Tansaeng (4) High Born Me (5) Gold Mighty (6) Saenae Viva
Next Best9, 3
Fast Start3, 4, 6, 7

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens. (6) UNJU BONNEUNG ran 4th on debut on March 19th when settling midfield before getting shuffled back but then running on well. He should have benefitted for that run, Franco climbs on, the slight raise in trip can suit and he could be the one to beat. His time on debut was a little quicker than that of (5) NAMHAE MISO, who ran 3rd on her first start on March 17th. She too should have come on for the run and draws a much better gate this time around. (7) RUNNING FASHION also draws better than she did on debut when from an unpromising position, she worked home well for 5th over this distance. She should go better here. (8) PINHOLE EYE and (1) HAMA among other placing hopes.

Selections(6) Unju Bonneung (5) Namhae Miso (7) Running Fashion (8) Pinhole Eye
Next Best1, 4
Fast Start2, 3, 6, 8

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maiden fillies. (2) HAEUNDAE GALMAEGI ran 5th on debut before almost leading all the way around on her second appearance in a similar race to this over 1300M on March 18th, ultimately going down less than half a length. Third up here she may be peaking and under the same weight and from a good draw, she could go all the way this time. (3) CANDY GLOW was a big improver at start number four on March 19th when on pace and running a close 3rd. She’ll be disputing the lead here and can be in this a long way. (7) FINE CAMP has been knocking on the door in her latest two, coming from off the pace for 2nd in her latest outing over 1300M on February 5th. She has the fastest final furlong average time of any of these and after a couple of months off comes in fresh and should go close. (10) APEX and first-time starter (1) NEW POINT among others in the placing frame.

Selections(2) Haeundae Galmaegi (3) Candy Glow (7) Fine Camp (10) Apex
Next Best1, 6
Fast Start1, 2, 3, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

It’s hard to go far past (3) PURPLE LINE. He comes in having run 2nd over 1400M at start number three on March 5th beating three of these in the process and while well beaten by a good winner, the time and the performance was good. He draws similarly well, and it would be a surprise were he not to go one better today. (1) ADELE HORANGI has seven top-five finishes from eight starts so far with just the win remaining elusive. He was a beaten favourite last time out on March 24th when 4th over 1300M and while he hasn’t tackled this distance before, he has run well at a mile and should be close here. (6) WONDERFUL IMPACT beat a couple of these on her way to 3rd place at this distance on March 17th. She comes up 2.5kg in the weights without an apprentice claim but Choi Si-dae climbing aboard can be in her favour. (8) ECTON POWER and (2) GASOK JEIL others.

Selections(3) Purple Line (1) Adele Horangi (6) Wonderful Impact (8) Ecton Power
Next Best2, 5
Fast Start1, 3, 4, 6

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(2) SILVER BOOSTER comes in following a 2nd and a 4th from his latest two at 1200M at 1300M, both times settling handy and running on. There isn’t much speed here so he may well be on pace, and he has a stronger finish than any of his rivals here. (4) JEONGSANG LUCKY comes back in trip and into a much better gate than she has had in any of her last three. The last time she ran over this distance she was 2nd in a time faster than any of the others here have managed for 1200M and she should get a much easier earlier run than has been available to her of late. (5) TIZ ROCKET was 4th behind Silver Booster two starts back and followed up by finishing in the same position three weeks ago. He comes down a full 4.5kg in the weights with an apprentice claim and can be considered for improvement here. (1) ARGO MUJEOK and (6) J.Y. COCO others to consider.

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Winner’s Man Set For Herald Business Defence

The Stayer Series gets underway at Seoul Racecourse this Sunday when Winner’s Man will head the field for the Herald Business Cup (2000M KOR-G3). With Raon The Fighter (successfully) and Raon First (unsuccessfully) having been pointed to different Group races over the past two weeks, the 2022 Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes winner’s task to win the race for the second year in a row is not as taxing as it might have been.

Winner’s Man won this race last year (Pic: KRA)

Winner’s Man didn’t make an auspicious start to 2023. Assigned 60kg under handicap conditions over 1800M on February 26th, he briefly struck the front in the home straight, but didn’t run on, ultimately finishing 4th behind winner Flat Babe, and also Tuhonui Banseok. It should be different this time and Choi Ki-hong’s stable star will be a short-priced favourite to win.

Tuhonui Banseok returns. After 3rd place in the KRA Cup Classic he repeated that feat in the Grand Prix Stakes and was gaining on Winner’s Man and Raon The Fighter with every stride. He has since followed up with two more 3rd-place finishes at class 1 level, including that one ahead of Winner’s Man and shapes as the greatest danger here.

The rematch between Winner’s Man and Raon The Fighter isn’t happening – the latter won the Busan Ilbo Sprint on April 2nd – and nor the President’s Cup rematch between Winner’s Man and Raon First – she was beaten in the Donga Ilbo Trophy last Sunday. But owner Son Chun-soo and trainer Park Jong-kon are represented by four-year-old filly Raon The Spurt. She won the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup against older fillies and mares over this distance last November and looks ready to take on the elite males here.

The Herald Business Cup is race 8 on an eleven-race program at Seoul on Sunday with a local post time of 16:35. There are eleven runners in total:

1. WARRIOR CLASS – Scored back-to-back wins over 1800M in January and February and while it was against class 3 and 2 opposition, he posted class 1 times. 3rd over this distance at class 2 on his latest on March 5th. Tough ask at level weights in this company.

2. CAPTAIN YANKEE – Winner of the KRA Cup Mile and Minister’s Cup and 3rd in the Korean Derby as a three-year-old last year, he has only raced twice since and not at all since an also-ran in the President’s Cup. Trialed up well in March and has a big race jockey on board but this is a very difficult assignment first-up.

3. MOONHAK CHIEF – Missed the start at his latest on March 18th and has since been back to trial. Not the same horse he was in 2019 when winning the Korea Cup and Grand Prix but he did run 2nd at class 1 over this distance behind Chief Indy as recently as Christmas Day when conceding 6kg. Not a winning chance but a minor money one

4. TUHONUI BANSEOK – Super 3rd in both the KRA Cup Classic and the Grand Prix and followed up with two more 3rds so far this year back at Busan. Can settle handy or drop back and run on, he seems to like racing at Seoul, and he can be a danger.

5. RAON THE SPURT – The only filly or mare in the race gets a 2.5kg allowance. After near misses in the Triple Tiara, she got her Group win in the final leg of the Queens’ Tour over this distance at Busan last November. She enters here off a class 1 win over 1400M on March 5th and while this is a different challenge, she can be a factor. She draws well and is a potential pacesetter.

6. CHIEF INDY – 6th in the President’s Cup then a class 1 winner on Christmas Day over this distance. Comes in off back-to-back 2nd places also at 2000M. Settles midfield and runs on and is among the favourites here.

7. BARBARIAN – Well back in the Grand Prix but bounced back with a class 1 win over a mile in January. Has also won at this distance in a fast time. He can race handy or come from behind, and he is a major player here.

8. WINNER’S MAN – The Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes winner last season, he was flat on his reappearance over 1800M on February 26th when giving away weight over 1800M. That race obviously wasn’t the target, this one is, so expect him to be fitter today and he is the one to beat. Can settle midfield or can go forward.

9. THE GUMPU – Solid class 1 campaigner, he was 4th behind Chief Indy last time out. Perhaps not quite at the elite level it takes to win a race like this but at his best can be aiming for a money finish. Goes best on pace or handy.

10. BLACK MUSK – Versatile horse who was an excellent winner over this distance at class 1 level in January, leading every step of the way before dropping back to 1400M and running 4th in early March. The draw is a touch wide but if he can find a forward position, he can’t be ruled out.

11. SHAMROCKER – The ten-year-old still picks up the occasional cheque and rarely runs a bad race but he has lost a yard of pace, and this looks too hard.

Selections: (8) Winner’s Man (4) Tuhonui Banseok (5) Raon The Spurt (7) Barbarian