The Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2), not to mention all of Korean racing, suffered a huge setback on Thursday as Raon The Fighter, arguably the best horse in the country, sustained an injury that not only rules him out of Sunday’s race, but also has put his career in doubt.
Tuhonui Banseok left Winner’s Man in the dust in the YTN Cup (Pic: KRA)
Raon The Fighter had seemingly worked well on Thursday morning, galloping in company with the class 3 horse Great Captain and looking in fine order under scheduled race day jockey Lim Gi-won. However, on his return to the stables he was found to be lame, and a vet inspection revealed he had an off-foreleg sesamoid fracture. He will be transported back to Seoul for further assessment and treatment, but it seems more likely than not that we have seen the last of Raon The Fighter on a racecourse.
That leaves Sunday’s race, the main prep race for September’s international Korea Cup, looking a straight battle between Tuhonui Banseok and Winner’s Man. Tuhonui Banseok was a revelation when he chased home Winner’s Man and Raon The Fighter in last December’s Grand Prix Stakes and he got a Group win of his own when scoring in the YTN Cup (2000M) at Seoul in May by a stunning eleven-lengths ahead of Winner’s Man. That victory has catapulted him into the elite (his rating rose a full fifteen points) but while the margin may have been a surprise, the result was not so much.
With every Group race since his first, when 8th in this race a year ago, Tuhonui Banseok had been getting closer. He was 3rd in both the KRA Cup Classic and that aforementioned Grand Prix Stakes to round out 2022 and then began this year with 2nd place in Herald Business before his YTN Cup win. He made all and he will be the one to catch again. With Park Jae-I suspended, Jung Do-youn gets the call-up on the Bart Rice trained Verrazano five-year-old.
Winner’s Man won the Korean Derby in 2021 and completed a Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes double in 2022. He can throw in the odd underwhelming performance though, as when 3rd in the President’s Cup last November and then when unable to lay a glove on Tuhonui Banseok in May. His overall quality though means he is not to be written off.
As for the rest, Simjangui Godong and Black Musk look the most likely candidates to take advantage should either of the big-two fail to fire.
The Busan Mayor’s Cup is race six on the seven-race program at Busan this Sunday July 2.
Selections: (1) Tuhonui Banseok (4) Winner’s Man (8) Simjangui Godong (9) Black Musk
July’s racing program – and the second half of the season – kicks off on Saturday with a 10-race program at Seoul from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens in the opener although three of the eight have raced once apiece already – all in the same race. And they will be the favourites, especially (5) MY CENTER, who ran 3rd on debut on May 28th in a fast time on what was a wet and fast track having been on pace throughout. From a central gate, he should lead again, and this time can go all the way. (4) LUCKY DRAGON and (1) MAGIC STRONG came home 5th and 8th respectively in that same May 28th race and they shape as the main dangers. Both recorded good times and while Magic Strong was some way back, he draws much better here. As for the first timers, (6) SEOCHEON LION was best in trials, running on pace and coming home second in an admittedly slow heat (as many were in June). (3) HANGANG LEGEND the next best.
Selections
(5) My Center (4) Lucky Dragon (1) Magic Strong (6) Seocheon Lion
Next Best
3, 8
Fast Start
2, 5, 6, 8
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million
Standard maiden here. (7) PURPLE WORLD will be the favourite. He has raced just the once and it was all the way back in January of 2022, but he showed promise running in 2nd place over 1000M. Then all sorts of setbacks started. He refused to load for his scheduled second start in March of last year, and while he passe his trials to requalify, he then had a litany of setbacks. He returned to full work at the start of June and looked well when running 3rd in a good time in a June 16th trial. If he brings that form to the races, he should be hard to beat. If he does manage to find something to go wrong again, (11) NAOL ROONEY may take advantage. He has run solid 4ths in both starts so far and while he has the challenge of the wide gate, can go closer today. (1) SHOOT UP SPARK has the fastest time for the distance among these, while (5) WONDERFUL FOX and (8) GRATITUDE are among others in contention for places.
Selections
(7) Purple World (11) Naol Rooney (1) Shoot Up Spark (5) Wonderful Fox
Next Best
8, 6
Fast Start
3, 6, 9, 11
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million
Unusual combination of seven fillies and one gelding in this maiden. (5) FOUR ACE gets the nod based on her last start runner-up finish over this distance when she overcame gate eleven to race handy. From a better draw and in a smaller field, she should get an easier run to the front in the early stages, and she can go one better. (2) GOLDEN PEARL is the logical second choice. She comes in off an improved 3rd place over this distance on June 4th when handy throughout. She too draws a better gate and with an apprentice claiming 2kg, she looks very nicely in. Jockey Lee Hyeon-jong is back from a year in the suspension wilderness (off track things) and he rides the solitary gelding, (6) ONE SPEAR. He enters off his best run to date when 5th over this distance two weeks ago and they look to strike again while the iron is at least lukewarm. It may be enough in this company. Something else has to improve and (7) SAMBA ZONE and (1) GALAXY SOCKS look the most likely.
Selections
(5) Four Ace (2) Golden Pearl (6) One Spear (7) Samba Zone
Next Best
1, 3
Fast Start
2, 5, 7, 8
Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(5) BYEOLBIT MARU has won just one out of eighteen so far but enters off a strong 3rd place at big odds at class and distance on May 27th when ridden a bit further forward than usual. She has a good finish on her and with Kim Yong-geun taking the mount, it could be her day. (4) DREAM PLAY comes up in class having won over this distance on May 27th when settling in the front end of midfield and running on well. That win had been coming and he can measure up at this level. (11) SAENAE KHAN was slowly away and had an all-around poor day at the office last time out on May 28th. He was favourite that day for a reason though with his prior form reading well and he can be given another chance here. (3) MONEY STONE and (9) CHEONGGYE GISANG others in the hunt.
Selections
(5) Byeolbit Maru (4) Dream Play (11) Saenae Khan (3) Money Stone
Next Best
9, 7
Fast Start
2, 6, 7, 11
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Tricky race. (9) CHADOL RUN comes in off a quick 2nd place at class and distance on May 28th on a very wet and fast track when she overcame the widest gate to race handy. At the start before she was a winner at this class over 1300M in similarly swift fashion when coming from well off the pace. She is nicely weighted still, we know the wide draw isn’t a problem, and she can win here. The main danger is (7) MENI WONDERFUL. On May 21st he beat a couple of these on his way to a smart 2nd place at class and distance continuing a positive trend in recent outings. Expect him to be on pace here and in this a long way. (2) NEULGAEUL was 5th in that quick race behind Chadol Run in May and has also placed at class and distance. He draws well here and can go close. (8) COMPLETE LEADER and (4) CLOUTER others with minor money hopes.
Horse Racing in Korea 