Raon The Point led home fellow four-year-old Something Lost as the new generation of sprinters thoroughly vanquished the old in the Busan Ilbo Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon. 2022 winner and pre-race favourite Eoma Eoma, briefly touched the front with a furlong to run, but succumbed to the youngsters and could only manage 5^th.

30/1 chance Doctor Caesar took full advantage of drawing gate one and set the early pace with Raon The Point, Eoma Eoma, Something Lost and Ssonsal all in close attendance. The five of them would fan across the track as they entered the home straight and with 300M to go it was anyone’s race with Black Musk and Daemangui Gil also looming withing striking distance.

Just as Eoma Eoma looked set to go on, the younger horses struck. Raon The Point and Something Lost came surging down the outside to pull clear and would dispute the finish all the way to the line, Raon The Point ultimately prevailing by an official margin of a neck – a very small neck.

Something Lost was strong in 2^nd place while there was only a length-and-a half back to the very game Doctor Caesar in 3^rd place, who at five-years-old, falls into the younger category by age, if not by experience – he has only raced two times fewer than Eoma Eoma. Daemangui Gil closed for 4^th ahead of Eoma Eoma.

Choi Bum-hyun rode Raon The Point, who is trained by Park Jong-kon and is owned by Raon Land.

Raon The Point is by I’m Your Father (by Tiznow), who did his racing in Korea and won the 2017 Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G3) for New Zealand trainer David Miller. Raon The Point is from his first crop to hit the track and his first Group level winner. He stands at Cheongma Farm. Raon The Point’s dam is Australian bred Raffiner (by Bel Danoro). She won one of eight starts in Korea and is also the dam of Choegang Ssonsal, a winner of eight.

As for Eoma Eoma, despite winning a trial in fast fashion just over a week ago, he looked slightly flat when it mattered. All being well, he will be back for a rematch with the younder sprinters in the remaining legs of the series where they are likely to be joined by last year’s Korea Sprint runner-up Beolmaui Star, who has returned from a poor showing in Dubai.

The Sprint Series moves to Seoul for its concluding two legs. They are the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) on April 14^th and the SROA Chairman’s Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) on May 19^th. Both races have recently been awarded International Part 2 Listed status for the first time.