OBS KOREA SPRINT (1200M) G3
Seoul Racecourse – September 8, 2024
Form Comments
1. YES PERFECT – He has only raced twice this year and was well beaten in both in G3 and G2 company. This is his first start since May and while he still has a high rating as a result of earlier exploits, he is hard to recommend here, despite the inside gate.
2. KEIAI DORIE – NON-RUNNER.
3. SOMETHING LOST – Beaten a neck by Raon The Point in the Busan Ilbo Sprint over this distance in March, and followed up with a 3rd and a 4th in two subsequent sprint efforts in Group company. Draw a line though his latest at a mile. Likes to settle handy and run on but a minor money chance at best.
4. BLACK MUSK – A Group winner at this distance two years ago, he has struggled to reach those heights again. Returned in August following five months out but had a hard time over 1800M. His form before the layoff wasn’t great either and he will be an outsider here. At this best, he comes from off the pace.
5. MORFHIS – The grand old galloper of Korean racing, he won the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) in both 2020 and 2022. While he hasn’t tasted victory since the latter of those, he can still mix it with the best on his day as shown with his 3rd place behind Ssonsal and Eoma Eoma in the SROA Chairman’s Sprint (1200M KOR-G2) in May. He settles back and comes off the pace and was most recently 2nd in a class 1 race on August 4th.
6. EOMA EOMA – Won this race in 2022 beating Japan’s Raptus who while good, is no Remake. He has raced four times in 2024, all in Group company and has placed in three of them including last time out when tried at a mile for the first time in the Busan Owners’ Cup. He may not be quite as quick as he once was, but he won’t be far away. Place chance.
7. REMAKE – The defending champion has maintained his form in three starts since triumphing in last year’s race, most notably winning the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard in February, when he came from behind to run the field down, before finishing 4th in the G1 Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night. It’s his first start since March, but the Seoul Racecourse track record holder for the 1200M will take some stopping. Yuga Kawada will be up.
8. JASPER KRONE – His recent finishing positions in no way reflect his ability as he has been tackling some serious company. He was 4th behind Remake in Saudi Arabia when engaging in an early speed duel and he can have a line drawn through his spin up the Meydan straight when he went to the other side of the course to all the others. Forgive too his latest in an eighteen-runner lottery over five furlongs at Niigata and we are left with a horse who if he gets to the speed, has every chance of being in the mix.
9. SPEED YOUNG – A stablemate of Cup contender Global Hit, he chased him home in the final leg of the Triple Crown last year as well as running 3rd to Winner’s Man and Global Hit in the President’s Cup (2000M KOR-G1). The drop back to 1200M for the first time since his debut – 2nd in a Listed juvenile race – is intriguing and he has undoubted quality. A leading local chance.
10. BEOLMAUI STAR – Last year’s runner-up defied gate thirteen to lead and ultimately only Remake was able to go past him. He had an unsuccessful trip to Dubai, and he mixes his form, as show last start in May when, as he can do, he missed the start. He trialed well in August and if he gets out well, and goes to the lead, anything can happen.
11. ANARCHIST – A Group 2 winner in the United States from the barn of veteran international campaigner Doug O’Neill. He only has a 6th and a 5th in two starts in 2024 but he won third-up last year and could be peaking again. He is the kind of horse that can thrive here with an on-pace style and if he can get to the lead, he could prove very difficult to run down. The first of the internationals to arrive, he has had plenty of time to acclimatize and jockey Edwin Maldonado is a master on front-runners although the draw is a touch wider than ideal.
12. GANGSEO GIANT – The only filly in either race, she enters in great form having smashed the track record at Busan over this distance on August 3rd when settling in the middle of a small field and running on strong. The wide draw shouldn’t be a problem, and she can be a factor here with Alan Munro aboard.
13. VINCERO CAVALLO – The solitary three-year-old in the race, he won a valuable Trophy race over this distance in April and has since registered a 3rd and two runner-up finishes at class 2 level. This seems a significant step up in challenge, but he has quick times and can have more progress in him.
14. DAEMANGUI GIL – Began the year well with 4th place in the Busan Ilbo Sprint but hasn’t followed up in three subsequent starts. Likes to come from well back and he could pass plenty late on, but he is an outsider.
15. DAEHAN JILJU – This is his third attempt in the race, having been 4th in 2022 and 6th a year ago. He has only raced three times this year with a 2nd in a Listed race and 4th in the SBS Sports Sprint, both at this distance before struggling over a mile last time out. He doesn’t need to lead so the wide draw is not a disaster. But others are preferred.
16. RAON THE POINT – Made his breakthrough with a super win over this distance in the G3 Busan Ilbo Sprint in March but didn’t kick on finishing well back in two subsequent outings over the same trip. He picked up a little when 5th last time out in a class 1 handicap over 1400M in July but this is a big ask.
Horse Racing in Korea 