Month: December 2024

Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (December 7)

There are 11 Saturday races in Seoul from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

(Pic: KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maidens with seven of the eleven racing for the first time. (9) RAON DESPERATE was the fastest of the newcomers in trials, coming from off the pace to run 4th behind the experienced Daesari. 1200M should suit first up. (4) BEOLGYO DESTINO took two goes to qualify but looked good in the second of them, similarly settling back and finishing off strongly. The time was good, he draws well here, and he can be a threat. (11) ROPPONGI DRAGON went though plenty of trials, getting it right on November 14th when overcoming the same gate as he draws here. He should certainly be race fit and can be in the mix. (Of the ones with experience (2) NICE WINNER and (6) WILD HAPPY are the most likely to improve on modest debuts.

Selections(9) Raon Desperate (4) Beolgyo Destino (11) Roppongi Dragon (2) Nice Winner
Next Best6, 1
Fast Start1, 7

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(2) CANVASEN GO comes in off a 3rd and a 2nd from his latest two, both at this distance and both times having been ridden on pace. Last time out he recorded the fastest time among these for the 1200M by a full 1.6 seconds and from a great draw, he can lead here and will be a hot favourite to go one better. (3) DONGBANG FORCE has made steady progress across three starts so far, culminating in 2nd place at this distance on November 2nd when leading for much of the way. She will be challenging Canvasen Go for the lead right from the start, and she can be in this a long way again. (1) LEGEND TANSAENG was 5th behind Canvasen Go on November 3rd. He comes back into the same gate from which he finished 3rd two starts back and he can be a danger. (4) SPARTAN and (6) WANGCHOEGO are the others to consider.

Selections(2) Canvasen Go (3) Dongbang Force (1) Legend Tansaeng (4) Spartan
Next Best6, 9
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 8

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(3) SEMYEONG STRONG has shown promise across four prior starts with her best being a 2nd place two starts back over 1200M. She does her best work late on so the slight step up in trip can suit and she will be on pace and the one to beat here. Second favourite will be (9) QUEEN DIA. She enters off a close runner-up finish when stepped up to this distance for the first time on November 10th, settling midfield and running on. In this small field the wide draw shouldn’t be a problem, and she can be in the finish again here. (8) MARUBYEOL is yet to finish in the top three in twenty-eight starts but has a lot of minor money finishes including two 4th places and a 5th from his latest three and in this limited company, should be there or thereabouts again. (4) BEOLGYO D Y and (6) SANGIM DAEPYO are others who can place.

Selections(3) Semyeong Strong (9) Queen Dia (8) Marubyeol (4) Beolgyo D Y
Next Best6, 7
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 5

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(6) AMAZING STAR got her maiden win (having already been thrown out once after crossing the line 1st earlier this year) on November 2nd when leading from gate to wire over this distance. Thay beings her finally up in class, but she is down in weight and should be able to more than measure up in this company. (4) BIG BRIDGE will need a line drawn through his latest when he was the beaten favourite over 1400M. The beaten margin wasn’t huge and if we go on his form coming into that race, then he warrants another chance and Moon Se-young climbs on. (9) MARU JANGGUN also needs to be forgiven his last start when he led but knocked up fast. At the outing before he was a winner at this class over 1400M and needs to be taken seriously. (1) GREEN CONCORD and (3) HERO CHAMP are other place chances.

Selections(6) Amazing Star (4) Big Bridge (9) Maru Janggun (1) Green Concord
Next Best3, 2
Fast Start5, 6, 8, 9

Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

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Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (December 6)

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 11:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Maiden juveniles with eight of the twelve racing for the first time. (7) BARBELL TROFEO ran a fair, if unspectacular, 5th on debut over this distance in October. He has since been back to trial where he ran 3rd to Tuhonui Banseok, a long way behind but stopping the clock in a good time and if he brings that form to the races, he has a good chance. (9) ARION KING CAR has also been back to trial since his inauspicious debut. He led every step of the way in requalifying and similar to Barbell Trofeo, if he can bring that on race day, he will be a big danger. (10) ROAD TO HEUIMANG looks the best of the first timers. He led his trial, crossing the line in 2nd in a good time and while he has a wide gate to contend with, should be in the mix. (8) FLYING RACE and (5) GLOBAL HEROINE are the others who will be backed.

Selections(7) Barbell Trofeo (9) Arion King Car (10) Road To Heuimang (8) Flying Race
Next Best5, 3
Fast Start5, 7, 9, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Maiden fillies here. (1) FLY TO THE MOON has shown progress across three outings so far with back-to-back 3rd places in her latest two, most recently a similar race to this on November 15th over 1200M when she beat a couple of today’s rivals. She draws a much better gate to get to the lead and the slight step up in trip can suit. (5) B.K MAGIC was a much-improved 2nd at start number three at this distance on November 10th when leading for much of the way around. She’ll be on pace again and can match that finish here. (4) SIMON STAR has six top five finishes from nine starts and should be in the mix again. (9) STAR FORCE and (11) EAST SUN are others in the mix.

Selections(1) Fly To The Moon (5) B.K. Magic (4) Simon Star (9) Star Force
Next Best11, 8
Fast Start1, 3, 5, 11

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(6) CHRYSOL HERO returned from more than six months off to run a creditable 3rd over 1200M on October 4th, settling in midfield and then running on. He should strip fitter for that run and can go closer here. (11) MEGA MACHINE was an improved 4th at start three on November 10th. He has the challenge of the widest gate here but Franco climbing on is a plus and he can be in the mix here. (2) MISS CROW has hinted at ability over her seven outings to date, five of them finishing between 3rd and 5th. She has got a bit far back in most of her races before running on, but from a good draw, Munro can pick his spot, and she can be a danger late on. (5) FAIRY and (9) FLYING ICE others in the placing frame.

Selections(6) Chrysol Hero (11) Mega Machine (2) Miss Crow (5) Fairy
Next Best9, 7
Fast Start7, 8, 10, 11

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(3) YULIM SESANG was an all the way winner at start number two over 1200M on November 3rd. He is up in class and slightly in trip today, but the manner of that win suggests that there’s more to come and he can repeat. (4) GLORY GANGSEO was a winner on debut in April, but struggled on his first try at this class in July before rebounding with a 4th place at this distance in September. She comes in fresh after ten weeks out and can go close here. (6) SHASHA is yet to win but is up in class following a 3rd place and two 2nd places from three starts. She carries a light weight here, she should be on pace, and she has every chance of measuring up. (12) MR.WOLF and (9) FANTASTIC HUMOR others who should be in the hunt.

Selections(3) Yulim Sesang (4) Glory Gangseo (6) Shasha (12) Mr.Wolf
Next Best9, 5
Fast Start3, 6, 10, 12

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(6) BABEL DREAMY is yet to win, but he has three runner-up finishes at this distance, most recently on November 8th. He likes to settle back and run on but in this company, he may be a little further forward early, and today can be his day. (11) BLACK SPEED made all to win over 1400M on October 27th. That was just his fourth start and while he is up in class and in trip today, he should be competitive again, (9) FLYING THE FORD beat a couple of these on his way to victory at this class over 1400M on November 10th. He comes up 4kg in the weights but warrants respect. (4) MASTERY MAN and (10) PURPLE STAR among plenty of others in the placing frame.

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Global Hit Wins Grand Prix, Next Stop Dubai!

Global Hit wrapped up Horse of the Year honours and sealed his passage to Dubai with a display of home straight dominance to secure a comfortable victory in the Grand Prix (2300M KOR-G1) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon, the horse and jockey Kim Hye-sun both sealing the biggest wins of their respective careers.  

Global Hit goes clear of Tuhonui Banseok, Success Baekpa, and Speed Young (Pic: KRA)

With the snow that was piled high at the side of the track following the record-breaking snowfall earlier in the week rapidly thawing as temperatures rose, Global Hit was sent off as the 1.4 favourite among the fourteen-strong field in the time-honoured final Group 1 of the season, a race in which he was beaten just a nose by Winner’s Man a year ago.

Under jockey Kim, Global Hit settled in the front of midfield as the field made their way through the first part of the race with the pace being set by stablemates American Gold and Black Belt with Naol Sniper and Tuhonui Banseok prominent.

It would stay that way until turning for home when Bart Rice’s Tuhonui Banseok, the only Korea-based horse to beat Global Hit this calendar year, struck the front and laid down the gauntlet. Once unleashed in the home straight though, Global Hit proved far too strong breezing past to run on and score by just under two-lengths on the line.

Global Hit, Grand Prix 2024 (Pic: KRA)

Tuhonui Banseok, racing for the first time since finishing as runner-up to Global hit in August’s KRA Cup Classic, was 2nd once more, with three-year-old double Classic winner Success Baekpa running on for a big 3rd place. Global Hit’s stablemate Speed Young was 4th.

“Actually, my goal was to win the Grand Prix last year.” Winning jockey Kim Hye-sun told in-house broadcaster KRBC after the race. “But we came 2nd, and I still blame myself a lot for that and thankfully today I was finally able to resolve it.”

“I have to thank Global Hit” she continued, “but I also have to thank the owner (Kim Joon-hyun) for sticking with me when there are so many qualified and skilled male jockeys. It would have been easy for him to change (after last year) but he stuck with me, and I am so grateful for his trust and to pay him back today,”

Global Hit and connections in the Grand Prix winner’s circle (Pic: KRA)

Jockey Kim also paid tribute to trainer Bang Dong-suk and his staff. “I feel like the trainer and assistants at stable 26 (Bang Dong-suk) are a perfect match and I’m really honoured to work with them.”

Global Hit will, all being well with his post-race vet checks, immediately enter pre-export quarantine before flying to Dubai and taking his chance at the Carnival in in the new year. He has a high international rating, which means he will probably need to compete in Group company at Meydan. The owner has selected Kim Hye-sun to also travel to ride him and the jockey said they are ready.

Hye-sun receives the acclaim – and the roses – from the crowd (Pic: KRA)

“I have high expectations. As a rider, it will be a great experience, and it is also amazing that (Global Hit) has the opportunity to go. I have always felt that I am riding a truly great horse, but I felt it even more this time and I am looking forward to working with him in Dubai.”

Global Hit [To Honor And Serve – Tammy’s Victress (by Yankee Victor)] moves on to ten win from seventeen lifetime starts. Bred by the Yeonhak Agricultural Co., he is owned by Kim Joon-hyun and trained by Bang Dong-suk.