Day: January 22, 2025

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (January 24)

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 9 races at Busan from 11.25 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Global Hit and Kim Hye-sun will be going around at Meydan on Friday night (Pic: KRA)

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

Three-year-old maidens with all but one racing for the first time. We will side with experience as (7) MEGA PLAY ran well on debut, overcoming a wide draw to eventually race handy and run on for 3rd place over this distance on December 22nd. That experience, and its potentially associated fitness edge, makes him the one to beat. Of the first timers, (12) QUEENS DRAGON went through two trials, improving significantly in terms of time in the second of them (a voluntary trial on December 14th behind Mother Road when clocking 62.8 seconds – beware, it may not appear on all racecards). She has the challenge of the widest gate but if she brings that form to the races, she is a chance. (8) STARTMAN raced handy in his trial, running on well for 2nd in a fair time and he too can put in a bold showing first up. Sole trial winner (10) DOCTOR LOUIS, along with (1) SPEED THIEF are others who hinted at ability in their respective heats.

Selections(7) Mega Play (12) Queens Dragon (8) Startman (10) Doctor Louis
Next Best1, 5
Fast Start1, 3, 5, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 4 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million

A maiden for imported three-year-olds. (3) AMAZING KHAN ran 4th on debut on November 29th, beating a couple of these in the process, before improving to 2nd at start number two on December 27th, racing handy throughout and briefly leading close to the line. Crucially he had no fewer than seven of today’s rivals behind them, and from a good draw, he can be on pace and go one better. (2) EL CAZADOR was 3rd in that December 27th race, a big improvement from his debut. Like Amazing Khan, he runs for the third time so can have a fitness edge on most here and he draws a much better gate than in his first two outings. (1) MEETING ST has been 5th on both appearances to date, while (8) SELL LIKE was 4th in the September 27th race. The only one who didn’t race that day is the solitary debut maker. We will put (9) HIDDEN TIARA in the numbers because she looked well in two trials.

Selections(3) Amazing Khan (2) El Cazador (1) Meeting St (8) Sell Like
Next Best9, 7
Fast Start1, 2, 3, 5

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(11) FLYING ICE enters off a 3rd and a 2nd from his latest two, most recently beating plenty of these over this distance on December 29th when, as is his style, he settled right back and then ran on well. He does risk getting too far back, but he has to be favoured to go one better here. Should he leave himself too much to do, (5) SWORD WING can take advantage. After taking a few goes to figure things out, he has a 4th and a 3rd from his latest two, the latter being behind Flying Ice on December 29th. He too comes from off the pace and with only six starts behind him, may have some improvement.  If you think neither will get up, (4) YEOSU GUARDIAN may be the one to go for. He ran 3rd at this distance last time out and from a good draw can be on pace and force the favourites to try to come past. (7) DOCTOR CASTLE, who “lost interest” when favourite last time according to his jockey, and (9) SEOGWI PRINCESS are others in the frame.

Selections(11) Flying Ice (5) Sword Wing (4) Yeosu Guardian (7) Doctor Castle
Next Best9, 2
Fast Start3, 4, 9, 10

Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

One debut maker here, and (2) PLUTO did it very easily in his trial, cruising around on the bridle, leading all the way, and crossing the line plenty to the good. He draws beautifully, and if he brings that form to the races, he can win first up. (5) BEOLGYOUI HIM has mixed his form across four starts so far, with his best being his latest when 2nd at this distance on January 3rd, coming from off the pace. He makes a quick return here and he should be finishing strongly once more. (4) TOP OF THE TREE comes in off an improved 3rd place at start number three over this distance on November 17th. He comes in fresh after ten weeks out and from a good draw, can be on pace and in this a long way. (The form drops off significantly after those but Seo Seung-un climbing on (3) JEONGMUN FELIX will give him plenty of backers. (7) SUN JAE, who has been back to trial since debut, another minor money chance.

Selections(2) Pluto (5) Beolgyoui Him (4) Top Of The Tree (3) Jeongmun Felix
Next Best7, 11
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 7

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

(10) MORNING DEW got his maiden win two starts back over this distance before running a close 3rd on his first try at this class on December 29th when settling midfield and running on. He draws a touch wider than ideal here, but he should have enough about him to get a forward position and if he does, he may take some beating. (3) SING FOR ME trialed up well and then ran out a winner on debut over this distance on December 27th, when slightly slowly away before being ridden up handy halfway and then running on. He comes up in class but comes down in weight and into a much better gate, and he can measure up in this company. (5) GRAND CHASER had a hard time last time out when wilting under a strong pace over 1400M. She comes back to the distance at which she got her win, and she is worth another chance here. (8) GOLDEN AIR and (12) DAEHOMA are others to consider.

Selections(10) Morning Dew (3) Sing For Me (5) Grand Chaser (8) Golden Air
Next Best12, 2
Fast Start7, 8, 9, 10

Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

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GLOBAL HIT SET FOR G1 TEST AT MEYDAN FRIDAY

Global Hit will make his Meydan debut on Friday night and Korea’s sole representative at this year’s Dubai Racing Carnival has been handed an assignment as tough as they come in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge over 1900M.

Global Hit with jockey Kim Hye-sun, trainer Bang Dong-suk, and his grooms (Pic: KRA)

Taking part in the Carnival is a chance to be tested against the best, and if nothing else, GLOBAL HIT certainly has that chance in what is shaping up to be a terrific renewal of a race which serves as a step towards the Dubai World Cup, on what is set to be the best night’s card of flat racing anywhere in the world so far this year.

KABIRKHAN, who won this race a year ago returns to racing for the first time since last year’s World Cup, while FACTEUR CHEVAL, winner of the Dubai Turf last year, makes his dirt debut. IMPERIAL EMPEROR and WALK OF STARS both enter off impressive Meydan wins, and GENEROUS TIPPER makes his first Dubai start since being relocated from the United States. None of the others in a field of twelve are to be dismissed either. To make it an even harder ask, Global Hit has drawn gate twelve of twelve.

So, can Global Hit measure up in this type of company? Korea has been represented at each of the last two carnivals, but this is the first time since Dolkong in 2019 that a horse at the peak of his form has travelled. After Main Stay got Korea’s first Dubai win in a Sprint Handicap in 2017, two years later Dolkong won the Curlin Handicap and lined up in the World Cup itself.

Global Hit in the morning at Meydan (Pic: Sorim Lee)

Had a peak Dolkong and a peak Global Hit ever faced off on the Seoul sand, Global Hit would be the betting favourite among the local race going public. But that may not necessarily transfer to the very different dirt of Meydan.

Perhaps one way of assessing Global Hit is that he got within five-lengths of Wilson Tesoro, a top line JRA dirt horse, in the Korea Cup last year. Since returning to Japan, Wilson Tesoro has beaten Meisho Hario when winning and then finished 2nd to Lemon Pop and Forever Young. He would be among the top line of favourites were he in Meydan. Global Hit isn’t on that level, but he is not a million miles away.

A potential plus for Global Hit is his racing style. Korea-trained horses have frequently found the tempo of races at Meydan very different to that back home where the start of the race is usually fast, before they ease off slightly in mid race in advance of going hard for the line. Yet Global Hit’s way of jumping out fairly and then steadily ramping up the pressure, may well fit. In this scenario the wide draw may not be as much of a problem as it first appears. With Kabirkhan having drawn gate two, there should be plenty of pace on, so under a patient ride, Global Hit should have an opportunity to drop in as the field opens up before the first bend.

Global Hit is a five-year-old entire by Korea-based American sire To Honor And Serve (by Bernardini).  He is out of the Yankee Victor mare Tammy’s Victress, a winner of seven races during her career in the United States. Global Hit was bred by the Yeonhak Agricultural Company and was purchased by current owner Kim Joon-hyun for 50 Million Won as a yearling in 2001. He has gone on to accumulate 3.8 Billion Won in prize money.

After winning on his debut, Global Hit suffered an injury that curtailed his two-year-old season, and he didn’t make the opening leg of the Triple Crown in 2023. He returned to win the final two legs, the Korean Derby and the Minister’s Cup, and hasn’t looked back. He finished his three-year-old campaign with 2nd places to Winner’s Man in both the President’s Cup and Grand Prix Stakes, having finished midfield in his first Korea Cup.

2024 would see Global Hit dominate domestically, winning five of his seven starts and going one better in both the President’s Cup and Grand Prix. He also denied Japan a clean sweep of the places in the Korea Cup by running 3rd behind Crown Pride and Wilson Tesoro but beating Light Warrior. His only defeat during the year to a locally trained horse came by a nose at the hands of regular rival Tuhonui Banseok in the Busan Mayor’s Cup in May. In total he has ten wins from seventeen career starts.

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