It’s the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul on Sunday afternoon with Japan’s Yumeno Honoo lining up against Global Hit and the rest of the top line Korea distance horses.

See here for full preview of all 17 Sunday races across Seoul and Busan

See here for background on Yumeno Honoo.

1. TUHONUI BANSEOK – Won this race in 2023. Briefly showed near the front in the Herald Business before dropping back to finish midfield. That was his first run since the Grand Prix, so can strip fitter and always a chance.

2. MIRACLE MARINE – Won three in a row between November and January and then led the Herald Business before finishing 5^th. Draws well to be on pace again and can be in this a long way. Real chance.

3. YUMENO HONOO – A superstar at Kochi, if he takes to the track and racing anticlockwise, he won’t have too many excuses. Drawn beautifully for the jockey to pick his spot and if he takes to the track conditions, he may take some beating.

4. TIZ BAROWS – 4^th in the Herlad Businesshaving broken on pace before dropping back and ultimately running on, continuing a run of positive form. Runa Maia knows him well and he can be a money chance again.

5. NORTHERN TIME – A class 1 winner at this distance last November but he has been well back in his latest two, most recently behind Nut Play and Tiz Barows in January. First start for twelve weeks and an outsider.

6. BOLT MAN – Class 1 winner at shorter but only has one 3^rd place from five tries at this distance. Finished in the lower half of midfield in the Herald Business and that would be a par finish again.

7. MIGHTY GOOD – First start since January and may have benefitted from the break as he wasn’t going especially well. Didn’t offer many clues in a trial last week but he is a two-time winner at the distance and CC Wong up is a plus. Outsider.

8. BLACK BELT – Two wins and a 2^nd from three tries at this distance but he has been found wanting in elite company being well back in both the Grand Prix and Herald Business. A fair 3^rd two weeks ago at class 1 over 1400M so fit, but this is hard.

9. SUCCESS BAEKPA – Winner of two legs of the Triple Crown last year and  while narrowly beaten by Miracle Marine on his seasonal debut, he won the Herald Business with a super effort racing close to the pace throughout. Big chance.

10. NAOL SNIPER – Brilliant 2^nd to Global Hit in last October’s President’s Cup but hasn’t quite followed up and was 6^th in both the Grand Prix and the Herald Business, the latter with the excuse of a wide draw. Great on his day but hard to recommend with confidence.

11. NUT PLAY – Class 1 winner at this distance in January and then a strong 3^rd in the Herald Business. Versatile he can race well from on or off the pace and he can be challenging for a place again.

12. GLOBAL HIT – First start since 3^rd in the G2 Al Maktoum Classic at Meydan. Winner of this race last year and of the President’s Cup and Grand Prix before going to Dubai. At his best he wins, but wide draw and first race back will be a challenge.

13. NEULGAEUL – A winner at Listed level over 1800M last September but hasn’t raced since well back over a mile at class 1 in January. Won a trial in dismissive fashion at the end of March but this is a very tough ask.

14. FANTASTIC MAN – Nine starts since his last win and while he finished a creditable 7^th of sixteen in the Herald Business, he has a lot of form to overturn. Jockey Ueda Masashi is one few who has beaten Yumeno Honoo – though that doesn’t mean much here.

15. SPEED YOUNG – 3^rd in the President’s Cup and 4^th in the Grand Prix, he even dropped back to 1200M to run 3^rd in the Listed Segye Ilbo in February. Only beaten a head by Success Baekpa in the Herald Business the wide draw is ok, and he can be a danger.

Verdict: The second leg of the Stayer Series and there are a lot of variables here including a Japanese runner who has never raced outside his home track before and Korea’s best horse running for the first time since returning from Dubai. With that in mind we’ll take to opportunity to shy at the long shot stumps. (2) MIRACLE MARINE is a two time Class 1 winner at this distance and led the Herald Business a month ago before being passed and finishing 5^th. He can have come on for that experience, he should lead again and be available at an each-way price. (12) GLOBAL HIT is the class horse of the race and will probably start the odds-on favourite. He was a super 3^rd in the G2 Al Maktoum Classic at Meydan last time out, but this is his first run since travelling back, he draws wide, and will need to be at his best. (3) YUMENO HONOO could be anything. A winner of eighteen from twenty-three there, he has looked very well in his work on the Seoul track. On paper the Kochi times are slow, but that’s more to do with the different track surface than the horses and if he takes to the different surroundings well, he may win as easily as other Japanese horses have here. (9) SUCCESS BAEKPA won the first leg of the series a month ago. He seems to be getting better with every run and a repeat would be no real surprise. (15) SPEED YOUNG has the challenge of the widest gate but as in the Herald Business, can run on late.

Selections	(2) Miracle Marine (12) Global Hit (3) Yumeno Honoo (9) Success Baekpa
Next Best	15, 10
Fast Start	1, 2, 8, 9