SEE HERE FOR RACE-BY-RACE PREVIEW OF ALL 17 SUNDAY RACES ACROSS SEOUL AND BUSAN
Not since Success Story in 2017 has a Busan-trained horse provided a home winner for its leg of the Sprint Series as Seoul has dominated the Busan Ilbo Sprint (1200M KOR-G3). In that time visitors such as Silver Wolf, Eoma Eoma, Raon The Fighter and most recently Vincero Cavallo have been the most notable winners. This year may be different though as the home track provides most of the probable favourites among the twelve-strong field.
The defending champion is back though. VINCERO CAVALLO swept all three legs of the Sprint Series last year, but he didn’t hold his form for the rest of the year, missing a summer prep before running 6th in the Korea Sprint (1200M IG3) but was well back in the Kookje Shinmun Trophy (1400M KOR-G3) in October, and hasn’t raced since. He did though win a February trial.
Busan is dangerous this year. WINNER CLEAR and YEONGGWANGUI WORLD enter as the in-form horses. The former won the KRA Sprint Yeongnam in November and edged out BORN DIA at class 1 level in January. Yeonggwangui World meanwhile looked set to won the Segye Ilbo Trophy (1200M KOR-Listed) at Seoul three weeks ago before Speed Young, who skips this race in order to go to the opening leg of the Stayer Series next week, ran him down late on.
GANGSEO GIANT is another Busan trained horse who will be firmly in the market while FANTASTIC KINGDOM and veteran BLACK MUSK are others who may play a role in the finish. The Busan Ilbo Sprint, kicking off the Sprint Series, gets underway at 16:05 local time on Sunday:
1. BORN DIA – Class 2 winner at this distance in October and then led on January 11th only to be denied by Winner Clear in the final strides by a neck. Good draw and a 2kg mare allowance which brings her right in contention. Chance.
2. GANGSEO GIANT – Won the G3 Kookje Shinmun over 1400M in 2024 and was 3rd in the same race in 2025. Won at class 1 over 1200M in November and hasn’t raced since but looked well in a February trial. Likes to come from off the pace, Seo Seung-un is on, and she will be among the favourites.
3. WINNER CLEAR – Dueled with Clean One as a juvenile but has found his niche at 1200M where all seven of his wins have come. He won the KRA Sprint Yeongnam on Grand Prix weekend in emphatic fashion before just getting up to beat Born Dia on January. Comes from off the pace and has a fiendish turn of foot. He will be favourite.
4. VINCERO CAVALLO – The defending champion swept all three legs of this series last year but didn’t hold his form with 6th in the Korea Sprint and down the field in the Kookje Shinum his only subsequent appearances. Looked very well when winning a February trial in facile fashion but this is a hard ask first up.
5. FANTASTIC KINGDOM – Well back in the Kookje Shinmun before running 2nd to Gangseo Giant in November and 4th behind Winner Clear and Born Dia when giving both 6.5kg on January 11th. Level weights helps his cause but more a place than winning chance.
6. CHOEGOUI KKUM – Won his first five races but later had breathing issues which required surgery and kept him out for several months. Returned with a good 4th in this race last year but since then his best was 3rd behind Gangseo Giant in November. Outsider.
7. I’M JJANG – Made his breakthrough with 3rd in the SROA Chairman’s Sprint last May, the final leg of this series, but missed the rest of the season through a variety of ailments. Returned to action with a solid 2nd to Ziggurat over 1400M in January 18th but minor money would be a good finish here.
8. BLACK MUSK – Four-time participant in the Korea Sprint, running a strong 4th in the 2025 edition. Hasn’t raced since 7th in the Kookje Shinmun last October but won a February trial in good order. Does his best work late and can run into some money.
9. ARION KING CAR – A three-time winner at this distance, most recently on January 30th However, that was at class 3 level which gives some idea of the step up in grade here.
10. LEEWOLMA – Seven-time winner, three of them at this distance but he hasn’t scored in his last six and hasn’t placed either. Big outsider.
11. YEONGGWANGUI WORLD – Led the Listed Segue Ilbo Trophy at Seoul three weeks ago only to get taken down late by a flying Speed Young. Prior to that a winner in a very quick time at this distance on December 14th. The only downside is the draw but if he can find the lead, he may be hard to overhaul.
12. DAEJI CHOICE – Always goes around in top class company but has been frequently beaten by many of these in recent starts and is among the longer shots today.
| Selections | (3) Winner Clear (11) Yeonggwangui World (1) Born Dia (4) Vincero Cavallo |
| Next Best | 2, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 9, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 