THE EVER CONSISTENT RAON FOREST WAS THE WINNER OF THE DONG-A ILBO TROPHY AT SEOUL ON SUNDAY BUT THE UNDERCARD WAS HEADED UP BY THE TWO CLOSING CLASS 3 CONTESTS AND ROOFTOP was an impressive winner of the second of those class 3 races over the 1200M.

Rooftop (Instagrand) completed a double on the program for jockey Kozzi Asano when knuckling down in the last 200 metres to score by one-length. Rooftop beat Geudaemaniddamyeon back on debut and is now starting to show similar form to the start of his career.

The other victory for Asano came in the opening 1300M class 6 on board VINCENT ALEX (Power Blade).

The first of the class 3 events was the second last on the program and it produced a good finish and the 1400M stoush was won by MORNING WONDER (Concord Point) who won by a neck over the late closing Sure Win with long time leader Gold Catcher a nose away third. Seobu Champ was one-length away in fourth whilst the 2.6 favourite Baro Danaeun who was resuming from 11 months away from the races could only manage fifth a further half-length away.

There were a trio of three-year-old colts on the card that produced smart performances and they included MAEUM HANA (Gaon Champ) who led throughout to win race 8 (1200M Class 4) by seven-lengths and looks yet another good classic aged horse for the trio of CC Wong, Choi Yong-geon and Woo Tae-yul.

YOUNG FIGHTER (Hansen) was a smart winner of race 5 (1300M Class 5) leading throughout to win softly by four-lengths whilst VALID YOUNG (Shackleford) was a good winner of race 4 (1700M Class 5) for Johan Victoire and Moon Byeong-ki as a 2.5 favourite. He was the only horse in the finish that was on-pace in the run in a quickly run race which saw the 2.8 second favourite The Classic falter to finish a long last.

Kim Tae-hun completed a race-to-race riding double in the early part of the program with KIA ORA (Cowboy Cal) in race 2 (1400M Class 6) and HEUNGHAENG DOLPUNG (Chrysolite) in race 3 (1800M Class 4). Kia Ora was breaking her maiden at the 10th attempt but looked impressive in doing so with a four-length victory whilst Heunghaeng Dolpung just fought off Ghost Chrysol, Dangdaechowol and Cheongsan Jilju 65 minutes later in a race dominated by the favourites.

AT BUSAN ON SUNDAY THE SHOW WAS STOLEN BY APPRENTICE NAM JEONG-HYEOK who rode a remarkable four winners in a row with his victories being on board BEOLGYO VILLAIN (Revolutionary), OASIS YOUNG (Musket Man), TANTAN DAERO (Mr. Crow) and WORLD HIT (Concord Point) in race 2 (1400M Class 6), race 3 (1300M Class 5), race 4 (1800M Class 5) and race 5 (1600M Class 4).

They were all by decent margins with Beolgyo Villain scoring by six-lengths, Oasis Young showing he is a good type making it two wins from three starts by a margin of seven-lengths, Tantan Daero got a well deserved victory by the same margin whilst World Hit won by, in the context of things, a bare one-length.

BLACK SPRING (Hansen) was the third winner of the day that won by seven-lengths in race 6 (1200M Class 3) whilst the principal race of the day (1400M Class 1) concluded the card and it was won by STAR MATTA (Testa Matta) who denied 2.9 favourite Oneulisungan by a half-length with 4.0 second pick Despite Win five-lengths away in third.

AT SEOUL ON SATURDAY THE COUNTRY’S HIGHEST RATED THREE-YEAR-OLD GEUDAEMANIDDAMYEON left behind his debacle of a performance in January when leading for the majority of the concluding 1400M class 2.

Geudaemaniddamyeon (Tacitus) put on a remarkable performance prior to his scheduled start on January 25 when he was severely agitated right through from when entering the parade ring until arriving at the post and in doing so dumped jockey CC Wong on his way to entering the track, lost a shoe on his hind leg and was eventually withdrawn due to being lame in both the near fore and off hind legs.

He was stood down to trial, which he passed in flying colours, and despite being a little fired up when CC jumped on board, he put his misdemeanour well and truly behind him with a two-and-half-length victory.

Geudaemaniddamyeon wasn’t the quickest to go from the inside barrier but was ridden up to go through and lead, kept the pace on, and whilst not winning by that far a margin compared to the majority of his previous wins, he proved to be a strong winner in a time of 1:25.7, which was a half-second inside of the standard time for the distance.

CIRCLE A (Higher Power) was a strong winner of the preceding 10th race (1800M Class 3) for Furkan Yuksel and Luigi Riccardi.

He started the 3.7 second favourite and had to sit on the outside of the leader, the 2.9 popular pick Gamsaui Him, but proved too good in the closing stages to get up and win by a head in what was a good finish between two very smart American bred three-year-old colts.

AIRFORCEONE (Air Force Blue) proved his doubters wrong in race 9 (1700M Class 4) when leading throughout to win by four-lengths.

He seems to enjoy the longer trips as he led throughout to win over the 1800M, when still a two-year-old, at the end of last year and could be a Derby contender.

Airforceone was completing a double on the program for jockey Kozzi Asano and trainer Tony Castanheira after they combined with UNICA (Hansen) to win race 5 (1300M Class 5) and a la Airforceone she led throughout as well and bounced back to her best form and justified the punters confidence as a 2.6 favourite.

There was plenty of multiple success for jockeys and trainers across the card as Kang Sung-o prepared a double thanks to the efforts of CHEONMAHORYEONG (Shackleford) in race 7 (1200M Class 4), who led throughout as a 1.5 favourite, and also DAEHAN POWER (Power Blade in race 2 (1200M Class 6), who came from an impossible position to snatch victory on the line.

Daehan Power was the first of two winners on the card ridden by Jang Chu-youl as he followed up on TRIPLE PALMETTO (Triple Nine) in race 6 (1400M Class 5).

Song Jae-chul also rode a double on the program with victories on URUS SABBIA (Overanalyze) in race 1 (1300M Class 6) and YEONGWONHAN STAR (Old Fashioned) in race 4 (1200M Class 5).

Another horse that won coming from a millions miles away on the program was POWERFUL PRADO (Colors Flying), 40 minutes after Daehan Power, when winning race 3 (1400M Class 6).

AT BUSAN ON FRIDAY THE PRINCIPAL RACE ON THE CARD WAS WON BY EOHWADUNGDUNG who bounced back to form in his typical front-running style.

Eohwadungdung (Unified) had failed in his first run at class 3 level on January 23 when on-pace, but unable to lead, but controlled the race and was a comfortable two-length winner at the end of the 1800M contest over the 1.8 favourite Force Be With You who has now had the two starts at class 3 level for two second places.

Eohwadungdung was one of three winning rides on the day for Lee Hyo-sik who also landed race 2 (1200M Class 6) on the debutante DOCTOR PUNCH (Colors Flying) and race 5 (1400M Class 5) on ALL THE BEST (Oscar Performance).

GREAT TOP (Musket Man) was a soft one-and-three-quarter-length winner of the concluding 1200M class 4 following three starts at that class for three second places. He looks progressive and one to keep following.

CHAMP SONNY (Musket Man) was an impressive five-length winner of race 4 (1200M Class 5) despite being first-up since August in what was a good training performance by Thomas Gillespie.

FANTASTIC BOSS (Cowboy Cal) was a decent seven-length winner of race 3 (1600M Class 6) whilst Kim Hye-sun took training honours on the day thanks to the victories of GYEONGBOK ATOS (Beau Liam) in race 1 (1300M Class 6) and RIGHT CHAMP (Champ Line) in race 6 (1800M Class 4).

The big highlight of next weekend is the beginning of the 2026 Korean Triple Crown with the G2 KRA Cup Mile (Korean 2000 Guineas) over 1600M for the domestic bred three-year-old colts down at Busan.