There won’t be a clean sweep in this year’s Stayer Series as Clean One, the dominant winner of the opening leg a month ago, swerves this Sunday’s YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul Racecourse, but in his absence a top set of runners make for a very competitive race. SEE HERE FOR FULL PREVIEW OF ALL 17 RACES ACROSS SEOUL AND BUSAN.
After winning the Grand Prix by a full nine-lengths before scoring in a facile manner in the Herald Business (2000M KOR-G3 on March 15th, Clean One has established himself as the top horse in the division. Connections, however, are plotting his 2026 campaign carefully with tilts at the Korea Cup and a defense of the Grand Prix being his priorities.
With the final leg of this series being at Clean One’s home track of Busan, traveling for the YTN is the one that has been given up.
There is a two-time defending champion. GLOBAL HIT won the race as a four-year-old in 2024 and then upheld local pride by seeing off Japanese raider Yumeno Honoo a year ago. Given his recent injury struggles, a third victory seems unlikely, but his underlying ability remains, as evidenced by his close 2nd when conceding weight to YEONGGWANGUIFIRST in February.
It could be the best chance for GANGPUNGMA to get a Group win on the board. A revelation in his five-year-old campaign he was 2nd to Speed Young in the President’s Cup and to Clean One in the Grand Prix with his habit of being slow out of the gate hindering him both times. 3rd in the Herald Business, he will start as favourite.
SPEED YOUNG has the same owner as Gangpungma and the “Swiss Army Knife Horse” is the most versatile in the race, able to compete in Group company at any distance. It would be a huge surprise if he did not at least place.
In the absence of much early speed, SUCCESS BARKPA may be taken forward. He was 2nd in the Herald Business, and while his good days are interspersed with ordinary ones, he isn’t to be dismissed.
The up and comers were set to be headed by Geudaemaniddamyeon. However, the country’s highest rated three-year-old suffered a condular fracture last week and underwent surgery that will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Instead, it is four-year-old YOUNG SKYWALKER who is the youngest in the race. Last time he was in Seoul, he ran a fair 6th of twelve on the President’s Cup, but he has constructed a three-race winning streak since then.
The YTN Cup is race 7 at Seoul on Sunday with a local post time of 15:40.
1. GANGPUNGMA – Runner-up in the G1 President’s Cup and G1 Grand Prix, then a smart class 1 winner over 2000M before running 3rd in the G3 Herald Business. The start has been his undoing but if he gets away better, even if there is no speed on, this really should be his day.
2. VET CAPTAIN – A revelation at six-years-old coming in off two strong wins at a mile and 1800M. He has never raced over 2000M before, nor has he tackled such company at level weights, but he is a front-runner and they will need to go past him. Minor money chance.
3. YOUNG SKYWALKER – 6th in the President’s Cup last October, beaten by four of today’s rivals, but he has won three times since then, including at this distance. Looks to have loads of potential for more and Seo Seung-un riding is a huge vote of confidence in him.
4. SPEED YOUNG – 3rd in this race in 2024 and 2nd in 2025, he got his G1 reward in the President’s Cup last year before running 3rd in the Grand Prix and then dropping down to sprint and win the Segye Ilbo. He can do it all and it would be a big surprise if he didn’t place for a third year running, but can hold off a surging Gangpungma late on?
5. GLOBAL SOCKS – Beat just two home in the Herald Business and has been consistently well back in recent outings. The nine-year-old will be a big outsider.
6. MAGLE DAY – Two-time winner at the distance most recently at the end of February when as he likes to do, he came from well off the pace. Well back behind Vics Go on his first try at class 1 over 1800M on March 29th. Will see out the trip strongly but others favoured.
7. YEONGGWANGUIFIRST – Beat Global Hit in a hard-fought home straight duel over this distance in Busan in February when getting 3kg from him. Then ran 6th in the Herald Business, though only a length-and-a-half behind Speed Young. Don’t rule out minor money.
8. GLOBAL HIT – Won this race the past two years but hasn’t been the same since his injury last summer and couldn’t quite kick enough to get past Yeonggwanguifirst in February when formerly, he would have cruised away. That said, his residual talent remains and it would be no surprise were he to be in the money.
9. SUCCESS BAEKPA – Returned for the first time since the Grand Prix to run 2nd in the Herald Business, four-lengths behind Clean One but finishing faster than anything but the winner. He can mix his form, but on his day, he can be a winning chance and may even take things on from the front.
10. VICS GO – Comes in off two solid class 1 wins over 1800M in March coming from off the pace both times. The same apprentice gets the nod, although he can’t use his claim here. The company here is tougher than he is used to though and he is a minor money chance at best.
| Selections | (1) Gangpungma (4) Speed Young (9) Success Baekpa (8) Global Hit |
| Next Best | 3, 2 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 |
Horse Racing in Korea 