Day: April 28, 2026

FANTASTIC VALUE ERASES TIARA HEARTBREAK WITH UPSET WIN IN TTUKSEOM CUP

Fantastic Value returned to the scene of where she fell agonizingly short of completing a clean sweep in last year’s Triple Tiara and this time held firm to deny the filly who came part her that day, and win the Ttukseom Cup (1400M KOR-G2), the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Fantasic Value holds off Boryeonglightqueen and Raon Forest (Pic: KRA)

A five-length winner of both the Luna Stakes and the Korean Oaks a year ago, Fantastic Value was sent off a 1.3 favourite to claim the final jewel, but she ultimately ran 2nd as Boryeonglightqueen swept past at the end of the 2000M Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup.

Fantastic Value hadn’t won a race since and having run down the field in the Donga Ilbo over 1800M, the first leg of this series last month, she was accordingly sent off as a 72.2 outsider in the Ttukseom. But if her heart had been broken in the Seoul sand last June, it was fixed on Sunday.

Oneuldo Smile, runner-up to Fantastic Value in last year’s Oaks, set the pace along with Crown Hamseong, but it turned out to be a hot one and ultimately unsustainable. As expected Boryeonglightqueen and Dong Ilbo winner Raon Forest launched their runs from the back but it would be Fantastic Value, starting her challenge from a little further forward in midfield, who would beat them all. The ever-dependable Gladius was 4th.  

“I’ve actually never won a race in Seoul before” winning jockey Song Kyeong-yun told KRBC. “So, it is very meaningful to do it in such an important race.”

“I felt more confident going into the Donga Ilbo, but that race didn’t plan out as I had hoped, today I didn’t force it too hard, we found a good position and she finished off well. I actually think the 1600M will be better for her” he said referencing the KNN Cup, the final leg of the series next month over the Busan mile.

Trainer Lim Keum-man was naturally pleased with how his charge rebounded. “It’s a 1400M sprint so I thought first of all, the start was important. There were several horses who could go ahead, (Fantastic Value) wasn’t one of them so I was just hoping she could be tacked on somewhere, and the jockey did a great job” he said to KRBC.

“She had a bit of trouble with her hooves last year, and I think that held her back a lot, but the hoof disease is now completely gone. In the previous race at 1800M (Donga Ilbo) we were disappointed, but she had shown a very good performance in the regular race before at 1400M before that, so I thought the Ttukseom would be a bit different, and she lived up to our hopes.”

The beaten riders didn’t offer many excuses. “The pace of the race was a bit faster than I expected” Jung Do-yun, jockey of runner-up Boryeonglightqueen explained to KRBC.

“But Boryeonglightqueen is a horse with a fast finish and one who needs the fast pace to then collapse. I felt had we been a bit smoother around the bend and just a little closer then we might have got there.”

Jo Jae-ro, partner of Raon Forest said similar: “They went fast and catching up was a little harder than I expected. But I wasn’t worried because I knew they would come back and we were able to find a good position on the inside but maybe we were just a bit too far back. (Raon Forest) hasn’t achieved great results at 1400M, so I am still really proud of her for making it up into 3rd.”

The final leg of the Queens’ Tour, the KNN Cup (1600M KOR-G3) is at Busan on Sunday May 31st. Next week it’s the big one, the Korean Derby (1800M KOR-G1) at Seoul.

Korea Racing Report: April 24-26

THE GIRLS TOOK CENTRE STAGE AT SEOUL ON SUNDAY WITH THE COUNTRY’S PREMIER RACE FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES BUT IN OTHER RACES THE MAIN RACE WAS THE VERY LAST AND THE CONSISTENT J S ROAD, after chasing home Geudaemaniddamyeon and Eclipse Berry at his previous two starts, recorded his first win since December 2024 getting the better of Wonpyeong Sket and More Than Joke in a close finish between the three popular picks.

J S Road (Twirling Candy, under a perfectly timed ride from gun apprentice Woo In-cheol grabbed the long-time leader and talented but stamina-challenged three-year-old filly Wonpyeong Sket in the dying strides to win by an extending half-length with More Than Joke a neck away in 3rd.

The victory of J S Road completed a training double on the day for Song Moon-gil, who also prepared the progressive URUS SABBIA (Overanalyze) to make it two wins from two in Race 3 (1400M Class 5). The victory was by five-lengths, but it could have been even further had he not been so green in the home straight the same as on his debut. He needs to improve his manners, but the ability is there.

Kim Yong-geun rode a race-to-race double on the card and that began when BREEDO CALEY (Revolutionary) led throughout to win Race 4 (1800M Class 5) by four-lengths after two 2nd places at his prior two starts. That race saw the 2.5 favourite Fighter finish a well beaten 8th after effectively being beaten from the halfway stage. Fifty minutes later Kim rode SLING STAR (To Honor And Serve) to land Race 5 (1700M Class 4) by one-length as the 1.9 favourite. Sling Star completed a hat-trick of victories and continues to progress.

Race 8 (1600M Class 3) saw the impressive MAEUM HANA (Gaon Champ) somehow start the 5.2 third elect but despite being written off by punters he made it four consecutive wins going up in grade by one level on each occasion. With Geudaemaniddamyeon, the country’s highest rated three-year-old at present, out for the remainder of the season and his future career in doubt, Maeum Hana may just be one to keep things ticking over in the classic ages ranks for the combination of CC Wong, Choi Yong-geon and Woo Tae-yul. The race saw Free The One and Best Pitch, 3rd and 4th in the Sports Seoul Trophy respectively, start the 2.3 and 4.4 popular picks but they were both bitter disappointments with Best Pitch always towards the rear finishing 8th whilst Free The One knocked right up and was last of the 10 runners to complete the course.

Maeum Hana was the second impressive winner of the day for Choi Yong-geon as NAOL AURORA (Musket Man) was a smart winner of Race 2 (1400M Class 6) leading throughout to score by six-lengths.

In Race 9 HANGANG PERFECT (Old Fashioned) landed a competitive 1800M Class 3 as the 6.8 fourth market choice accounting for the incredibly consistent Morning Wonder by a head. The 2.5 favourite Dragon Killer could only manage 7th after being unable to lead and therefore working hard in the run.

MEANWHILE DOWN AT BUSAN ON THE SAME DAY THE CLOSING CLASS 2 LOOKED A VERY COMPETITIVE HANDICAP BUT 1400M SPECIALIST BRUG KINGMAN made the race anything but as he roared away in the closing stages to land the spoils by five-lengths.

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