THE 2026 KOREAN JUVENILE SERIES BEGAN OVER THE WEEKEND AND THE FIRST SEOUL LEG OF THE SERIES ON SUNDAY WAS THE GWACHEON MAYOR’S TROPHY AND MAJOR FURY made Hope K look good with a neck success under Seo Seung-un (writes Luke Humphreys).

Major Fury (Revolutionary) had won his first two starts before being best of the rest behind Hope K, a subsequent winner on international weekend, in the Rookie Stakes in August and with no Hope K to worry about, he got the prize after trailing the long-time leader and eventual 2nd placed Clutch Derby throughout.

“I was able to pick up the ride as trainer Kim Dong-kyun had also entered Samjeong Chef which Jang Chu-youl elected to ride,” Seo Seung-un told in-house broadcaster KRBC. “He looked like a good horse to ride and after riding him today I think he is a very smart and good horse. I only rode in Seoul (instead of Yeongcheon) today because of this ride, so I am grateful for the opportunity. The trainer’s instructions were to just sit behind the leaders and then make a run. Jang Chu-youl also told me about the horse as he had ridden him previously so I would like to thank him.”

The Korea Cup disappointment last week of home hope Clean One, who was subsequently found to have fractured his off-fore sesamoid, was still laying heavy on Seo.

“Because the results at last week’s Korea Cup were poor, as a jockey, I sincerely want to apologise to all horse racing fans regarding the fact that I did not ride well. I felt extremely sorry. It is in the past, but I had to focus more than usual this week and thankfully still got satisfactory results.”

Seo also made comments on him riding regularly in both Seoul and the Yeongnam (Busan and now Yeongcheon) region.

“It has been three months (since the integrated freelance jockey system was established) and of course, when I first came here to Seoul for regular meetings, not everyone would be able to give me many opportunities because it came suddenly but as a month or two passed, I have been given a lot of opportunities.”

Major Fury was the 4.3 third favourite and defeated the 3.4 second favourite Clutch Derby by a neck. Clutch Derby had won his first two starts brilliantly from the front and after being fractious in the gates, he used up plenty of energy getting to the front and ultimately lost no admirers in 2^nd. He was actually coming back at Major Fury on the line after being headed early in the final furlong. Golden Ventus was eight-lengths away in 3rd. Stablemate of the winner Samjeong Chef was the well supported 2.4 favourite following his eleven-length debut victory in July but missed the start and was checked at the top of the straight by the very green Star Fury.

Seo Seung-un completed a double when USEUNG JINLI (Shackleford) led for most of the way to win Race 10 (1600M Class 4) by three-lengths over Ninja Tiger with the 3.1 favourite Mujehan Geup, a winner on this day twelve months ago of the Munhwa Ilbo Trophy which this year is being held in November, coming home in 3rd.

CHEONGUNG STORM (Shackleford) led throughout to win Race 11 (1400M Class 3) by a neck from Jjarithan Haengbok, who subsequently attempted to bite the winner just after the finish. That was the second winner of the day for trainer Jung Ho-ik as in Race 6 (1300M Class 5) 1.8 favourite ROAD TO CHAMPION (Indie Band), 2nd to Major Fury on debut, got up to land the prize by a half-length under Ruan Maia to record his second win.

PRIMERO (Indie Band) recorded his second straight win when taking Race 9 (1800M Class 4) by three-quarters of a length as the 3.5 second favourite. The 2.8 favourite was Ryan Beat which attempted to make all the running but could only manage 4th whilst 6.5 third choice Pas de Cheval pulled too hard and finished 5th.

TIGER BULPAE (Power Blade) produced a big finale to grab Raon Finalle on the line in Race 7 (1400M Class 4). There was a nose between them with two-and-a-half lengths back to the 3rd placed third market choice Love In Seoul. Tiger Bulpae took nine runs to break her duck, but the three-year-old filly has now recorded consecutive wins.

LAST K (Cowboy Cal) took a couple of runs to figure things out but following a win in April was 2nd to the smart Anyangbitchuisokdo in May and at his first run since scored by one-and-a-quarter lengths in Race 4 (1200M Class 5) as the 2.2 favourite.

Kozzi Asano rode a race-to-race double with WORLD OF DREAM (Overanalyze) winning Race 2 (1200M Class 6) by one-length on his debut before the Tony Castanheira trained BLUE HAWAII (Race Day) grinded home as he did on his debut to go one place better from his first race with a three-length success in Race 3 (1400M Class 6) as the 1.5 favourite.

THE SIXTEEN-AND-A-HALF YEAR WAIT FOR YEONGCHEON RACECOURSE TO OPEN IN THE EAST OF DAEGU CAME TO A CLOSE ON SUNDAY AND THE OPENING RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLIES OVER 1800M WAS WON BY MOMENTUM under Jung Do-yun.

Momentum (Nitrous) has shown good ability throughout the year and the step up to 1800M was no issue as she scored by one-and-a-quarter lengths as the 3.5 second favourite in the KRW 150,000,000 event to open the card. P.D Special, 3.7, was 2nd with Powerful Devil in 3rd and the 2.6 favourite Pachoui Kkum, up big in trip for her fourth start following victories at her previous two, a non-staying 4th after leading.

Race 2 (1200M Class 4) was won by JEONGMUN FAPPIANO (Hansen) who as the 1.9 favourite proved too good under topweight of 57kg for Franco da Silva and Bart Rice and recorded his third career victory at start ten by one-and-a-quarter lengths over Road To Cleo with B K. Spirit, 8.5, in 3rd and Golden Empire, 3.4, in 4th.

Franco followed up in Race 4 (1400M Class 4) on HANEUL SHINHWA (Thunder Moccasin) which struck a winnable contest and scored by a neck as the 2.7 favourite in what was the first victory for the five-year-old in fifteen months.

OASIS YOUNG (Musket Man) was a decent one-length winner of Race 3 (1200M Class 4) for Nam Jeong-hyeok and Baik Kwang-yeol at odds of 4.9 over the pair of 2.6 favourites Stealth Kingman and Charming Boss who were separated by one-length in 2nd and 3rd places in that order. Oasis Young stalked the two favourites throughout and proved too good up the relatively short Yeongcheon home straight.

Jockey Nam completed a double when FLYING RACE (Race Day) completed back-to-back victories in Race 5 (1400M Class 4) as the 4.2 favourite by one-and-a-half lengths before completing a treble when riding LEMON TREE (Hansen) in the concluding Race 6 (1400M Class 3) to a three-length victory at odds of 9.2. Favourite, Julgeoun Donghang, 2.4 was 6th

ON SATURDAY AT SEOUL A 1200M CLASS 2 CONCLUDED THE CARD AND IT WAS AN UPSET WITH THE BOTTOMWEIGHT MIGHTY JOY landing the prize at odds of 25.2 for jockey Kim Tae-hui.

Mighty Joy (Runhappy) scored by a half-length over 1.4 favourite Concord Blue who did his best work late but over a trip clearly short of his best could not get there in time. The three-year-old colt had won his previous two starts in brilliant fashion over 1400M and the 8th placegetter from this year’s Derby should go close to bouncing back into the winner’s list next time over a longer distance.

Race 9 (1200M Class 3) saw a good finish with five-year-old gelding RUN WILD (Colors Flying) scoring by one-length at odds of 6.2 over the Johan Victoire ridden Luigi Riccardi trained filly Gold Catcher, 6.3, with Global Serve, 4.0, and Kozzi Asano coming home in 3rd ahead of Rooftop and Ruan Maia in 4th with Royal Best, 5.9, 5th.

The Tony Castanheira trained three-year-old colt BEONGAE LEWIS (Uncaptured) continued his excellent record to date by making it three front-running wins from three starts in Race 8 (1600M Class 4) as the 1.5 favourite under Lee Hyeok. He won his sole trial before his debut by twelve-lengths before following up by margins of six and four-lengths in his first two runs and scored by two-lengths this time over Breedo Champion, 9.2, which ran well in 2nd and on his last two runs looks close to a win and is worth following.

Another smart winner on the card was THE SUN STORY (Shackleford) who completed four victories in a row with an all the way score in Race 7 (1800M Class 4) as the 2.5 popular pick for jockey Kim Hyo-jung and trainer Hong Yun-whoa. She only fell in by a head in what was the longest and strongest race she has run into date, but the three-year-old filly is doing nothing wrong at present. Her victory completed a double for trainer Hong as A.K JUN (Frosted) took out Race 1 (1000M Class 4) for overseas bred two-year-olds by two-and-a-half lengths under Kozzi Asano at odds of 5.3 over debut-making favourite Mighty Rog.

Franco da Silva rode SINHAN ACE (Purge) to a last-to-first success in Race 6 (1700M Class 5), in a race which saw the 2.3 favourite Jechuk Sanjiro fade to finish 9th, whilst Jeong Jeong-hee piloted the Luigi Riccardi trained Roslinda Yunus owned TUN TEJA (Mr. Crow) to victory in Race 2 (1200M Class 6) at odds of 47.2.

Jung Do-yun had a riding double with SKYLOR TAEHA (Mischievously) in Race 3 (1400M Class 6) and 56.9 rank outsider MIGHTY AMI (Army Mule) in Race 5 (1300M Class 5), the latter going straight to the front from the widest barrier and never seeing another rival.

AT BUSAN ON FRIDAY THEIR OPENING LEG OF THE JUVENILE SERIES WAS THE BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY GANGSEO-GU MAYOR’S TROPHY AT LISTED LEVEL AND 3.6 SECOND FAVOURITE LAVENDER CROWN came from last to first to snatch victory on the line for the husband-and-wife combination of jockey Park Jae-i and trainer Kim Hye-sun over 5.4 fourth market choice and stablemate Eclipse Vision.

Lavender Crown (Honor A. P.) had come from midfield to win her debut race on August 7 and the form was subsequently franked earlier in the day with the 2nd placed horse that day running a narrow 2nd in Race 4 and the 3rd placed runner easily winning Race 2. Despite being slow to go, Lavender Crown appreciated the fast pace up front and got up to score by a head. 

“She doesn’t normally begin that slowly and once she did that, I had almost given up winning” jockey Park Jae-I told KRBC. “However, over the last two hundred metres the leaders got tired and one-by-one I was able to pick them up…(and) she showed a great turn of foot up the home straight.”

“I am very proud of both Lavender Crown and Eclipse Vision,” said Kim Hye-sun – who also trains the runner-up. “It is unfortunate there had to be a loser. Lavender Crown grew up with a foster mare which makes me have a lot of affection for her.”

Part of the post-race trophy presentations were almost thirty Australians who were on an organized racing trip to South Korea for the Korea Cup and were spending the day at Busan following a visit to Jeju in between.

Among those beaten was Seraph, who by winning her race debut easily became the first winner for 2021 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide as a stallion. She once again went to the front and stopped in the home straight a la the Rookie Stakes a month earlier.

Elsewhere on the card FLYING THE KHAN (Race Day) did not have much formal competition in Race 8 (1800M Class 3) bar a horse running alongside him as competition helped his cause as he kept on going from the front to score by six-lengths as the 4.4 second favourite under top apprentice Nam Jeong-hyeok over 1.8 favourite Fantastic Force, the Korean Derby runner-up.

INFINITE WINNER (Centralcommand) followed up her impressive debut win with another top performance in Race 7 (1200M Class 5) landing the spoils by five-lengths as the 1.2 favourite for jockey Franco da Silva, trainer Koo Young-jun and owner Shin Woo-cheol. That trio will be represented by the Luna Stakes (Korean 1000 Guineas) victor Clearly Winner in the Jeju Governor’s Cup (KOR-G3) on September 20 and at this stage there is no reason to say why Infinite Winner is not destined to get to a similar level.

Another facile winner on the program was two-year-old colt SUNNY WILD (Bayern) in Race 2 (1200M Class 6) who under Seo Seung-un scored by seven-lengths as the 1.6 favourite for trainer Moon Hyeon-cheol and owner Choi Sang-il. Sunny Wild is a full-brother to one of this year’s outstanding three-year-old’s Funny Wild, winner of the KRA Cup Mile (Korean 2000 Guineas) and Minister’s Cup, who ran 4th in the Korea Cup last weekend. He was beaten on debut by Lavender Crown.

Seo Seung-un followed up on LOST KINGDOM (Afleet Express) in Race 4 (1400M Class 6) which got the better of 1.8 favourite Game Maker, who had split Lavender Crown and Sunny Wild in August, by a half-length before completing a treble in the concluding Race 9 (1300M Class 5) on OASIS STAR (Concord Point), bookending the card for trainer Baik Kwang-yeol after TOHAMSAN BOSS (Dialed In) won Race 1 (1000M Class 4) for foreign bred juveniles.

Two-year-old filly GOLDEN CODE (Concord Point) led throughout to win Race 3 (1300M Class 6) by a diminishing head whilst 3.3 favourite WINNING TREE (Old Fashioned) also fell in to score in Race 5 (1400M Class 5) over the fast-finishing Bart Rice prepared Bamtori Bambam which in another stride would have been a winner for French jockey David Breux on his return to Korea.

The Jeju Governor’s Cup (KOR-G3) over 1400M is the main race this upcoming weekend on Sunday in Seoul to kick off the Queen’s Tour Autumn/Winter for fillies and mares. The Oaks in Catch Race and Clearly Winner will have plenty of competition such as fellow three-year-old Sunrise, last year’s Oaks winner Fantastic Value, Raon Forest, Ace High, Jeulgeounyeojeong, Gladius and last year’s winner Boryeonglightqueen. In the Yeongnam region Prime Secret could attempt to complete a hat-trick of victories in an 1800M Class 1 on Friday in Busan whilst in Yeongcheon on Sunday Clutch Winner, who won the LR Gyeongnam Shinmun earlier this year, could compete in a 1200M Class 2.