Race Reviews

Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (September 16)

Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with 10 races from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

It’s a week since Remake won the Korea Sprint (Pic: Ross Holburt/KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens with four of the eleven racing for the first time with the remaining seven having appeared once each. We’ll side with experience and (5) SPEED ONE was sent off as favourite over this distance on August 18th but was slowly away before rallying well for 2nd. With a better start he can go one better today. (7) GEUMSE raced on pace throughout his own debut on August 26th, leading until the closing stages when he was overhauled and had to settle for 2nd. It was a quick time, and he should be on pace again here with every chance of winning. The pick of the first timers is (9) UMAPOY. He sat handy in his trial, finishing off well to cross the line 1st in a good time. If he brings that form to the races, he should have a big say first-up. (8) IRISH MAN and (2) MYUNGJINBULLPAI others who hinted at ability in their trials.

Selections(5) Speed One (7) Geumse (9) Umapoy (8) Irish Man
Next Best2, 4
Fast Start2, 7, 8, 9

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens and while the field is small, it’s competitive. (3) VINCERO CAVALLO ran 5th on debut over 1000M in June before stepping up to this trip on August 5th and running an on-pace 2nd in a good time. He draws nicely to be on pace again and he won’t need to improve much to win here. (5) LUCKY PARTY was a solid 3rd in debut over 1000M on August 26th, settling midfield and running on pleasingly. The step up in trip can suit and he should have benefited from the experience. (2) NAEGILUI WINNER ran 5th behind Lucky Party in that August 26th race. He had previously run 2nd on debut and steps up to 1200M for the first time with Moon Se-young staying aboard. (1) PURGE KING and (8) YEONGWON GIANT others with the potential to improve.

Selections(3) Vincero Cavallo (5) Lucky Party (2) Naegilui Winner (1) Purge King
Next Best8, 7
Fast Start1, 2, 3, 5

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 60 Million

More juvenile maidens and once more, all have raced either once or twice before. (6) DOKKI DRAGON beat a couple of these on his way to 3rd place on debut on August 13th when overcoming gate eleven to race handy. The step up in trip can suit and he shape as the one to beat. Plenty of the others have shown ability though. (1) MIRAE TOWER has finished 4th in both his starts so far, both at 1000M and both times running on well and most recently in that August 13th race behind Dokki Dragon. Furkan gets the ride today and he should thrive with the additional trip. After two less than impressive trials (3) GEOLJAK EUTTEUM was totally unfancied on debut but ran a fair 5th of eleven. The presence of Moon Se-young will ensure he has plenty of backers. (4) NAEGILUI LEADER, who debuted over this trip, and (8) KNIGHT CHARM, another who comes out of the August 13th race, are others in the frame.

Selections(6) Dokki Dragon (1) Mirae Tower (3) Geoljak Eutteum (4) Naegilui Leader
Next Best8, 5
Fast Start1, 5, 6, 7

Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

After running 5th on debut, (4) WINNER JERIN was an improved 2nd over this distance on August 6th racing on pace, albeit well beaten by a good winner. He draws very nicely to get to the lead again here and this time, he can go all the way. (6) SEOUL CHOEGANGJA has hinted at ability across three starts so far which have included two 4th place finishes. He steps up to further than 1000M for the first time and given that he has finished off two of his three races well, it may suit. (7) DAONDI comes in off a good 3rd place over 1300M on August 19th when settling back and running on and should be in the mix again here. (2) HAEJE YEOGEOL and (9) MUNHAK CENTRAL are other placing chances.

(more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (September 15)

The weekend’s action gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 11:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens in the opener and all twelve are racing for the very first time. A couple caught the eye in trials, principally (3) MOTO MOTO and (2) YEONGGWANGUIFIRST. They both posted the same quick time in their respective heats, and both ran close to the pace throughout. They draw nicely and it’s a toss up between the pair of them. We’ll side with the Power Blade colt Moto Moto for no specific reason. (6) BLACK FALCON went through two trials, finishing 3rd in both and posting useful times. The experience should stand him in good stead, and he can put in a bold showing first-up here. (7) BROWN FALCON and (9) OH JJANG are others who didn’t disgrace themselves in their trials, the latter winning his heat.

Selections(3) Moto Moto (2) Yeonggwanguifirst (6) Black Falcon (7) Brown Falcon
Next Best9, 8
Fast Start2, 3, 8, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(6) LOUD COLOR has nine top-five finishes from twelve starts so far and comes in with recent form reading the best of these with a 2nd and a 3rd from her latest two at 1300M and 1400M. She is up 3kg on those performances, but she should be able to overcome that, and is likely to be on pace and to take some beating. (8) GREEN PAPAGO doesn’t exactly win out of turn, but she has plenty of experience at this level and comes back to a trip at which she has been consistent. She can settle midfield here and can run into some money at what should be an each-way price. (3) SOUTHERN SUPERONE has been well-backed on both starts so far and while he has finished 5th and 7th in them, they were at 1200M and both times he drew wide. The additional trip can suit, and he gets a much better gate this time around. (4) HAVE A GOOD DAY and (2) LOKI BLISS others who can challenge for the minors.

Selections(6) Loud Color (8) Green Papago (3) Southern Superone (4) Have A Good Day
Next Best2, 7
Fast Start2, 3, 6, 7

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

Small but competitive field for this maiden. (6) FABULOUS BEATER has improved across five starts so far, culminating in a very close 2nd place over this distance on August 13th when he overcame gate eleven to sit midfield and then ran on well in a quick time. He carries the same weight but draws a better gate, and he could go one better. The main danger is (2) HEUIMANG GARAM. He has only raced once before and showed promise, running through the line well for 4th place in a quick time over 1000M. He should have derived plenty of benefit for the experience, the additional furlong can suit, and he should be a danger. Thos two will fill out almost everybody’s quinella but (9) U PING has hinted at ability across six starts so far and can be aiming for a place here. (3) ARION KING showed nothing on debut but previously trialled well and carries a light weight with an apprentice claim. (7) ARA NURI the best of the rest.

Selections(6) Fabulous Beater (2) Heuimang Garam (9) U Ping (3) Arion King
Next Best7, 8
Fast Start2, 3, 7, 8

Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(9) HAERANG YOUNGUNG looks the most likely here. He has picked up well in his latest two, running 2nd and 4th, both at 1200M and in contrasting styles, once from on pace and the other from behind. In this company, he can settle behind the early speed and the additional half furlong can see him home on top. The main danger is (4) BUGYEONG LION. He finished well back in a very quick race on August 27th, but he previously ran a strong 3rd on debut, both of them at this distance. He draws nicely here, and he won’t need to improve much to be in the finish. (6) BEST CHAMP too an age to get into gear on debut over 1000M but he finished off well enough to suggest that the additional trip here can suit. (7) WHITE FALCON and (5) ACE RUN others in the placing frame.

(more…)

Derby Winner Global Hit Lands Minister’s Cup

Global Hit sealed his status as the nation’s top three-year-old as the Korean Derby winner produced another late surge up the inside to win the Minister’s Cup (2000M KOR-G2) at Seoul Racecourse on Saturday evening.

Global Hit beats stablemate Speed Young in the Minister’s Cup (Pic: KRA)

Sent off as third favourite in a full field of sixteen, Global Hit was unable to get to a forward position coming out of the gate when Uptown Whiz drifted in front of him. Instead, jockey Kim Hye-sun had to be patient and settle the Derby winner in midfield as Dokki Bulpae and betting favourite Naol Sniper set the pace.

Global Hit steadily improved as the field made their way down the backstraight and joined the leaders as they turned for home. Once in the straight, Global Hit quickly accounted for Naol Sniper and Dokki Bulpae and was left with only stablemate Speed Young to see off. This he did with a final furlong burst of speed that saw him cross the line two-lengths to the good. As ever late on the scene, Nut Play came home 3rd a full seven-lengths further in arrears.

“I am really happy. Global Hit is a very good horse and he proved that the Derby wasn’t just luck” winning jockey Kim Hye-sun told in-house broadcaster KRBC. “I don’t really think I gave him due credit in my interview after the Derby, but I expected him to win this time. He has so much talent, and while his legs are not the strongest, the stable staff did such a good job in managing him and allowing him to show his ability.”

Asked about the start when Uptown Whiz crossed, impeding Global Hit from getting their desired position and whether it forced her to change tactics, Kim said she noted it. “As we came out the gap narrowed, I hesitated a little but decided not chase it, so we settled back a little bit further than planned, but ultimately it didn’t matter.”

Pic: KRA

For trainer Bang Dong-suk, it was a remarkable one-two with last year’s champion juvenile Speed Young running a redemptive race following lacklustre showings in both the Cup Mile and the Derby.

“I have to praise my jockeys.” Bang told KRBC. “They were great, but this is a whole team effort by everyone back at the stable. They worked hard to prepare this.” As for the future, the trainer was non-committal: “Global Hit has been through a lot with his legs, but they are both young and I am looking forward to what’s next.”

Jockey You Hyun-myung rode Speed Young to win the Breeders’ Cup and following a lengthy spell out after a bad injury in a race fall, was reunited with him in the Minister’s Cup. “The staff had told me he was back in form, and they were right. Global Hit was just too strong in the last 200M.”

Global Hit is by To Honor And Serve and is out of Tammy’s Victress (by Yankee Victor). With the win he moved on to five wins from seven starts.

Jeulgeounyeojeong Completes Triple Tiara Sweep

For the second year in a row the Triple Tiara series has been swept as Jeulgeounyeojeong emulated Golden Power by adding to her Luna Stakes and Korean Oaks successes with a resounding victory in the final jewel, the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (2000M KOR-G3) under the lights at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday evening.

Jeulgeounyeojeong and Franco Da Silva win the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (Pic: KRA)/

Sent off the odds-on favourite in a thirteen-strong field, Jeulgeounyeojeong was kept handy in the early stages by jockey Franco Da Silva as Raon Giant and Doctor Oscar set the early pace over a distance at which all were tackling for the first time. At the top of the home straight, those leaders started to tire and with minimal urging, Jeulgeounyeojeong cruised by and put the race to bed a long way out.

The margin on the line was four-lengths with Wonderful Slew, a revelation when 3rd in the Oaks at just her fourth career start, getting the closest to Jeulgeounyeojeong. Raon Forest, 2nd in both the Luna and the Oaks, completed a hat-trick of Tiara placings, coming home in 3rd place.

“Anywhere internationally for a horse to be a Triple Tiara winner, it takes a good one.” Winning jockey Franco Da Silva told KRBC immediately after the race. “Thanks to the owner and the trainer for giving me a chance and now the pressure is all off because we are done. We proved that she is the best and everything is perfect.”

“This horse is just getting better and better.” Da Silva continued. “Today the only things I was worried about were the track condition and that we had travelled from Busan (for the first time). But she never lost weight, she was happy, and she was very professional. I was just a passenger; I just had to sit and wait for the straight.”

(Pic: KRA)

Trainer Kim Young-kwan also noted the challenge of winning a Triple Tiara series. “In a Triple Crown or a Triple Tiara, the races come very quickly with short intervals between them. So, health and fitness are just as important as ability if you want to win all three.” Kim, who is Korea’s all-time leading trainer in terms of both career wins and Group race wins, told KRBC.

“At the Breeders’ Cup (Korea’s Champion Juvenile race, where Jeulgeounyeojeong was a short price but finished 9th), she had some respiratory issues, so we took great care to fix that, and she has stayed healthy and sound since.”

(Pic: KRA)

Although he recently passed the compulsory retirement age for trainers, Kim has been granted an extension in recognition of his record over the years which includes the Triple Crown with Power Blade in 2016. “It is great to add a Triple Tiara to Power Blade’s Triple Crown. I would like to thank the racing fans for accepting my extension.”

Jeulgeounyeojeong is by Colors Flying and is out of Says Ms Elizabeth (by Giacomo) and was bred by owners Nasca, of Eoma Eoma fame, at their farm. She moves onto six wins from twelve starts.    

The big question now is what is next for Jeulgeounyeojeong and just how good is she? Winning trainer Kim noted that after sweeping last year’s Triple Tiara, Golden Power endured a scoreless end to 2022, being outclassed in two Queens’ Tour races. She finally returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since her Gyeonggi victory, this past Friday evening. In the meantime, Raon The Spurt, who Golden Power vanquished comfortably in the Tiara, is a Group 2 winner this year and firmly ensconced at the elite level.

(Pic: KRA)

Jeulgeounyeojeong is not necessarily Golden Power, but the Queens’ Tour Fall & Winter series would be the logical next item on her agenda.

Next Saturday at Seoul, there is another floodlight big race engagement with the final jewel of the Triple Crown, the Minister’s Cup (2000M KOR-G2). There is no Triple Crown on the line, but Korean Derby winner Global Hit is expected to head a full field of sixteen in the final three-year-old Classic.

TUHONUI BANSEOK DOWNS WINNER’S MAN A SECOND TIME

Tuhonui Banseok got back up from off the canvas to deliver a second knockout on Winner’s Man as the YTN Cup winner followed up in the Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.  

Tuhonui Banseok and Jung Do-yun (Pic: KRA)

Following Raon The Fighter’s injury earlier in the week, the Mayor’s Cup was expected to be a match-race between Tuhonui Banseok and Winner’s Man. Despite Tuhonui Banseok’s eleven-length demolition job on him in May, local punters sided marginally with Winner’s Man, sending him off as the 1.8 favourite with Tuhonui Banseok at 2.1.

Under jockey Jung Do-yun, standing in for the suspended Park Jae-I, Tuhonui Banseok got a great start from the inside gate and was quickly into the lead. Winner’s Man meanwhile was on the end of a slight bump exiting the gate but was quickly up on the pace with Seo Seung-un aboard and the two rivals quickly set about living up to match-race expectations.

Tuhonui Banseok led into the straight but unlike in Seoul in May, this time he didn’t pull away. Instead, Winner’s Man nosed into the lead with two furlongs remaining and by the time they reached the furlong pole, had put a length and a half between them. Tuhonui Banseok didn’t give up though and with Winner’s Man wavering a little in the last one-hundred metres, Jund was able to launch a counterattack up the inside and Tuhonui Banseok recaptured the lead at exactly the right time.

The winning margin was half a length while Simjangui Godong got surprisingly close in 3rd, less than two-lengths behind Winner’s Man.

Jockey Jung Do-yun, speaking to KBS N Sports, paid tribute to his mount’s resilience. “The start was good, I wanted to sit in front, but Winner’s Man was better than I expected. But Tuhonui Banseok was persistent and while we were struggling in the home straight, he didn’t give up.”

“It was such an exciting race, I always wish to do better, and I want to give my special thanks to jockey Park Jae-I, who has helped me a lot.”

It was a second Group win for jockey Jung following his victory on Touch Star Man in the 2020 KRA Cup Mile. For trainer Bart Rice it was also a second Group win following Tuhonui Banseok’s YTN win.

“The strategy was for the jockey to dictate the pace at the front. We knew that Winner’s Man was the danger and he hit the front in the home straight, but we were able to beat him in the end.” Rice told KBS Sports. “It was the first time (Jung Do-yun) had ridden the horse but he’s a very talented jockey and he rode a fantastic race.”

“I have to say thank you to the owner and their loyal support to our stable and also thank you to my staff. They do a good job.”

Quizzed by KBS on his own situation, Rice was unequivocal. “I have settled down in Korea now, it’s my second home – or even my first home now. I can’t complain about anything, it’s nice to work here and it’s nice to train horses here.”

Tuhonui Banseok is a five-year-old American bred entire by Verrazano and out of the Street Sense mare Sense Of Beauty. He was a $13,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He and Winner’s Man are expected to renew hostilities in the 1.6 Billion Won international Korea Cup at Seoul on September 10th.

Meanwhile Raon The Fighter’s injury was confirmed as a sesamoid fracture. The five-year-old will undergo surgery this week and then faces a minimum ten-month recovery and rehabilitation period.

SUPER SSONSAL SCORES SENSATIONAL SROA SPRINT SUCCESS

At the age of seven, Ssonsal hit the heights he had always promised as he swept home late to clean up Eoma Eoma and Raon First in the shadow of the post to win the SROA Chairman’s Sprint Trophy (1200M KOR-G3), the third leg of the Sprint Series, at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Pic: KRA

Ssonsal had come home in 3rd place in both of the first two legs of the Sprint Series, the Busan Ilbo Sprint and the SBS Sports Sprint. But with the dominant winner of both those races, Raon The Fighter, absent the door was left open for the rest. Most pundits, as well as the punting public, believed that would be Eoma Eoma, last year’s Korea Sprint winner, who ran 2nd in the SBS Sports Sprint and was sent off the odds-on favourite ahead of Ssonsal and the President’s Cup winning mare Raon First.

From wide draws Raon Tap Man, a 48.8 outsider, and Lord Ban (21.5) flew across at the earliest opportunity to join Raon First on the early speed. That seemed to rattle Eoma Eoma who having drawn gate nine was, after the attack, neither able to lead nor save ground and was stuck somewhat in no-man’s land out wide. Ssonsal meanwhile, as is his style, settled towards the rear under a calm Franco Da Silva.

Into the home straight and Raon Tap Man and Lord Ban did not capitulate although Raon First and Eoma Eoma started to assert their superiority as they entered the final furlong. But then arrived Ssonsal, who had been quietly making progress since the two-furlong pole and he and Da Silva swept by to strike,  going away. Raon First was 2nd, a head in front of Eoma Eoma in 3rd while the early pacesetters Raon Tap Man and Lord Ban were rewarded with very solid 4th and 5th places.

“I’m very pleased to get back to Seoul and win a big race,” winning jockey Franco Da Silva told in-house broadcaster KRBC. “It’s very special because this racecourse is so full of life, with the fans all cheering, so I am very pleased to get a big winner here.”

Da Silva said he was always confident about Ssonsal. “Always I expect this horse to do much better than he sometimes does because he has a very special mind. Sometimes, he doesn’t want to run to his potential, but the last three races he has done his best, so before the race, I was expecting to get the win today because Raon The Fighter was not there. So, I thought he would be the best horse today.”

Pic: KRA

As for future plans, Da Silva is keen for Ssonsal to move up in trip. “We don’t know what’s after this, because I always know this horse can get a longer distance. The owner and the trainer pointed him to shorter, but I prefer him to go longer because I know if he stays behind in the pack, he has very strong power in the last three hundred (metres), so if the owner and trainer agree, we can put him (up to) a little bit longer distance.”

Winning trainer Lee Sang-young was tasting Group race victory for the first time in his sixteen-year career.  “It’s like a miracle.” Lee told KRBC. “I was a bit worried about the gate number (12) but Ssonsal stays on and with so many front-runners in this race, I guessed they wouldn’t all stick on as well as he (Ssonsal) can.”

Lee also paid tribute to his jockey. “We could win this race thanks to the jockey. I really appreciate Da Silva. I love him!”

Pic: KRA

Ssonsal is a seven-year-old American entire by Adios Charlie and out of Wink At The Boys (by Graeme Hall). He was bred by Dee-Ellen Cook and Suzette Parker and was purchased for $8500 by KOID out of the OBS October Yearling Sale in 2017. He is now owned by Hong Kyung-pyo. Ssonsal was recording his thirteenth career win on his thirty-fourth start and has amassed in excess of a Billion Korean Won’s worth of prize money.

Next week attention shifts to Busan and filly and mare division with the KNN Cup (1600M KOR-G3) on Sunday afternoon. Ttukseom Cup winner Raon The Spurt heads the nominations.

Global Hit Stuns In The Derby

Global Hit stuck to the rail and the tiny colt inked his name into Korea racing history by winning the Korean Derby (1800M KOR-G1) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon. On his back, Kim Hye-sun wrote another chapter of firsts in her storied career.

Kim Hye-sun and Global Hit win the Derby (Pic: KRA)

He may have drawn the plum inside gate but having not taken part in the first leg of the Triple Crown, Global Hit, not a big horse to begin with, weighed in having lost 13kg since his last outing, the second lightest of the sixteen-strong field. Accordingly, he was sent off as a 25/1 outsider for the premier jewel in the crown.

It was a case of taking full advantage of that inside draw. Global Hit settled handy and stuck to the fence throughout before accelerating away in the home straight leaving pre-race favorite Naol Sniper in his wake, while the heavily fancied closer Nut Play finished strongly but too late. and could only manage 3rd.

Kim Hye Sun and Global Hit (Pic: KRA)

“I am so happy; I am overwhelmed really” winning jockey Kim Hye-sun told in-house broadcaster KRBC. “I am surprised and happy at the same time. I wanted him to run in this race, but I didn’t expect him to win.”

She was fully appreciative of her apparently fragile mount: “(Global Hit) has weak legs so my only priority was to race safely. And this was his first time at 1800M. I was worried about everything, the distance, the weight. But I wasn’t worried about his ability, and he ran really well.”

It was a career Triple Crown for both owner Kim Joon-hyun and trainer Bang Dong-suk, who combined with Hit Yegam in 2021 to claim the KRA Cup Mile and the Minister’s Cup but missed out when 2nd to Winner’s Man in that year’s Derby.

Hyesun signs off on a brilliant performance (Pic: KRA)

It is almost unseemly in this day and age to talk about “first woman to…” and Kim Hye-sun herself certainly doesn’t want the narrative about her career to be defined by that. As she always points out, she is just another jockey doing what jockeys do. But just like American trainer Jena Antonucci sending out Arcangelo to win the Belmont Stakes this weekend, she is smashing glass ceilings and that needs to be acknowledged and celebrated.

Kim Hye-sun debuted at Seoul in 2009 and quickly started winning. The highlight of her career prior to this Derby came in 2017 when she accompanied the filly Jejui Haneul to Busan and won the Korean Oaks at odds of 55/1. She gave birth to a son (with her husband, fellow jockey Park Jae-i) in 2020 and returned to race riding ten-months later quickly picking up where she left off, booting home three winners on International Day at Busan last year.

“I know people were worried when I came back after I had my son, but really my son is a treasure to me, and he gives luck to me when I ride.”

“I would like to thank my husband also; did he finish last? (Press Corp: “second last!”). “Ha!, Also, thanks to the owner for giving me the chance and the stable hands for preparing him so well. They earned this win.”

The final leg of the 2023 Korea Triple Crown is the Minister’s Cup over 2000M on July 22nd.

Tiz Barows Is The Chosun One

Tiz Barows unleashed a burst of acceleration that none of his twelve rivals could match as he fully justified his odds-on status to run away with the Sports Chosun Trophy (2000M Listed) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Tiz Barows won the Sports Chosun with plenty to spare (Pic: KRA)

Having finished 4th in last year’s Korean Derby and entering off two strong wins from his last three outings, Tiz Barows was sent off at odds of 1.5 locally for the Sports Chosun, which was restricted to horses rated 80 or less, and under in-form jockey Antonio Da Silva, the four-year-old obliged in style.

Jeongmun Bolt set the early pace, but Tiz Barows was always handy and once Da Silva squeezed the accelerator in the home straight, the response was instant and devastating as the pair quickly left the field in their wake to win by a full four-lengths. Queens Tour, the only filly or mare in the race and the only runner to have won at the ten-furlong distance before, closed strongly for 2nd, half a length ahead of Choego Black in 3rd.

(Pic: KRA)

For Tiz Barows, who is by Tizway and is out of the Jambalya Jazz mare Kaylan’s Rose, it was a fifth win on his eleventh start and his third from his last four. Trained by Seo In-seok he is owned by Japanese owner Inokuma Hirotsugu, whose colours were famously sported to victory by Roger Barows in the Tokyo Yushun – Japanese Derby – in 2019. While Tiz Barows hadn’t quite reached his peak when he had his own Derby shot, he looks class 1 bound at the very least.

Antonio Da Silva speaks to in-house broadcaster KRBC after the Sports Chosun (Pic: KRA)

While all but one of Seoul’s Saturday races were lost to a flooded track, on Friday at Busan, in similarly wet conditions, a former double Classic winner did make a somewhat unexpected return to form. Hit Yegam beat Winner’s Man in both the KRA Cup Mile and the Minister’s Cup in 2021 and ran second to the future Korea Cup winner in the Korean Derby.

Since winning that Classic, which was held in December of 2021 due to pandemic restrictions earlier in that year, Hit Yegam had drawn a blank in nine consecutive outings and had finished no better than 10th in any of his latest four. With Friday’s track conditions heavily favouring front-runners though, jockey Choi Eun-gyeong took full advantage of Hit Yegam’s inside draw and early gate speed and he led from gate to wire in the class 1 1200M handicap, holding off the closing pre-race favourite Daemangui Gil by half a length to record his tenth win from twenty-one starts.

Next Sunday there is a double helping of Stakes race action at Seoul.  Raon The Fighter and Eoma Eoma renew their rivalry in the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3), the second leg of the Sprint series, while stablemates Raon First and Raon The Spurt headline the second leg of the Queens’ Tour, the Ttukseom Cup (1400M KOR-G2).

Winner’s Man Too Good In Successful Herald Business Defence

Winner’s Man won the opening leg of the Stayer Series a year ago on his way to a clean sweep, and at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon, he demonstrated he has lost none of his superiority at the longer distances with a comfortable defence of the Herald Business Cup (2000M KOR-G3).

Winner’s Man goes clear of Tuhonui Banseok in the Herald Business (Pic: KRA)

The 2022 Korea Sprint and Grand Prix Stakes winner had been known to throw in the odd lackluster performance, such as when 3rd in last November’s G1 President’s Cup and especially when 4th in his tune up for this, a handicap over 1800M at Busan in February. Winner’s Man though returned to action this time leaner, having come down 15kg in body weight since that setback, and was sent off the 1.5 favourite in the local win pool.

Raon The Spurt, the only filly, set the pace as Winner’s Man slotted into 4th place among ten in the early exchanges with Black Musk and Tuhonui Banseok, the Grand Prix Stakes 3rd, between them. As the field made their way down the back straight, just after halfway, Seo Seung-un took Winner’s Man up closer to join Raon The Spurt and the rest was inevitable.

Winner’s Man struck the front shortly after they turned into the home straight and while Tuhonui Banseok briefly closed the gap up the inside rail, when Seo asked for an effort, Winner’s Man responded and opened up clear daylight again, ultimately crossing the line three-lengths to the good over the Bart Rice-trained Tuhonui Banseok. Barbarian made it a one-two-three for Busan-trained gallopers with Raon The Spurt a brave 4th the best of the Seoul home team.

Seo Seung-un and Winner’s Man (Pic: KRA)

Winner’s Man [Musket Man – Winner’s Marine (by Volponi)] moved on to fifteen wins from twenty-two starts. For jockey Seo Seung-un, it was a thirteenth Group winner, and his fifth on Winner’s Man.  For trainer Choi Ki-hong, who only has eighteen horses in training, it was a fifth Group win (a year ago, the Herald Business only had Listed status).

The next leg in the Stayer Series is the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) back at Seoul on May 21st before the series moves to Busan for the Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) on July 2nd. Winner’s Man won both those races in 2022 and barring setbacks, few will be betting against him repeating the feat this time around.

In other news, spare a thought for Lee Dong-ha. A week ago, the jockey got the biggest winner of his career to date when partnering Eodigana to success in the Donga Ilbo Trophy. He followed up with a winner this Saturday and another in race 1 on Sunday. Racing has a habit of bringing you crashing back down again – often literally. Lee suffered a heavy fall in race 5 on Sunday and was transported to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.

Next week the three-year-old classics get underway with the Luna Stakes, the first leg of the Triple Tiara for fillies being run over a mile at Busan on Sunday.

Raon The Fighter Cruises To Busan Ilbo Glory

Raon The Fighter made a high-class field, including the reigning Korea Sprint champion Eoma Eoma, look very ordinary as he ran out a dominant winner of the first Group race of the season, the Busan Ilbo Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) at Busan on Sunday afternoon.

Raon The Fighter and Lim Gi-won go clear in the Busan Ilbo Sprint: (Pic: KRA)

Widely acknowledged as Korea’s best middle-distance runner, Raon The Fighter had been runner-up to Winner’s Man in both the Korea Cup over 1800M and Grand Prix Stakes at 2300M in 2022.

With a Group 1 win the target for him in 2023, instead of facing Winner’s Man over that horse’s preferred 2000M in the Herald Business Trophy at Seoul later this month, Raon The Fighter was dropped back to the sprinting ranks for the first time since finishing runner-up in the first two legs of last year’s Sprint series.

The move paid off in spectacular fashion. Despite being drawn in the widest gate, Raon The Fighter was sent off as the slight betting favourite – but at odds against – ahead of Eoma Eoma. In the event, it was a race that Eoma Eoma, the defending champion, never got to grips with this time around.

Coming out of gate seven, Eoma Eoma was unable to match the opening speed of Beolmaui Star who under Jung Do-yun, raced into an early lead leaving the Moon Se-young ridden second favourite to dispute 2nd and 3rd up the short back straight with Daehan Jilju, who has so nearly beaten him in last autumn’s Kookje Shinmun. Aboard Raon The Fighter meanwhile, Lim Gi-won had the luxury of sitting wide just off the speed, allowing the rest to get on with it, clearly in the knowledge he had an awful lot of horse underneath him.

Just how much horse Lim had at his disposal became clear once into the home straight. First Raon The Fighter blew past Eoma Eoma as if he wasn’t there and then set off in pursuit of Beolmaui Star, who was still out in front to the tune of two and a half lengths with two furlongs remaining. By the three-hundred-metre mark, the lead was gone and by the furlong pole, the race was over.

As they crossed the finish line, Raon The Fighter was five lengths in front and pulling away. Beolmaui Star held on comfortably for 2nd in what was a breakout performance, while Ssonsal emerged up the rail under Franco Da Silva to snatch 3rd. Eoma Eoma finished back in 6th, eight-lengths behind the winner.

The build-up to the race had been overshadowed by the untimely death of Dolkong, after a trackwork accident on Thursday.  While Raon The Fighter’s performance did little to mitigate the sadness of that event, the manner of his victory was reminiscent of some of Dolkong’s best.

Raon The Fighter is by Bayern and out of Clarinda (by Empire Maker). He is trained at Seoul by Park Jong-kon and is owned by Son Chun-soo. He moves onto fourteen wins from eighteen starts. It was his fourth Group victory and while a Group 1 remains elusive – especially with such limited opportunities to secure one – he is now the early favourite for this September’s international Korea Sprint. Last year he held entries for both the Cup and Sprint before ultimately being sent to the Cup.

The Sprint Series will continue at Seoul on May 14th with the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3).

Next weekend, Son Chun-soo’s Raon machine grinds on. Raon First and her younger sister Raon Pink are both among the entries in the Donga Ilbo Trophy (1800M Listed), the first Queens’ Tour series race of the year for fillies and mares. Raon First will be the hot favourite.

Son Chun-soo then has Raon The Spurt scheduled to take on Winner’s Man in the Herald Business (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul on April 16th, followed by Raon Giant taking her chance in the Luna Stakes (1600M Listed) at Busan on April 23rd, the first leg of the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies.