Korea’s champion juvenile will be crowned at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon after eleven two-year-olds line up for the Breeders’ Cup.
Ottug Ottugi won the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup (Pic: KRA)
The winners of both Seoul and Busan’s prep races, the Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup and the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup, will both be there and it is set for an interesting race.
Here is a full run-down of all of the runners with [Pedigree] Sex (Starts/1st/2nd/3rd) Trainer – Jockey (Home Track):
Breeders’ Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – November 29, 2015 (15:15)
1. Whiz Speed [Admire Don – Speed Bag (Abagninone)] C (5/1/0/1) Song Moon Gil – Park Tae Jong (Seoul)
He was 5th in the Mayor’s Cup, five lengths behind the winner. His victory came in September over 1200M but it was not an especially strong race and both speed and stamina are open to question. A lot of improvement will be needed if he is to compete here. Expect him to settle in the middle of the field.
2. Major Winner [One Cool Cat – I Am Cruising (Value Plus)] F (3/2/0/1) Jang Se Han – Song Keong Yun (Busan)
She comes in following consecutive victories over 1200M and 1300M, most recently at class 5. She came from just behind the lead on both occasions and will likely try similar here and while she has potential, others will be favoured.
3. Clean Up King [Strike Again – Kilcoe Castle (Gone West)] C (3/2/0/0) Seo In Seok – Ham Wan Sik (Se0ul)
A half-brother to last year’s winner Doraon Hyeonpyo, he will be an outsider to match his elder’s feat. He does come in following two consecutive wins, beating Whiz Speed in the first of those and Dixie Ploit (half to Derby winner Yeongcheon Ace) last time. He is another that will look to settle just behind any early speed but he is going to have to find plenty to beat this field at this distance.
4. Winner’s Glory [Strike Again – Luck And Fame (Western Fame)] C (3/2/1/0) Shim Seung Tae – Moon Se Young (Seoul)
He entered the Mayor’s Cup unbeaten in two and led for much of that race only to be defeated by the fast finishing Waikiki on the line. Despite that, he is likely to go try to go forward again, he should be able to cope with the distance and he may be considered.
5. Cheonji Storm [Admire Don – Great Thought (Empire Maker)] C (2/2/0/0) Kim Dong Kyun – Shin Hyoung Chul (Seoul)
The only one of this field to have already won at this distance with a six-length win on October 25th. He was similarly impressive on his debut a month earlier. He scores highly on speed and obviously has no issues with the distance. While he led from gate to wire last time, he came from behind the time before and with some others likely to go forward, he may opt to be patient here. Big chance and he will be well-backed.
6. Ottug Ottugi [Forest Camp – Main Objective (Lion Heart)] F (3/3/0/0) Kim Young Kwan – Choi Si Dae (Busan)
She comes in unbeaten after three races with victory in the Gyeongnam Sinmun the highlight. She has led from gate-to-wire in all three and is surely likely to go forward again. However, she only just got home last time with stablemate Power Blade almost catching her on the line. It is going to be harder today but she still must be strongly considered
7. Waikiki [Pico Central – Wyvern (Didyme)] F (3/1/2/0) Ha Jae Heung – Park Byeong Yun (Seoul)
The 48/1 winner of the Mayor’s Cup last month when she flew home from the back of the field to get up by half a length from Winner’s Glory. That followed two 2nd places when similar tactics were employed. She certainly showed a decent turn of foot and the distance will suit her. She will go right back once more and she will be nothing like 48/1 this time.
8. Banjiui Jewang [Ecton Park – Sweetoil (Broken Vow)] C (2/2/0/0) Peter Wolsley – Jo Sung Gon (Busan)
A nine length winner on his debut, he was an early scratching from the Gyeongnam Sinmun due to soreness but came back on November 6th to win a 1200M class 5 race by four lengths so he arrives unbeaten. He has won from the front both times but may not wish to take on the early speed this time. The distance should be fine for him, plenty of potential and a big chance.
9. Sunganui Beopchik [Exploit – Arrested Lady (Thunder Gulch)] C (4/1/0/1) Yoo Byung Bok – Kim Eu Soo (Busan)
He was 5th in the Gyeongnam Sinmun but came back out a winner on November 6th over 1200M. That was at class 6 so there is still plenty to prove and he is yet to show much in the way of speed. He won from the front last time but may not go forward here and he will perhaps be the least fancied of the Busan visitors.
10. Gaia Thunder [One Cool Cat – Now Cope With This (Tiznow)] C (4/1/1/1) Park Jong Kon – Park Eul Woon (Seoul)
Sent off in excess of 60/1 in the Mayor’s Cup, he managed a creditable 3rd place coming from the back along with the winner Waikiki who he was a length and a half behind on the line. He previously won a class 6 race over 1200M. He will most likely go back again and try to close but won’t be among the favourites.
11. Power Blade [Menifee – Cheonmacheong (Lost Mountain] C (3/1/2/0) Kim Young Kwan – Kim Yong Geun (Busan)
A four length winner on his debut in August he was then stepped up to a mile for his first try at class 5 and finished a very creditable 2nd. He almost managed to run down stable-mate Ottug Ottugi in the final strides of the Gyeongnam Sinmun but the line came just a fraction too soon. This time, with an extra furlong to play with, things could very well be different. He will look to sit behind the early leaders and could very well start favourite.
Horse Racing in Korea 