Hangang Class smashed his own track record for the mile in the process of demolishing a strong field on a lightning quick track in the Owners’ Cup (1600M KOR-G3) at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.
Hangang Class goes clear of Clean One in the Owners’ Cup (Pic: KRA)
Two months ago, on a similarly fast day, Hangang Class had broken Blue Chipper’s track record for the mile, set in this race in 2019. On Sunday, under Kim Hye-sun, he took a further second off it, to set a new mark of 1:34.8.
It was a day of front running records. In race 3, the track record for 1300 was lowered while a class 6 race over 1200M was completed in a Korea Sprint winning time and a class 5 at 1400M was significantly faster than the vast majority of class 1 races over that distance.
That boded badly for Speed Young, a come from behind horse who likes to work his way into the race, regardless of the distance. Yet punters still sent the defending champion off as the 1.6 odds-on favourite. He was never a factor and finished in 9th.
Clean One showed the way early with Black Mamba being ridden hard from a wide draw to be on the pace too. Meanwhile, Hye-sun kept 15/1 chance Hangang Class handy to the leading two and ready to launch. Once they took off in the home straight, none could match them. Despite Win came up for 2nd place, while Clean One held on for 3rd.
Hangang Class is a four-year-old colt by Musket Man and out of Daehan Cheonwang (by Forest Camp). He is owned by Kim Jo-eun and trained at Busan by Gu Min-sung. Hangang Class was champion juvenile in 2023 when he won four of his five starts, including the G2 Breeders’ Cup Rookie in December of that year. After some setbacks and layoffs, he didn’t win again until winning that Jockey Club of Turkey Trophy in track record fashion in April. He moves on to six wins from fifteeen starts.
In the end all parties emerged with heads held high. Global Hit ran out a comfortable five-length winner of the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) sparing any possible blushes for the local contingent, while Japan’s Yumeno Honoo ran with enormous credit, finishing 3rd, just a head behind Speed Young in 2nd on his first time racing outside of Kochi and on an anticlockwise track.
Global Hit successfully defends the YTN Cup (Pic: KRA)
Korean punters certainly respected the visitor, Yumeno Honoo being sent off the 2.3 second favourite to Global Hit’s 1.9, those the only two in the market on a win line. And any doubts about the unfamiliar environment affecting Yumeno Honoo’s starting manners were dispelled when he leapt out on pace and tracked Miracle Marine, who as expected sprung out of gate two and into the lead.
Global Hit meanwhile had to navigate from gate twelve racing handy but wide for much of the early part of the race, with jockey Kim Hye-sun evidently determined not to allow Yumeno Honoo and Hiroto Yoshihara to get the jump on them.
By the time they entered the home straight, Global Hit was straining to be let loose and after Miracle Marine gave way, Global Hit cruised past new leader Yumeno Honoo as well as his stablemate Speed Young and dominated the closing stages. Yumeno Honoo was headed by Speed Young but was a full length and a half clear of Herald Business winner Success Baekpa in 4th.
“I always try to enjoy myself, but I felt pressure until yesterday” winning jockey Kim Hye-sun, for who Global Hit has been a career-defining horse, told in-house broadcaster KRBC. “There is always a lot of expectation and support for Global Hit, but I think it was more intense this time with the Japanese horse here.”
“I know there was some doubt about how he would fare after Dubai, but the result speaks for itself. There were so many variables coming into this race, but we wanted to be on pace and once the gate opened, he began well. I thought (Yumeno Honoo) might go a little faster and I was surprised how well we won by.”
Winning trainer Bang Dong-suk, who also saddled Speed Young to 2nd place, said that Global Hit has benefitted from his Dubai trip. “I think he has grown – or upgraded would be a better word – through his time in Dubai. He returned healthy so was ready for this.”
“I discussed (with jockey Kim Hye-sun) and we decided to go forward as much as possible at the start, like he did in Dubai.”
“Japanese horses are renowned the world over and although (Yumeno Honoo) is from a local racecourse, I had a lot of respect for him. So, I am very happy to win.”
Global Hit and Kim Hye-sun in the YTN Winner’s Circle (Pic: KRA)
Quizzed on what was next for Global Hit – the potential for a rare outing at his home track of Busan in the final leg of the Stayer Series, the Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) followed by the KRA Cup Classic in August and then the Korea Cup in September the logical path – the trainer played a straight bat.
“The only thing that determines it is (Global Hit’s) health. We will do our best to help him be fit and healthy and then decide where to go.”
Speed Young’s jockey Park Jae-I (who is married to Kim Hye-sun) also spoke after the race. “I was pleased with how it went, better than I expected. I was wide but I didn’t really have a choice from gate fifteen and I just wanted to get as close as possible. I had hoped for more of a kick at the end, but Global Hit was out of sight.”
“Global Hit is really strong” said Yumeno Honoo’s rider Hiroto Yoshihara. “I was worried about the start, but it all went smoothly, and I was able to settle into 2nd place. Yumeno Honoo gave his best and really the race couldn’t have gone any better.”
Yumeno Honoo flies back to Japan on Monday afternoon, and he goes back having demonstrated that the Kochi form can stand up. It may not be too long until another Japanese visitor tries their luck here with Strike On among the preliminary nominations for the final leg of the Sprint Series on May 18th.
Global Hit moves on to eleven wins from nineteen starts. The Korea Cup will be harder. Fit and healthy, of course.
Next week the attention turns to the filly and mare division with the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer (1400M KOR-G2).
Global Hit tightened his grip over the elite level of racing here on Sunday afternoon with a dominant win at Seoul Racecourse in the President’s Cup (2000M KOR-G1).
Global Hit with his grooms, jockey and trainer (Pic: KRA)
Under Kim Hye-sun, the four-year-old Global Hit (by To Honor and Serve) stalked the leaders until unleashing in the home straight and running on to win by five-lengths from Naol Sniper. Global Hit’s stablemate in the Bang Dong-suk barn, Speed Young, was 3rd.
“I’m happy, I’m so happy. It’s a Group 1 race so I was nervous but at the same time I tried to enjoy it. I’m really proud of Global Hit’s performance today” winning jockey Kim Hye-sun told in-house broadcaster KRBC.
“The strategy was just to sit where he was comfortable and then just to maintain that position, let him do his thing and then let him go.”
A year ago, Global Hit, fresh from winning the Korean Derby was beaten seven lengths in the President’s Cup by Winner’s Man. He would then push the older horse all the way to the line. Winner’s Man was formally retired earlier this month and capturing the Grand Prix Stakes is set to be next on the agenda for Global Hit.
Global Hit (Pic: KRA)
“I think we go to the Grand Prix” said jockey Kim. “I know the fans want it and so do I. The Grand Prix is a more meaningful race than the President’s Cup and I still regret and blame myself that we came 2nd (by a nose to Winner’s Man) in last year’s Grand Prix.”
Hye-sun probably didn’t mean to do down the President’s Cup, but the Grand Prix, while worth the same prize money, is a longer standing race and is open to foreign bred as well as Korean bred horses.
“This time there will be no excuses but also, I don’t feel the pressure anymore; I enjoy it. All of the team at Stable 26 (Bang Dong-suk’s barn at Busan) try to make a fun and supportive environment and I am grateful for the trust we all have in each other.”
The win was Global Hit’s second Group 1 success, following his Korean Derby victory last year. Winning the Grand Prix over 2300M on December 1st, will take him to within one of matching Winner’s Man, who achieved a career Grand Slam of winning every Korean G1. Of course, the final one will prove more difficult in the shape of the Korea Cup (or Sprint).
Global Hit goes clear (Pic: KRA)
Overall, it was an encouraging race for the future with the first three placegetters all four-years-old. Chasing them home in 4th place was this year’s KRA Cup Mile and Minister’s Cup winner, Success Baekpa, making a hugely encouraging return to action, racing for the first time since the final leg of the Triple Crown in June.
In a significant downer for the race though, the decision to enter sprinter Beolmaui Star, despite the runner-up in the 2023 Korea Sprint never having run any further than a mile, backfired when after leading, he rapidly faded and crossed the line one from last. Later he was found to have a fracture of the 4th metacarpal bone. World Dragon, who was last, was not reported to have any immediate physical issues.
Next weekend, attention turns to the juvenile division with the NACF Chairman’s Trophy at Seoul and the Gimhae Mayor’s Trophy at Busan, both Listed stops on the Juvenile Series.
Tuhonui Banseok put up a valiant defence of his title, but Global Hit ultimately wrested it away from him with a last gasp drive to win the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3), the second leg of the Stayer Series, in the very final stride at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.
Global Hit pursues Tuhonui Banseok in sight of the line (Pic: KRA)
Global Hit had been on the wrong side of a photo-finish when going down to Winner’s Man in last December’s Grand Prix, but with Winner’s Man out of the picture, and Global Hit having won the first leg of the series, the Herald Business Trophy (2000M KOR-G3) in March, the four-year-old was sent off a warm favourite to once again defy a wide draw and take out the Stayer second leg.
Tuhonui Banseok set off meaning business. Under Chae Sang-hyun the now five-year-old, who won the race by a remarkable eleven-lengths a year ago, went straight to the lead alongside 100/1 outsider Bolt Man. Kim Hye-sun aboard Global Hit meanwhile used the same tactics she did in the Herald Business and rode patiently, setting up camp in midfield and gradually improving as the field made their way down the back.
Pic: KRA
It was a brave effort from Tuhonui Banseok and while Global Hit inexorably raised the pressure in the sprint, he would not go down without a fight and continued to hold the younger horse at bay. They crossed the line together, but momentum saw Global Hit strike the front just when it mattered, the margin a nose. Speed Young, a stablemate of Global Hit, was a length back in 3rd.
Pre-race the market consensus was that the biggest danger was Nut Play, who got within a length of Global Hit in the Herald Business and drew a better gate this time around. Just like the Herald Business, jockey Jo Jae-ro opted to follow favourite. They would not get on terms and ultimately finished 4th. Wonderful Slew, the only filly or mare in the race, was a game 5th.
The diminutive Global Hit [To Honor And Serve – Tammy’s Victress (by Yankee Victor)] may not look like a racehorse, but he is fast and gutsy and he moves on to seven wins from twelve starts. For jockey Kim Hye-sun, as well as trainer Bang Dong-suk, he is proving to be a career-defining horse. He is owned by Kim Joon-hyun, who also had Minister’s Cup winner Hit Yegam in Winner’s Man’s year.
Jockey Kim will have plenty of time to reflect on the win as she picked up a four-meeting ban for the way she came off the fence to the detriment of Wonderful Slew on the 3rd corner.
The final leg of the Stayer Series is the slightly shorter Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) on the south coast on Sunday May 26. Tuhonui Banseok is the defending champion there too having lifted himself up off the canvas to go past Winner’s Man. He will need all that and more if he is to prevent Global Hit from carrying off a clean sweep.
Next week, the focus moves to the filly and mare division and the Ttukseom Cup (1400M KOR-G2), the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer at Seoul on Sunday afternoon. Jeulgeounyeojeong heads the field with Raon The Spurt looking the main danger.
Global Hit made his debut as an older horse and last year’s champion three-year-old stepped up to win the Herald Business Cup (2000M KOR-G3), the first leg of the 2024 Stayer Series at a sunny Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.
Global Hit makes his decisive move in the Herald Business (Pic: KRA)
Sent off as the 1.7 odds-on favourite locally, Global Hit overcame Tuhonui Banseok and then saw off a late challenge from Nut Play to score by three-quarters of a length in the 500 Million Won race. With 4-year-olds coming home in 1st and 2nd, a week after Raon The Point and Something Lost did the same in the Sprint Series, younger horses are coming to the fore at the longer distances too.
It was a fourth Group winner for jockey Kim Hye-sun, and her third on Global Hit. Going into the race, Kim had expressed confidence that Global Hit had trained on over the winter and that belief was shown in the ride, where from a wide draw, she was happy to be patient early (a telling off from stewards for shifting in too soon after the start notwithstanding) before steadily improving and making her move in the home straight, only striking the front in the last half-furlong, running on to win by three-quarters of a length from Nut Play with Tuhonui Banseok in 3rd.
“I was a bit concerned about the draw, but Global Hit’s racing habit is that if he exerts too much energy early in the race, he won’t run well, so I was able to take him back at the start” Kim explained to in-house broadcaster KRBC.
Global Hit and Kim Hye-sun return to scale (Pic: KRA)
Global Hit was racing for the first time in three months and jockey Kim admitted that this had also been a source of anxiety for her. “The owner and the trainer wanted to give him a proper rest after what he did last year but as a jockey I wondered if he might be better (to have a prep race). But looking back now and seeing how some other horses have picked up injuries, I realise that they were absolutely right.”
Still lightly raced, Global Hit [To Honour And Serve – Tammy’s Victress (by Yankee Victor)] is a winner of six from eleven and 1.8 Billion Korean Won in prize money. He skipped the first leg of the Triple Crown last year but went on to comfortably score in both the Korean Derby and the Minister’s Cup before running 2nd to Winner’s Man in both the President’s Cup and then, by just a nose in the season ending Grand Prix Stakes. He has won six of eleven starts.
Pic: KRA
The second leg of the Stayer Series is the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul on April 21st before the series concludes on May 26th with the Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) on the south coast. The KRA Cup Classic (2000M KOR-G2) has been moved forward two months to August 4th this year in order to serve as a final stepping stone to the international Korea Cup in early September. As for the two final G1 races of the year, the President’s Cup is in October this year with the Grand Prix on the very first day of December.
Owner Kim Joon-hyun confirmed that Global Hit will be pointed to the remaining races in the Stayer Series but didn’t mention the Korea Cup, in which he finished a creditable midfield last year, telling KRBC “I am considering letting him rest for a bit and then sending him to the President’s Cup and Grand Prix.” He then added: “He truly is a great horse.”
Winner’s Man became only the fourth horse in forty-one-years of the race to successfully defend the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon. But those who had taken the favourite at odds of 1.2 had the fright of their lives as Korean Derby winner and champion three-year-old Global Hit put up an epic feat of resistance, requiring the Horse of the Year elect to summon every last ounce of effort before prevailing by a nose in a photo-finish.
Winner’s Man and Global Hit go nose to nose (Pic: KRA)
On a bitingly cold day in the capital city where temperatures failed to go higher than seven degrees below zero all afternoon, Winner’s Man was heavily backed to repeat his success of a year ago when he saw off Raon The Fighter by a length with Tuhonui Banseok a close 3rd. With Raon The Fighter on the long term injured list, Tuhonui Banseok was among the leading contenders to dethrone the champion this time around, although few truly believed it was possible.
Remote of one of the best ever finishes to the Grand Prix (Pic: Hong Jong-woo/KRA)
It was almost possible, but not by Tuhonui Banseok. Winner’s Man settled just behind the early leaders and back on the fence as Jeongmun Sai and Fantastic Man set the pace. That pair gave way very early leaving Tuhonui Banseok out in front and Winner’s Man with clear track ahead to join him before the end of the backstraight. All the time, Global Hit was in close attendance and as they entered the home straight, the three of them, along with Success Macho were clear.
Tuhonui Banseok was the first to have run his race and to most observers that meant Winner’s Man was surely set to cruise away. But Global Hit would not lie down, and the pair came close together and began a duel. The three-year-old briefly struck the front inside the final furlong only for Seo Seung-un to lift the champion up from off the canvas for one last drive. They crossed the line together and it went officially to the judges, but Winner’s Man had it by a nose. Success Macho was just over a length back in 3rd.
The official photo
The pre-race buzz locally had been around Haengbok Wangja, the 2021 winner having snapped a run of desperate form with 5th in the Korea Cup and 3rd in the Cup Classic. Moon Se-young being booked to ride did nothing to dampen that enthusiasm and he ran well for 4th with Tuhonui Banseok in 5th. They were the top-five in the market, and that elite level of horses were a cut above the rest. The remaining eleven were, as anticipated, in a different race with nine lengths until the next best.
Speaking to YTN News after the race, winning jockey Seo Seung-un was both happy and relieved: “His condition coming in this week was so good that I really was confident that we would win comfortably, but the other horses have clearly improved a lot, especially Global Hit, and if (Winner’s Man) had not been at his best, we would have lost. Fortunately, he was, and we were able to win.”
Seo was questioned about the tactics in the race that saw Winner’s Man getting kickback in the early stages. “Winner’s Man likes to run on the outside, so it was a bit uncomfortable when I got stuck inside around the 1st and 2nd corners, but then we got through those corners, and things opened up in front and outside and I was able to attack. That made the difference.”
As for the future: “(Winner’s Man) will only be six years old (in 2024) but the most important thing is his health and so long as he is sound, we will be back for a go at a third Grand Prix this time next year.”
Winning trainer Choi Ki-hong told in-house broadcaster KRBC that the close nature of the race only enhanced his delight at the result: “Actually, I think my joy is doubled because it was such a thrilling win. The track condition was good and Global Hit ran a great race against us. I want to thank the owner but also the jockey for a great ride and my stable crew for all their hard work to get Winner’s Man to this point.”
Kim Hye-sun, who became the first female rider to win the Korean Derby in June with Global Hit, came within a nose of repeating the achievement in the Grand Prix and in the immediate aftermath, her thoughts were of what might have been: “It’s actually disappointing to lose by a nose. When Tuhonui Banseok (was beaten) but we stayed with Winner’s Man, I realized that we had a chance. We came so close together (with Winner’s Man) that I couldn’t even use the crop and I just feel regretful that maybe we lost our opportunity.”
Kim though quickly saw the bigger picture about what Global Hit had achieved: “Overall I think Global Hit ran really well and the more I think about it, the more I am amazed. He is three years old and racing 2300M for the first time and he caught up with Winner’s Man. So, I am excited about next year and quite emotional about this horse.”
Seo Seung-un (Pic: KRA)
It was the first time ever that two Korean Derby winners have finished 1st and 2nd in the Grand Prix, with Winner’s Man having won the jewel in the three-year-old Crown in 2021. Power Blade and Winner’s Man are the only two Derby winners to go on and win a Grand Prix. A year from now, Global Hit may follow. Winner’s Man may have something to say about that though.
That’s the end of Group races in Korea for 2023 but there is still plenty of racing to come before the year end including a four-day program of races next weekend beginning on Friday at Busan and culminating with 12 races at Seoul on Christmas Day. There will also be another three-day program from December 29th and concluding on New Year’s Eve.
Horse Racing in Korea 