Queens' Tour

RUAN MAIA GUIDES MUNHAK BOY TO G3 SUCCESS AS SEOUL HORSES COMPLETE RARE GROUP RACE DOUBLE AT BUSAN

Jockey Ruan Maia has been dominating Seoul in recent months and on Sunday secured his first Group race success in Korea when making a flying visit to Busan and partnering American import Munhak Boy to an all the way success in the Kookje Shinmun Cup (1400M KOR-G3).

Coming off the back of five consecutive wins, Munhak Boy was sent off as the slight odds-on favourite as he tackled Group company for the first time but under Maia, he made the race largely a formality, taking full advantage of the inside draw, (his fourth in his last five starts) to get to the front of the sixteen-strong field and never looked like being headed.

Japanese import Smart Boss was 2nd while last year’s winner Gangseo Giant, who entered as a 90/1 chance with dismal recent form, seemed to know this is her race, and closed well for an excellent 3rd.

“It’s my first Group race (win) in Korea and I’d like to thank the trainer, the owner and the staff in the stable for giving me the opportunity to ride this nice horse” Ruan Maia told KRBC.

“I’m very proud of the horse, he showed his performance today and winning a Group race is very important for everybody.”

Munhak Boy is a three-year-old colt by Lord and Nelson and out of the Speightstown mare Miss Guided. He was imported in-utero. He is owned by Kwon Kyung-ja (of Moonhak Chief fame) and trained at Seoul by Jung Ho-ik.

Disappointments in the race were aplenty including Sprint Series winner Vincero Cavallo who was even more lackluster than his Korea Sprint effort, being the slowest away and finishing well down the field. He took a bump at the start and afterwards was found lame in his right foreleg.

Super Finish, 3rd in the Korea Sprint, as well as Champion mare Jeulgeounyeojeong, both also finished down the field. Initial vet checks came back clear for both.

Earlier, in the first Group race of the day, Boryeonglightqueen was sent off as the odds-on favourite for the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup (2000M KOR-G3), the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Fall/Winter.

It was not to be though for the three-year-old, who won the final leg of the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies and also took out the first leg of the current series at Seoul a month ago. She settled well back as expected but this time did not run on under jockey Jung Do-yun, ultimately only making it up into 5th.

Instead, it was Flying Star, the 12/1 fifth favourite, who took the honours comfortably, settling handy before taking things up on the turn for home and going on to win by a full seven-lengths with Jang Chu-youl in the saddle.

68/1 outsider Ace High was 2nd with the ever-reliable Raon Forest in 3rd.

Flying Star is a four-year-old by Colors Flying and out of Gaya Gongju (by War Zone). Owned by Song Chang-oh she is trained at Seoul by Seo In-seok. A winner of five races, she was successful in the final race of the same series last year, the Breeders’ Cup Queen.

Donga Ilbo Trophy Form Comments: Raon First Favourite as Queens’ Tour Kicks Off but Could In-Form Flat Babe Surprise?

This year’s “Queens’ Tour” for fillies and mares is split into two separate three-race series and Raon First headlines the opener leg of the “Spring and Summer” tour in the Donga Ilbo Trophy (Listed – 1800M) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Raon First won the President’s Cup last November (Pic: KRA)

One of the most versatile horses in training in Korea, Raon First ran 3rd in the International Korea Sprint over 1200M last September before beating a field including Korea Cup winner Winner’s Man to win the Group 1 President’s Cup over 2000M in November.

Raon First is the defending champion in the Donga Ilbo, having scored by a comfortable four-lengths twelve months ago and she will be favourite, but there is no guarantee she will have things all her own way. The big danger is Flat Babe, who proved a revelation towards the end of her four-year-old season, rising from class 3 to class 1 and crowning the achievement by defeating an elite level field containing Winner’s Man in February over today’s distance. 

Flat Babe (Pic: KRA)

It will be unchartered territory for most with 58kg on their backs for the first time. All that is except for the solitary three-year-old in the race. The up and coming Sure Win has won two of her latest three and the Bernardini filly gets a whopping 6kg allowance on the rest of the field.

Twelve go in total in the Donga Ilbo which is race 8 on the 11-race Sunday card at Seoul:

1. SURE WIN – The only three-year-old in the race, she has won two of her latest three including last time out when on pace over this distance. That was at class 4 level so this is a stiff test, but she draws well and has a 6kg weight advantage over all the others.

2. QUEENS TOUR – A strong 4th in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup last September but well back over 2000M at class 2 level behind Eodigana and Cheonji Yeogeol on her only 2023 outing so far.  Tactically versatile and jockey booking a plus, but while she may be named after the series, others are favoured.

3. FLAT BABE – A revelation recently with 2nd place in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup followed by a class 1 win over Winner’s Man at this distance on February 26th. She was getting 8kg from the Korea Cup winner, but she stopped the clock in a time faster than any of these have achieved for the distance. Can settle back and run on and is the main danger here.

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