3 minute read

Last weekend the Sprinting division was shaken up by the new generation as Raon The Point and Something Lost came home 1st and 2nd in the Busan Ilbo Sprint with Eoma Eoma trailing home in 5th.

This Sunday, the four-year-olds will bid to ascend to the top of the Staying ranks as last year's Korean Derby winner Global Hit heads the field in the Herald Business Cup (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul Racecourse, the first leg of the 2024 Stayer Series and first step along the road to September's international Korea Cup.

The established old guard, for the most part, won't be there.  Raon The Fighter has been on the long-term injured list since last summer while Winner's Man joined him after his successful Grand Prix defence, and both are doubtful to appear on a racecourse again. Success Macho underwent arthroscopic surgery for a chip fracture last month while earlier this week, Haengbok Wangja suffered a trackwork injury that has his future career in doubt too.

Global Hit  was the standout three-year-old of last season, skipping the first leg of the Triple Crown, but then running out the dominant winner of both the Korean Derby and the Minister's Cup, to claim the final two jewels under jockey Kim Hye-sun, who returns to Seoul to ride him again. He then finished an in no way disgraced 8th in the international Korea Cup, before rounding out the year with runner-up finishes to Winner's Man in both the President's Cup and the Grand Prix Stakes, in the latter of those, pushing the defending champion all the way to the line, going down by just a nose.

That Grand Prix run was a standout performance by Global Hit and marked out the To Honor And Serve colt, who is slight in stature but full of speed as the heir-apparent to the Raon The Fighter and Winner's Man generation. While it now transpires that he may not need to actually beat them in order to replace them, the standard of opposition that remains, means he will still need to earn it.

VICS GO comes in off a stand-out performance to win the Listed Segye Ilbro Trophy over 1200M a month ago. He is a class 1 winner over 2000M though and only looks to be getting better with every run. Meanwhile TUHONUI BANSEOK was runner-up in this race last year and went on the win the second leg of the Stayer Series, the YTN Cup, last May.

SPEED YOUNG is a stablemate of Global Hit and was champion Juvenile in 2022. Although an also-ran in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, he ran 2nd to Global Hit in the Minister's Cup and was then 3rd in the President's Cup. Although beaten when a short-price favourite at class 1 over 2000M at Busan at the end of January, this race was clearly the target, and he may still have more improvement in him.

NUT PLAY and NAOL SNIPER are other four-year-olds who can still have more upside, while the veteran SIMJANGUI GODONG returns from an unsuccessful trip to the Dubai Carnival and should be much more at home on the Seoul sand.

The Herald Business Cup is race 7 on the 11-race program at Seoul with a local post time of 15:40.

1. THE GUMPU – Well back on only start of 2024 in January but trialled nicely alongside Eoma Eoma last month.

2. CHIEF INDY – Strong class 1 winner over 2300M in February. Tends to come unstuck among the elite though.

3. NAOL SNIPER – Runner-up in last year's Derby, he has won his latest three up to Class 2 level. Moon Se-young aboard and a big run is not impossible.

4. FANTASTIC MAN – Also-ran in the Grand Prix and 4th behind Crazy Conti over 2000M in January. Trialled well since but outsider here.

5. VICS GO – Won the Listed Segye Ilbo Trophy at 1200M last month but very accomplished at distance too. Still getting better and a chance at probably an each-way price.

6. TIZ BAROWS – Well back in President's Cup and Grand Prix and 2nd to Nut Play over 1800M at class 1 in February. Talented but others favoured.

7. SPEED YOUNG – Stablemate of Global Hit, he won in a super time at this distance at class 1 in Busan on Christmas Eve. Not necessarily a second-string.

8. YONGAM BOSS – Class 1 winner at this distance in January, beating Nut Play and Vics Go, among others, so not to be dismissed. Tough ask at level weights here.

9. BYEOLNARA SINSA – Class 1 runner up to Yongam Boss in January but well back behind Tiz Barows and Nut Play in February. Outsider here.

10. SIMJANGUI GODONG – 4th in both the KRA Cup Classic and President's Cup but only very recently returned from an unsuccessful trip to Dubai which may have taken plenty.

11. TUHONUI BANSEOK – Runner-up last year and then won the YTN Cup. Top six finishes in Korea Cup, KRA Cup Classic and Grand Prix. Trialled well last month and can't rule out.

12. HEUNGHAENG JILJU – Well back in President's Cup and midfield in the Grand Prix, he has plenty of form to overturn here.

13. NUT PLAY – A winner of three of his last four and dominant over 1800M at class 1 level a month ago. Could step up.

14. GLOBAL HIT – Last year's Champion Three-Year-old was super in the President's Cup and Grand Prix is the one to beat. Deserved favourite with the only concern the wide draw.

15. CRAZY CONTI – Rarely runs a bad race but usually finds at least one or two too quick in the really big races.