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.
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.
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