South Korean racehorse Global Hit continued his strong form on home soil with a hard-fought win in the Busan Mayor’s Cup (1800M KOR-G2) on May 25th, edging stablemate Speed Young in a dramatic finish as preparations intensify for the upcoming Korea Cup 2025.

The five-year-old, trained by Bang Dong-suk, returned to his home track for the first time this season and was sent off as the heavy 1.1 favourite. Despite the odds, Global Hit found himself trapped for much of the run before breaking clear in the final strides to secure victory by a neck.

It marked a repeat of April’s YTN Cup result, where Global Hit triumphed comfortably by five lengths over Speed Young in Seoul. This time, however, the margin was much closer, as the two stablemates produced a thrilling duel down the home straight. Last month’s fourth-place finisher Success Baekpa closed six lengths back in third.

Speaking to KBS N Sports after the race, jockey Kim Hye-sun reflected on the tactical challenge of the shorter distance: “The pace was faster than in 2000-metre races, and I couldn’t find space to move early on. In the end, it came down to patience and timing. We’ll take this experience forward and aim to avoid the same mistake in the Korea Cup.”

The victory was Global Hit’s twelfth from 21 career starts, and his ninth Group win — but notably, his first at Busan. Trainer Bang, who also manages runner-up Speed Young, celebrated a one-two finish in front of a home crowd.

Eyes on the Korea Cup

Global Hit’s next appearance is expected to mirror his 2024 campaign, with plans to skip the summer races before defending the KRA Cup Classic (2000M KOR-G2) at Seoul on August 3rd. That race will likely serve as his key prep ahead of the Korea Cup (1800M IG3) on September 7th, the country’s most prestigious international feature.

Speed Young, meanwhile, is set to target the Busan Owner’s Cup (1600M KOR-G3) on June 29th, a race he won last year. His future route will depend on his form there, with Bang expected to decide whether he will contest the Korea Cup or return to the Korea Sprint, where he was the top local finisher in fourth in 2024.

Global Hit’s latest victory continues his reputation as one of Korea’s most consistent performers at the top level, with fans already anticipating his showdown with international challengers at Seoul’s Let’s Run Park later this year.