A year ago, Eoma Eoma clinched a dramatic victory in the Kookje Shinmun with a well-timed finish, and history repeated itself on Sunday as he replicated the same feat in the 1400M Group 3 event at Busan Racecourse.

Eoma Eoma faced off against Calm Strong (Pic: KRA)

Among the sixteen contenders, eight had recently competed in the international G3 Korea Sprint at Seoul in September. Beolmaui Star, following a strong runner-up performance in that race, entered as the favorite ahead of the defending champion. However, Beolmaui Star’s hopes took a hit at the start when he slightly faltered, failing to catch up at any point in the race.

The early stages saw Calm Strong, an exciting four-year-old filly, take the lead, closely followed by Black Musk and Raon Tap Man, while Eoma Eoma, ridden by Antonio Da Silva for the first time, positioned himself just behind. As they entered the straight, Black Musk and Raon Tap Man dropped out of contention, leaving Calm Strong and Eoma Eoma in a head-to-head battle, with last year’s runner-up Daehan Jilju and SROA Chairman’s Trophy winner Ssonsal chasing closely.

Despite Calm Strong’s determined effort, Eoma Eoma gradually wore her down, replicating his performance against Daehan Jilju the previous year, crossing the line with a three-quarters of a length lead. The filly secured an admirable second place, followed by Daehan Jilju in third, and Daemangui Gil—recovering from a poor start—edged out Ssonsal for fourth.

In the winner’s circle, trainer Song Moon-gil expressed satisfaction with Eoma Eoma’s performance, citing the horse’s subpar showing in the Korea Sprint and the subsequent need for rest and recovery. Song emphasized the importance of managing the seven-year-old’s workload and scheduling races strategically due to his high rating. He added that Eoma Eoma’s wealth of experience and innate understanding of the sport contributes to his consistent success.