The road to the Korea Sprint begins on Sunday afternoon as Busan plays host to the first leg of the 2024 Sprint Series, the Busan Ilbo Sprint (1200M KOR-G3).

But while it may be a new year, it's a familiar name heading the field as Eoma Eoma , two years on from winning this race before going on to claim the Korea Sprint itself, remains the leader of the division.

Now seven-years-old, EOMA EOMA broke through in the Covid-affected seasons of 2020 and 2021 but it was in 2022 when the son of Algorithms came of age, scoring by three-lengths in the Busan Ilbo Sprint, before passing Japan-trained Raptus, to win the International Korea Sprint that September. He then rounded out the year by returning to Busan to take a last gasp victory in the Listed Kookje Shinmun Trophy over 1400M.

2023 would prove a more challenging year for Eoma Eoma. Raon The Fighter won the Busan Ilbo and the SBS Sports Sprint while Ssonsal took out the final leg of the regular series, the SROA Chairman's Sprint. Eoma Eoma was down the track on all three occasions and would then run 5th when defending his Korea Sprint crown under a very conservative ride. He did though round out the year with a repeat in the Kookje Shinmun at Busan in November, putting him back at the forefront of the division.

With Raon The Fighter on the long-term injured list and Korea Cup runner-up Beolmaui Star having only just returned from Dubai, Eoma Eoma kicks off the 2024 Sprint Series as the one to beat again. He hasn't raced since November's Kookje Shinmun but the Song Moon-gil trainee went through a trial at Seoul on February 29th, and looked in strong form, cracking one minute for the five-furlongs without breaking a sweat (although fellow class 1 horse The Gumpu went with him every stride and was under less pressure).

Song Jae-chul, who rode Eoma Eoma in his very first races before losing the ride first to Moon Se-young and then to Yoo Seung-wan and finally Antonio Davielson, is restored to the mount for the first time since September 2021 and from an excellent draw in gate five, they can win.

SOMETHING LOST is the new hope. He made it four wins from four when winning the Sports Seoul Trophy, the capital's Classic trial, last April but came up short in all three of the Triple Crown races themselves. He then didn't race again until this February 3rd, but his return was sensational, blitzing a class 2 field over 1400M. Now a winner of five from eight, a statement run will be expected although jockey Lee Hyeok will have to contend with a wide draw on the Hong Dae-you trained galloper.

Another up and comer is RAON THE POINT. A winner of six from eight, he has posted some super times at distances up to a mile although he came up short both times when tested by strong opposition, first in the Gold Circle last September, and then on his first try at class 1 at the end of January.

Then there are the usual suspects. DAEMANGUI GIL and SSONSAL shouldn't be too far away while multiple Stakes winner MORFHIS kicks of his nine-year-old campaign. Eoma Eoma remains very much the one to beat though.

The Busan Ilbo Sprint is race 5 on the 6 race Sunday card at Busan with a post time of 15:15 Korean Standard Time.

Something Lost (Feb 3) https://youtu.be/L9vRDoP8fFs?si=JU8Eix8GuoEv4wqa