"First Domestic-Bred Winner in History"... Munhakboy Claims International Newspaper Cup Title

Maia's Perfect Partnership
Wire-to-Wire Victory for Munhakboy

At the 18th International Newspaper Cup (G3), a race that brought together the top contenders in the mid-distance category, Munhakboy, ridden by jockey Maia, claimed a wire-to-wire victory with flawless race management. This performance solidified his presence as the next-generation ace.

On October 26, at Korea Racing Authority's Let's Run Park Busan-Gyeongnam during Race 6, Munhakboy lifted his first trophy in a graded stakes race since his debut. Smart Boss finished second, while Gangseo Giant took third place.

Taking advantage of the inside gate early in the race, Munhakboy, guided by Maia's experienced front-running tactics, quickly secured the lead and took control of the pace. Although Super Finish and Smart Boss launched a fierce chase from the outside, Munhakboy maintained a stable balance and pace through every turn, never allowing a single horse to overtake him.

This race marked Munhakboy's first outing in Busan, but he demonstrated unwavering performance even in unfamiliar surroundings, once again proving his upward trajectory. Having recently continued his winning streak in regular races by margins of six to seven lengths, Munhakboy has displayed consistent form in both sprint and mid-distance events, achieving five consecutive wins. As he has continued to improve his times with each appearance, he was highlighted as the outstanding favorite for this competition.

This victory is particularly significant as it marks the first time in the history of the International Newspaper Cup, held under mixed breeding conditions, that a domestically bred horse (imported foal) has won.

Kwon Kyungja, the owner well known for the 'Munhak Series' horses, reaffirmed her status as a leading owner by producing another winner following Munhak Chief.

Additionally, jockey Maia, who has recently been on an upward trend (with a win rate of 17.0% and a quinella rate of 34.3%), achieved his first graded stakes victory in Korea, marking a turning point in his career.

Jockey Maia commented, "Since it was my first trip to Busan, I approached the race cautiously, but I was confident because the horse was in great condition. Munhakboy is still developing and has enough potential to compete on even bigger stages."

At the awards ceremony that day, Oh Sangjun, General Manager of the International Newspaper Cup, attended and presented trophies to the winning connections.

Winning horse Munhakboy and jockey Maia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.