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Raon Forest found herself in a world of trouble when veering wildly out as the gates opened , before not only catching up, but cutting through the entire field to win the KNN Cup (1600M KOR-G3) the final leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Having returned from five months out to comfortably win the Ttukseom Cup, Jeulgeounyeojeong was sent off as the 1.6 favourite with last year's winner Wonderful Slew second in the market ahead of Donga Ilbo Trophy winner Gladius.

After Raon First's antics coming out of the gate, it seemed safe enough to forget about the fourth favourite as speedster East Jump set the early pace with Jeulgeounyeojeong in close attendance. Into the home straight and it was Gladius who had the lead, but the field was fanned across the track with any number of chances still at the furlong pole.

Jeulgeounyeojeong  never really looked a winner, but Gladius did and so too did Wonderful Slew as she launched her bid to successfully defend her title under Moon Se-young on the extreme outside. Ultimately neither would finish in the top two.

After that dreadful start, Choi Bum-hyun aboard Roan Forest had gathered up his mount and taken her across to the rail where instead of using up energy and hurrying back to the main group, they started to run their own race. The only one even remotely away as badly was Bang Bang Bang.

Yet it would be those two who would ultimately scythe through the pack. Raon Forest struck the front just inside the 100M and prevailed  from none other than Bang Bang Bang by half a length. Wonderful Slew was 3rd with Gladius ahead of Jeulgeounyeojeong in 4th.

The returning Lady Vader, who spent much of the first part of the race in company with Raon Forest  and Bang Bang Bang , was a creditable 6th.

"More than anything, I'm happy we ended up winning" Raon Forest's jockey Choi Bum-hyun told in-house broadcaster KRBC. "I thought it was game over when the start went wrong and it messed up our plan. But she was calm, we took our time to get back into it and by the 3rd corner (the end of the back straight), I thought we were ok again. The inside was open, and she was running well."

"It feels a bit inconsequential to say it now but even if she had broken well, we would have been patient. When it happened, I felt 'oh gosh', but I guess I'm a lucky guy today."

Choi is one of the most decorated Korean jockeys of all time with the KNN his fourteenth Group level win, a tally that includes two Grand Prix Stakes and a Korean Derby but in the past twelve months he has only taken seventy rides, albeit for a healthy return of ten wins.

"This was my first time back in Busan for a year, so I had prepared very hard and then after all that preparation everything changes at the start, and we get some luck and win. I haven't ridden very much at all recently, so I have had to change my mindset, and I am ready to take the opportunities when they come."

A post-race inspection found Jeulgeounyeojeong to be lame in her right foreleg which may account for her run. It continued a luckless streak for her at her home track that encompasses taking a race-ruining back straight bump in this race last year as well as a first bleeding attack in the Breeders' Cup Queen last November. She bounced back from both and with any luck, can again.

Next Sunday, attention shifts to finding the next generation of Queens' Tour contenders. The Gyeonggi Governor's Cup (2000M KOR-G3) at Seoul is the final leg of the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies and having comfortably won the first two jewels, Fantastic Value will be a hot favourite to emulate Jeulgeounyeojeong from two years ago in claiming all three. The Queens' Tour itself resumes in late September with the Jeju Governor's Cup the first leg of the Fall/Winter series.