Weekend Preview

Gamadongja at Seoul / Gaeseon Janggun at Busan
The weekend is almost upon us once more and racing returns to the peninsula on Friday when the action will be at Busan. Seoul and Jeju take over on Saturday, before all three tracks host a card on Sunday.

Namdo Jijon and Sinheung Gangja head Friday’s feature race at Busan. Annika Queen and Rainmaker will also be lining up alongside them. On Sunday, another of last year’s Classic Winners, Gaeson Janggun will be in action, taking on a field of foreign bred horses including Bugyeong Choegang. Namdo Jeap took on the imports last week and won and the field that Gaeseon Janggun will face is less than intimidating.

Seoul’s feature race is on Sunday and it features a number of the track’s best imports. Seoul Teukgeup tops the weights and will be up against Dankee’s Pal, who beat Bally Brae last time out. Also going are Gamadongja and Brilliant Knight, as well as last year’s top imported two year old, Bulpae Gisang.

Busan Race Park

Friday July 10: 11 races, first post 12:30
Sunday July 12: 6 races, first post 12:40

Seoul Race Park

Saturday July 11: 12 races, first post 11:20
Sunday July 12: 11 races, first post 11:20

There is racing at Jeju Race Park on Saturday and Sunday with the first coming under orders at 12:10 on both days.

Thursday saw some crazy rain across the Korean peninsula which has stopped now in Seoul and should hold off for Friday and Sunday. Currently the monsoon is forecast to be back with a vengeance on Sunday. Come racing – but bring an umbrella!

Baekgwang Set for SBS Cup Return

Former Champion battled back from likely career-ending injury
It didn’t seem possible but the “White Light” could be just days away from returning to racing. Champion three year old of 2006, Baekgwang, is amongst the early entries for the SBS Cup which will be run at Seoul Race Park on Sunday July 19.

It took Baekgwang [The Groom is Red - Grey Crest (Gold Crest)] three races to break his maiden and after showing promise in the early part of his three year old season, he was beaten into third place in the 2006 Korean Derby by 85/1 outsider Baengnokjeong . Following this, he embarked on a golden late summer and autumn, landing the Munhwa Ilbo and Donga Ilbo Cups in quick succession before going to claim the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Triple Crown, in October that year.

His form would continue into 2007 in which he won his first four outings. With his distinctive light grey coat and his come from behind running style, which made for some thrilling finishes, he was a firm favourite of the racing public – even if his tendency to lay-in in the home straight was maddening for some punters. With J.S. Hold dominating the three year old ranks that year a likely season ending showdown between the two in the 2007 Grand Prix, looked set to be Korean racing’s most hotly anticipated race in history.

Neither of them would make it there. An already less than fully fit J.S. Hold would suffer a career ending injury in the process of making history in the Minister’s Cup by winning Korea’s first Triple Crown. Meanwhile Baekgwang suffered an injury in September that would keep him off the track until April of 2008. His return came in the Ttukseom Cup. Coming through late as ever, he hit the front with 150 metres left to run only for Namchonuijijon, a contemporary of J.S. Hold, to come through even later to pip him him on the line. After the race, it emerged Baekgwang had suffered ligament damage to his right foreleg. Automatically stood down by the stewards for a minimum one year, it seemed his career was over.

Sent to Jeju Island for recuperation, Baekgwang underwent a series of reportedly pioneering operations and, to the surprise of many, returned to his box at Seoul Race Park earlier this year. He began working out in May and, on June 12, breezed through an official race trial over five furlongs and was given the all clear to race again. Baekgwang now finds himself entered in the SBS Cup, a race won by his little sister Baekpa last year.

If he makes it to the starting gate, he is once again likely to find himself once again alongside Namchonuijijon as well as Natural Nine and Sports Chosun winner Wangson. For race fans, whether he wins or loses, seeing a fit Baekgwang once again is going to raise smiles and bring back memories. All will hope he comes back to the barn safely this time. We’ll have a full preview of the SBS Cup – with or without Baekgwang – on Thursday next week. In the meantime, here is Baekgwang’s biggest victory, the 2006 Minister’s Cup:

Photo finish…

These chaps were on the right end of the photograph for second place in race 9 at Seoul on Saturday, which brought home their quinella after a five minute wait…

Korearacing only has two hands and while at the track a form guide is generally in one and a pen (or something containing caffeine) is in the other. No room for cameras. Seoul based photographer “letsbook” was at the track Saturday, however, and while he may be an even worse handicapper than your correspondent, he knows how to take a picture.

He only took a few but hopefully we’ll get him back before too long to take some more.

The future…

You can find letsbook’s photostream here.

Gi Ra Seong Triumphs as Myeongmun Gamun Sinks

First time out of the money for 8YO
He’s won back to back President’s Cups and has been the first domestically bred horse home in the Grand Prix races of the past two years, but it’s looking increasingly likely that 2009 is not to be the year of Myeongmun Gamun. On his first outing since a disappointing run in the Ttukseom Cup in April, the 2008 Horse of The Year put in a lucklustre performance at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

After putting up only a fraction of his usual resistance at the gate, the Myeongmun Gamun got away badly. Whereas in the Ttukseom Cup, the poor start had put paid to his chances very early on, today’s distance of 2000 metres meant that by the time the field exited the back straight, Oh Kyoung Hoan had managed to shake the eight year old around the outside and ono the shoulder of the leaders.

However, that was all the exertion Myeongmun Gamun could muster and as he sank back through the field, it was Gi Ra Seong who emerged to take an emphatic four length win. Leading the rest home was Wontagui Gisa, the longest shot on the board making for a 749.1 exacta. Ttukseom Cup winner Mighty Runner came late down the outside but could only manage third.

It was the first time in all of his thirty three runs that Myeongmun Gamun had finished out of the money. However, while today signified an unwelcome milestone in his career, for another horse there was an equally significant, but altogether more positive one.

Gi Ra Seong was last in the winner’s circle on Derby weekend in May last year. Coincidentally the race that he won was a race that Myeongmun Gamun refused to go into the gate for. Trailing behind that day was Baekpa. An injury picked up immediately after that win kept him off the track for the remainder of his four year old season. Coming back in April this year he placed fourth, and then managed a second in May. With victory today in a race in which most of Seoul’s top Korean bred horses were present, perhaps 2009 could be the year of Gi Ra Seong.

Class 1 (Korean bred) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M (Hdcp) – July 5, 2009

1. Gi Ra Seong [Precise End - Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 3.9, 1.4
2. Wontagui Gisa [Fiercely - Grove Lady (Varick)] – Lee Sang Hyuk – 25.1
3. Mighty Runner [Pacific Bounty - Roan All Over (Fight Over)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.2
Distances: 4 lengths/1 length – 14 ran

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Holy Dreamer Makes It Five

Unbeaten streak continues / Foreign jocks finally have their day
It wasn’t quite as easy as it could have been, but while Hanbatanguseum and Isfahan Teukgeup fought tooth and nail for second place, ahead of them Holy Dreamer took the line to make it five wins from five starts at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

The three year old Holy Dreamer [Duality - Nice Weather (Future Storm)] debuted in March and today stepped up to category 3 level for the first time. Moon Se Young kept the gelding towards the front throughout most of the 1700 metre race before heading into the lead as they entered the home straight.

The small winning margin of a length and a half owed a lot to the battle behind them as the stewards took nearly ten minutes to decide that Hanbatanguseum had dipped his head at the right time to claim second. Holy Dreamer meanwhile will have tougher challenges to face in the future.

Earlier on a day of low-key racing, Japanese rider Toshiyuki Katoh scored his first victory in Korea with just his fourth ride. Katoh guided filly Dolpunguihaek to victory in race 1. It was a good day for the small Japanese contingent at Seoul with Nozomu Tomizawa also amongst the winners, landing race 5 on Melody Again.

Indeed it has been a good weekend all round so far for the international contingent in Korea. At Busan Race Park on Friday, Stephan Swanepoel claimed what was not only his first win since moving to the southern track, but his first win in fifty mounts since arriving in Korea. That he has only been offered fifty rides since March speaks volumes about why the South African asked to be transferred to Busan, which has a reputation of being slightly more foreigner friendly than Seoul – there’s no jockeys’ union for a start. Swanepoel was a four length winner on Powerful Spark in race 6.

Holy Dreamer isn’t alone in going five for five this weekend. With Eiki Nishimura and Martin Wepner also winning at Busan yesterday, all five overseas riders have been in the Winner’s Circle over the past two days – most likely the first time this has happened. Both Nishimura and Wepner will shortly be at the end of their contracts but hopefully for Katoh and Swanepoel, these first winners will be the first of many.

Back at Seoul today there were co-feature races, one for local bred horses and one for overseas. Torpedo Mast took the overseas event while Gayawangbi was successful in the local race.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Weekend Preview

Myeongmun Gamun Returns
Myeongmun Gamun doesn’t run very often, but he is still considered the best Korean bred horse at Seoul. One of the reasons the eight year old appears so infrequently is that he spends most of his time banned. Notoriously badly behaved at the gate, the gelding more often than not delays the start of his race and picks up a two month suspension in the process.

Myeongmun Gamun winning the President's Cup (Sports Munhwa)

Nevertheless, Myeongmun Gamun has still managed to gain seventeen wins in his four year career and coming back off his latest ban, will be the one to beat in Sunday’s feature race. That ban was picked up in the Ttukseom Cup in April when he finished a disappointing fifth.

Going up against him will be Mighty Runner, who was victorious that day, as well as Free Woody and Hwangnyongsaji. Mighty Runner was also beaten last time out, and at 2000 metres, Myeongmun Gamun must be fancied to record his first win of 2009.

At Busan, the major races on Friday and Namdo Jeap, second in both the Cup Mile and the Derby this year will, intriguingly, line up against foreign bred horses over 1400 metres. It is unusual for a Korean horse to take on the imports and, carrying a low weight, Namdo Jeap will be well worth watching among a field where Sinjin Gangja is his best known opponent.

Busan Race Park

Friday July 3: 11 races, first post 12:30
Sunday July 5, 6 races, first post 12:40

Seoul Race Park

Saturday July 4: 12 races, first post 11:20
Sunday July 5: 11 races, first post 11:20

On Jeju Island, there are 10 races of both Saturday and Sunday, first post 12:10. Alternate spells of thunder, Sunshine and monsoon downpours have been a feature of the weather across the peninsula this week and there is no reason why that shouldn’t continue over the weekend.

Rare Racing Mention in the KT

Just as in most countries these days, racing in Korea doesn’t get a lot of mentions in the traditional media. While YTN News carried a twenty five second report of Park Tae Jong reaching 1500 career winners last week, generally it is only the slightly trashier “Sports” editions of the newspapers that cover goings-on at the track, in between photographs of the local schoolgirls getting wet.

Coverage is even less common in the English langauge media, so it was surprising to see yesterday’s racing on Haeundae beach at Busan featured in the Photo-News section of the Korea Times today.

Korea Times, July 2, 2009

The racing was held as part of Haeundae Beach’s “Opening Ceremony”. Korea has an official beach going season and that began on July 1. That means that while the last month may have seen better beach weather, now it is the official thing to do, this coming weekend is sure to see everybody heading there and it will probably look something like this.

It won’t be pleasant, so come racing instead!

Love Cat Wins Sports Seoul

Favourite Lands Oaks Trial / Miss Ecton wins at Busan
Love Cat held off a strong late challenge from outsider Victor Hunter to land Seoul’s main Korean Oaks trial this afternoon. Coming back off a nearly three month lay-off since finishing a disappointing eleventh in KRA Cup Mile at Busan, the first leg of the Triple Crown, Love Cat was sent off favourite of a ten strong field in the Sports Seoul Cup.

Good Leader, under Moon Jung Kyun, set the pace in the early stages of the eight and a half furlong trial, with Ganghan Speed also showing early. Choi Beom Hyun kept Love Cat in the middle of the pack and made his move as they entered the home straight. Love Cat hit the front with half a furlong to go and it was the fast finishing Victor Hunter, under Kim Ok Sung, who came closest to catching them. The line arrived in time though as Love Cat secured victory by a neck.

There were disappointing performances from highly rated Isanghwa and Tummim but for Love Cat is was a sixth win from ten outings. Given her bad run in Busan last time, it is far from certain whether she will travel south in August to face the now mighty Sangseung Ilro once more. Nevertheless, with victory today, Love Cat secured her position as Korea’s second best three year old filly.

For jockey Choi Beom Hyun it was another big race win, following his victory last week on Dongbanui Gangja in the Owners’ Trophy. Throughout the rest of the day, however, it was Park Tae Jong who once more dominated. Honoured in a ceremony after race 7 for his achievement in scoring 1500 career wins, Park went on to take four more this afternoon.

At Busan Race Park, South African jockey Martin Wepner continued to repay the faith shown in him by trainer Kim Young Kwan, guiding Kim’s Miss Ecton to victory in the feature race. The US bred Miss Ecton, whose sire, Ecton Park, was recently brought to Korea won the Busan Ilbo Cup last year but was then out of action for five months. Elevated to the highest class of Korean racing, she found the going tough but now has her second win against male horses at the top level.

Sports Seoul Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1700M – June 28, 2009

1. Love Cat (KOR) [Creek Cat - Love Cue (Curia Regis)] – Choi Beom Hyun – 2.1
2. Victor Hunter (KOR) [Social Charter - Angel's Walk (Commemorate)] – Kim Ok Sung – 30.1
3. Ganghan Speed (KOR) [Lethal Instrument - Devil's Mama (Devil's Bag)] – Yoo Sang Wan – 6.7
Distances: Neck/1.75 lengths
Also ran: 4. Good Leader; 5. Abigail; 6. Isanghwa; 7. Rose cat; 8. Morning Rush; 9. Jeongsang Cheonji; 10. Tummim

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Choi Jeong Seob Climbs Back on Lhotse Shar

In March this year, jockey Choi Jeong Seob was suspended for three months. Lhotse Shar was in a strong position entering the home straight of race 10 on March 14 and, with a motionless Choi on board, the four year old ran on for fourth place. The stewards were not impressed (punters even less so) and Choi was banned for apparently not trying.

That ban expired this week and the 29 year old rider was back at Seoul Race Park today where in race 11, he would be re-united with none other than Lhotse Shar. Trainer Kim Ho Ik, who was fined for his alleged part in the non-trying incident clearly having no hesitation in reinstating Choi and in his choice of race for Lhotse Shar, perhaps making a point.

Once more, Choi stopped riding long before the finish. This time, however, it didn’t matter as Lhotse Shar – starting a 27/1 outsider had the race comfortably won with half a furlong still remaining. It was a fine win for the colt in his first outing at category 2 level.

On a baking hot day in Seoul with temperatures touching 33C, the day’s feature race was won by Lucky Mountain. The filly had placed second or third in her last seven outings but, under Choi Beom Hyun got the better of Seven Card in a tight finish to the ten furlong race.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Weekend Preview

The fillies take centre stage on Sunday with the twenty fourth running of the Sports Seoul Cup (see full preview), the highlight of another busy – and likely very hot – weekend of racing on the peninsula.

Busan gets things started on Friday, it’s Seoul and Jeju’s turn on Saturday and, as usual, all three tracks run on Sunday. Aside from those going in the Sports Seoul on Sunday, Machine Gun and Saebyeok Dongja face each other in Saturday’s Seoul feature.

South African jockey Stephan Swanepoel will make his Busan debut on Sunday having requested a move down to the southern track after a lack of opportunities at Seoul. Meanwhile, Toshiyuki Kato of Japan makes his debut at Seoul on Saturday.

Busan Race Park

Friday June 26, 2009: 11 races, first post 12:30
Sunday June 28, 2009: 6 races, first post 12:40

Seoul Race Park

Saturday June 27, 2009: 12 races, first post 11:20
Sunday June 28, 2009: 11 races, first post 11:20

Jeju Race Park hosts cards on Saturday and Sunday with a first post time of 12:10 on both days.