This coming Sunday at Seoul Race Park, Baekgwang will seek to complete what was thought to be an impossible comeback when he lines up alongside the track’s top Korean bred horses in the President’s Cup. During his career, the six-year-old has spent a total of two years on the sidelines. He finally returned to the winner’s circle last month in his third race since returning from successful stem-cell treatment.

Now he will take on a strong field including three-year olds Nice Choice and Khanui Jeguk as well as old foe Baengnokjeong. Natural Nine, Triple Seven, Mighty Runner and Wontagui Gisa are also among the proven winners that will contest the Group 1 race over 2000 metres.

A week later another long overdue return will take place. And this time it’s Baekgwang’s little sister Baekpa, back in town following her summer in the United States, who heads the line-up in the Nonghyup Bank Cup. Korean racing fans were pained to see Baekpa in the US, running her heart out but being left behind by fields that could hardly be considered world-beating. How she recovers from that ordeal will become clear on Sunday 22 as she makes her first start back on Korean sand.

Currently thirteen other fillies and mares are entered for the Nonghyup race. An in-form Baekpa should have the beating of them all with the one interesting contender being the three-year old Love Cat.

Is she the same horse she was when she left? Can her brother beat the three-year olds a week earlier? Either way, racing fans here are just delighted to see the grey siblings back home racing where they belong.

Here’s Baekgwang in pre-injury days in 2007:

And Baekpa taking the Korean Oaks in the same year:

It’s been two weeks since it was revealed that a Seoul based jockey was under investigation for allegedly passing insider information to illegal betting operations. The case involving the jockey – who, although his identity was initially made public, can now only be identified by his initial “L” or “L-Mo” in Korean, could not have come at a worse time as the KRA battles to portray racing in a positive light in the face of an increasingly puritanical regulator.

Support – or at least indifference – from the majority of lawmakers is essential in resisting the recommendations of the National Gaming Control Commission, an organization that makes little secret of its aim to eliminate any form of gambling and has already succeeded in having the KRA close down its “KNetz” Internet betting service which ceased operations in July.

While the NGCC may not be able to grasp the concept, most lawmakers currently accept that the more restrictions there are placed upon legalized gambling, the more the many illegal ones thrive. To keep this support, however, the KRA has to be able to demonstrate that racing is clean. Bent jockeys will always pop up from time to time, but, however this case proceeds, its timing is terrible and has prompted speculation over the likely success of the next recommendations from the NGCC as outlined over the weekend by Korea Racing Journal editor Kim Mun Young.

The Electronic ID Card scheme raised its head again. Under this scheme, when trying to place a bet, a punter would be asked to produce an ID card that they have previously had to apply for and been issued. The card will have a chip that records all his gambling activity. While punters mutter darkly about essentially being put in the same category as sex-offenders by having to be on a register, it would also eliminate racing as an activity for all but those “on the register”.

On a summer’s day, the Seoul Race Park infield and track apron is packed with picnicking families and dating couples. If, in future they’re going to need to be on the government’s list of registered gamblers if they fancy a stroll to the windows to put 500 won each-way on the favourite, it’s likely they’ll spend their weekends elsewhere.

Of course, there was a very easy way of tracking punters’ expenditure. It was called KNetz and it was closed down this July. The ID card scheme, however, is a real possibility – not least because of the lucrative contracts that would need to be dished out for running it

Less likely is a reduction in the maximum bet amount although this is another NGCC proposal. Instead of the current 100,000 won per bet limit, a daily limit of the same amount be imposed. This would of course essentially close racing down and most observers agree that outside of the NGCC, there is little appetite for that due to the huge revenues it generates in both taxes and in support of agriculture.

Meanwhile, one grocery store chain is currently giving away national lottery tickets with all purchases over 10,000 won and the “Sports Toto” – where players predict the results of European football matches – can be gambled on from almost every convenience store on the peninsula. Racing feels picked upon but “Elmo” hasn’t helped its cause.

Full Step out of step / Foreign jocks clean up at Busan
Two year old prospect Full Step found things tough as he stepped up a level at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The colt trailed in four lengths behind Black Man over seven furlongs. Sent off odds-on favourite, Full Step was on the pace for most of the race but couldn’t come close to matching the three-year old Black Man as he accelerated away in the final furlong.

The biggest race of the day was at Busan where in a tight three-way finish, favoruite Haengbok Dream just lost out to Namchee with Seonnyang Yongsa in third. Miss Ecton led the rest of the field home, five lengths back in fourth. For the Australian bred Namchee, it was a successful first crack at top-tier racing. The four-year old had only missed the money twice in fifteen starts prior to today although had only won three of those.

Namchee provided the second winner of the day for Eiki Nishimura. The Japanese rider had earlier taken race 2 on Angel Star and, with Hitomi Miyashita and Martin Wepner also being among the winners, it meant foreign riders accounted for four of the six races on the card. Choi Si Dae and Jo Sung Gon were the sole home riders to score.

Yesterday at Seoul on the first day of a low-key weekend of racing, Pocketful Of Money landed the feaure race, taking a half length win from Yodongseong with outsider Royal Missile a surprise third. Earlier in the day there had been another near-miss for Korearacing favourite Ungbiyeongung. The five-year old scored his sixth second place finish but remains winless in thirty-three starts.

After the sub-zero conditions of earlier in the week, temperatures were remarkably back up in the low-seventies despite overcast skies on Saturday. Those skies erupted in spectacular fashion overnight to saturate the track in time for Sunday’s races although the rain had by and large stopped in time for racing.

Next week, it’s down to the real business of the President’s Cup with Baekgwang up against a slew of the year’s top three-year olds for one of the season’s biggest prizes.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

There was a brief flirtation with winter across the Korean peninsula this week as temperatures dropped below freezing on Monday and Tuesday. Trackwork on Monday morning can’t have been much fun but it’s warmed up again now and we’re back in the mid twenties as Busan gets the weekend’s racing underway on Friday afternoon.

Seoul ended up racing under floodlights last weekend and brings the first race forward by ten minutes this time. Free Hugs and Pocketful of Money will be in action on what is a reasonably low-key two days of racing in the capital prior to next week’s President’s Cup. One to watch out for is two year old Full Step who goes in race 8 on Sunday.

Busan Race Park

Friday November 6: 10 races, first post 13:00, last 17:30
Sunday November 8: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday November 7: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Sunday November 8: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45

Jeju Race Park (Pony Racing)

Saturday November 7: 10 races, first post 12:30, last 17:15
Sunday November 8: 10 races, first 12:30, last 17:15

There’s a rare treat for Korea based racing fans on Tuesday as the Australia Network Cable Channel will be broadcasting live coverage of the Melbourne Cup from Flemington.

The programme runs from 11:10am to 2pm Korean time and features three races, including the Cup itself at 1pm. The Australia Network can be found on most Digital Cable platforms across Korea but for those without the right package or for those who will be tied to their office desks, it can also be viewed here.

It will be the first live racing to be shown on television in Korea since coverage of domestic cards was banned in July this year. The ban came in to try to stop illegal gaming houses from moving into the gap in the market created by the outlawing of online betting and enforced shutdown of the KRA’s “KNetz” betting platform.

The YTN News Channel managed to get away with broadcasting their own sponsored race (The “YTN Cup”) live during a news bulletin back in August but racing has been absent from screens since then.

Head over to Foolish Pleasure for a full preview of one of the greatest occasions in world racing.

Reverses for Secret Weapon, Bally Brae / Aoki shines in Jockeys Vs Punters

Secret Weapon is Seoul’s top rated Korean bred horse but he suffered a shock defeat on Saturday as SBS Cup winner Hallyu Star bested him over 1900 metres. Secret Weapon is one of the “Po-In-Ma Troika” – “Po-In-Ma” referring to horses foaled in Korea by mares who were pregnant when imported. They are therefore classed as Korean bred but are ineligible for the Triple Crown races as well as some other big races which are restricted to Korean breds, such as this month’s President’s Cup.

The other two members of the “Troika” are Gi Ra Seong and the mare Top Point, ranked third and fourth respectively in the Korean bred rankings. With all three absent from the President’s Cup, the prospect of the great grey Baekgwang completing a remarkable comeback is a real one. Early entries have been announced and Baekgwang heads them along with Seoul’s top three year old Nice Choice. We’ll start the build-up to the race later this week. The winner of the President’s Cup will almost certainly go on to the Grand Prix in December where the “Troika” will most likely all be present.

Looking increasingly doubtful to be present in the Grand Prix is 2007 winner Bally Brae. The seven year old struggled when returning from a three month lay off in September but came back to be sent off odds-on favourite over the Grand Prix distance of 2300 metres on Sunday with a return to the winners’ circle looking on the cards. It wasn’t to be. Park Tae Jong’s saddle slipped as they rounded the first corner and the former champion jockey was left with little control for the rest of the race. That Bally Brae still finished in touch with the field was testament to both horse and rider. Angus Empire took advantage to land the victory.

Bally Brae still has talent and if he was to get into the Grand Prix, a race where he wouldn’t be handicapped out of contention, anything could happen. However, with Myeongmun Gamun and Subsidy now retired and Bally Brae in the twilight of his career, a new generation are likely to be the ones challenging Dongbanui Gangja in December. Unless of course, Baekgwang can pull off somthing very special.

* It was the ninth annual Jockeys Vs Punters Sports Day in the Seoul Race Park infield last week. No idea who won – although Yoo Mi Ra was given the “MVP” award. In any case, as the “sports” included skipping and dodgeball, it probably doesn’t matter. The Chulgigi blog was there and he has some pictures as well as a video.

Watch out for new Japanese jockey Yoshi Aoki who first introduces himself and then procedes to interrupt an interview with Seoul Jockeys’ Union President Kim Dong Kyun. Sadly Aoki doesn’t ask Kim for his organization’s views on foreign jockeys coming to Seoul. Nevertheless, it seems as though everyone enjoyed themselves. The jury is still out on Aoki but he’s had a good start and he certainly seems an interesting – and English speaking – addition to the ranks.

Seoul claims victory in Busan Metropolitan / Golden Rose wins Gyeonggi Governor’s
Bulpae Gisang appeared out of nowhere to score victory in the Busan Metropolitan Mayor’s Cup this afternoon. With impeccable timing, Choi Beom Hyun brought the three year old down the outside to come past Yeonseung Daero and Areumdaun Jilju just metres from the line.

Gamadongja and Yeonseung Daero set the early pace with he latter staying on to battle Areumdaun Jilju for what, until Bulpae Gisang’s late run, looked like the win. Coming with Bulpae Gisang was last year’s champion three year old Gaeseon Janggun but he couldn’t match the speed of the US import, who completed the final furlong a full second faster than any of his rivals.

So Seoul finally wins a head to head against Busan – even though places 2-5 were filled by Busan horses (all of them Korean bred) and the last four finishers were all from Seoul. Bulpae Gisang goes on to seven wins from twelve starts.

Busan Metropolitan Mayor’s Cup (KOR. GIII) – Busan Race Park – 2000M – Nov 1, 2009

1. Bulpae Gisang (USA) [Lightnin N Thunder - Neat Trick (Clever Trick)]- Choi Beom Hyun – 2.9, 1.3
2. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat - Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – Park Geum Man – 2.4
3. Areumdaun Jilju (KOR) [Didyme - Chills Of Nepal (Nepal)] – Hitomi Miyashita – 1.9
Distances: 1 length/0.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Gaseon Janggun; 5. Yeongung Manse; 6. Saerounbisul; 7. Luna; 8. Gamadongja; 9. Angle Slam; 10. Hardride; 11. Saerounachim; 12. Tiffanyuikkum; 13. Vicar Love; 14. Balbora

It wasn’t just Busan that had big race action this afternoon. At Seoul it was the fillies who were in action in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup – named for the province in which the Seoul Racecourse is located.

It wasn’t much of a contest as favourite Golden Rose went away quickly as was never caught – the three year old cruising away from the field for a nine length win under Han Sung Yeol. In doing so, she gave new trainer Kim Hyo Seob his first big race win.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

The Busan Mayor’s Cup headlines a weekend which also sees the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup at Seoul on Sunday, while a number of big name horses make appearances across the weekend.

Seoul Vs Busan Part 5 takes centre stage at Busan while up and coming fillies will run for the valuable Gyeonggi Cup at Seoul. Meanwhile, the likes of Bally Brae, Angus Empire, Namchonuijijon and Machine Gun will be in action.

Busan Race Park

Friday October 30: 10 races, first post 13:00, last 17:30
Sunday November 1: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday October 31: 12 races. first post 11:20, last 17:50
Sunday November 1: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:10

Jeju Race Park (Pony Racing)

Saturday October 31: 10 races, first post 12:10, last 17:20
Sunday November 1: 10 races, first post 12:10, last 17:10

Six head down to try to break Busan’s domination
It’s Busan vs Seoul part 5, but this time it’s different. While up until now, only the three year old classics have been contested by horses from both tracks, this coming Sunday, six older overseas bred horseswill travel to Busan for the first Group 3 Busan Mayor’s Cup. Eight will be waiting for them from the home team, among them a mixture of the Busan’s top imports as well as its home bred stars.

Hardride is back to defend his title from last year but it’s the Korean bred runners who provide most of the interest from the Busan side. Areumdaun Jilju and Gaeseon Janggun will get another crack at Yeongung Manse, who surprised both of them in last month’s Governor’s Cup, while three year old Yeonsung Daero has another tilt at glory after failing in the classics.

Vicar Love, Saerounbisul and Bulpae Gisang head the Seoul contingent who will be looking to regain some pride for the capital track. In clashes between the two, Busan leads 8-0. Will things change on Sunday? We’ll find out when they go to post for the ten furlong race at 3:40pm.

Let’s have a look at the runners and riders.

Busan Mayor’s Cup (KOR. G.III) – Busan Race Park – 2000M – Nov 1, 2009 – 15:40

1. Saerounachim (NZ) [Pyrus - Jouet (Langfuhr)] (18/2/5/3) – Seoul – Shim Seung Tae
Second in the JRA Trophy, it’s hard to argue that he’s come along for any other reason then to keep stablemate Saerounbisul company.
2. Yeongung Manse (KOR) [Sharp Appeal - Saratogasplash (Wild Again)] (17/9/3/2) – Jo Chang Wook
Pulled off a stunning win over Areumdaun Jilju and Gaeseon Janggun last month in what was billed as a match race between the track’s top two stars. Not to be ignored.
3. Tiffanyuikkum (AUS) [Iglesia - Blue Lady (Western Symphony)] (18/5/1/2) – Seoul – Shin Dae Jun
Three out of his last four runs have been dreadful. Unproven at the top level, will his best form return?
4. Gamadongja (NZ) [Howbaddouwantit - Miss Martha (Iades)] (23/9/3/4) – Seoul – Stephan Swanepoel
Likely to set the early pace, Gamadongja is a sprinter but consistantly places at the longer distances.
5. Balbora (NZ) [Keeper - Deutzia (Chem)] (21/3/0/3) – Seoul – Bang Choon Sik
Hasn’t finished in the money this year. Perhaps his connections know something we don’t.
6. Saerounbisul (NZ) [Danske - Miss Golly (Casual Lies)] (25/6/4/4) – Seoul – Martin Wepner
Finished in the money on all but one of his last twenty-three races, the five year old won the Seoul Owners’ Cup last year and must be respected.
7. Bulpae Gisang (USA) [Lightnin N Thunder - Neat Trick (Clever Trick)] (11/6/2/0) – Seoul – Choi Beom Hyun
Won on his first attempt at class 1 and has two solid second places since. Choi Beom Hyun accompanies him down from Seoul.
8. Angle Slam (USA) [Gold Case - Platinum Code (Lost Code)] (42/8/7/8) – Han Sang Gyu
Like Gamadongja, he excels at shorter distances – he may contest the minor placings but a win would be a shock.
9. Vicar Love (USA) [Vicar - Canberra (Silver Hawk)] (17/9/1/3) – Seoul – Oh Kyoung Hoan
One of the top three year olds of last season, he’s back in form with a good win last time out.
10. Hardride (USA) [Colony Light - Lametta (Lomond)] (24/6/5/2) – Chae Gyu Jun
Winner of this race last year, he’s not in quite the same form as he was a year ago but can’t be ruled out.
11. Gaeseon Janggun (KOR) [Duality - Diamond Star (Dixieland Band)] (16/8/4/1) Jo Sung Gon
Last year’s champion Korean bred three year old has won four of his five outings this term, his only defeat being to Yeongung Manse last month. A real contender.
12. Luna (KOR) [Concept Win - Wu Su Hae (Exactly Sharp)] (31/12/5/2) – Eiki Nishimura
The only female in the race, the seven year old mare is a Busan stalwart. The 2007 KRA Cup Mile is the highlight of her career to date but she also pulled off a shock win in last year’s Owners’ Cup.
13. Areumdaun Jilju (KOR) [Didyme - Chills Of Nepal (Nepal)] (21/14/3/1) – Lim Sung Sil
Always in the money and usually in the winners’ circle. His defeat last time was a shock but Lim Sung Sil retains the ride and he will be in the mix at the end.
14. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat - Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] (15/8/1/2) – Park Geum Man
A disappointment in the classics, he’s the “nearly colt” of this year’s three year old group. Has always finisined in the money.

….What about that “Internationalization”?

The KRA’s new homepage was unveiled at midnight last night at www.kra.co.kr. And it is as impressive as you would expect complete with pretty graphical representations of the tracks and plenty of laptop crashing animations.

KRA's new homepage

The race card layout has been much improved and overall it gets a thumbs-up. There’s just one issue at the moment: As far as can be made out, there’s no link at all to the English section of the website!