Nine go in Busan’s feature race tomorrow afternoon – a 40Million won handicap. Two prolific winners are among them in the shape of Mirae Cheonsa (9 wins from 14 outings) and the 7 year old Luna (10 from 20). As usual, there are nine races with the first getting underway at 13:00 and the last at 17:10.
Month: February 2008
Moon goes 8 clear
Jockey’s Championship
Another dominant weekend from Moon Se Young as a treble on Saturday and four more winners on Sunday means he has gone 8 clear for the year so far. Moon is on 26 winners, with Cho Kyoung Ho only managing one winner all weekend to go to 18. There was a first win of 2008 for Kim, Gui Bae – the oldest jockey in the paddock and a second win for Lee Shin Young.
1. Moon Se Young 26
2. Cho Kyoung Ho 18
3=. Oh Kyoung Hoan, Park Tae Jong, Yoon Dae Keun 8
Hwanggeum Dwaeji takes Segye Ilbo Cup
Seoul Racing Review – February 24
Third favourite Hwanggeum Dwaeji (5.0) won the most valuable race of the year so far at Seoul this afternoon. Ridden by Chun Chang Ki, Hwanggeum produced a fast final furlong in the 1400 metre race to win by a length and a half from Soseono (3.5) and hot favourite Air Kat (1.9). It was also a winning afternoon for Gayasanseong, Kim Hey Sung guiding the top weight and 1.6 favourite to victory over Sirius and Northern Victor in a 42Million won handicap in race 10.
In earlier races it was, once again very much Moon Se Young’s day as he picked up another four winners. Lee Shin Young added to her second place yesterday with a win on favourite Kkumcheoreom (2.6) in race 2.
There were six races at Busan Race Park also, the feature race being won by Sinsapung (6.0) ridden by Seol Dong Bok – the win being the biggest in first year jockey Seol’s career so far. Sinsapung finished three lengths ahead of Seneca Light (4.6).
Seoul Racing Review – February 23
Jeongsang Doyak produced a late run to take Saturday’s feature race at Seoul. Under Park Tae Jong, the 8.4 chance found a gap in the final furlong to win by a length on the line ahead of Dangdae Choegang (4.2) and Do Win (13.2). On a cold day with a biting easterly wind, Moon Se Young picked up three wins, the last and most valuable being on Red Carpet (8.4) in the 30Million won race 12 coming home half a length ahead of Wyvern (3.3). Entro picked up its fourth win from seven races in race 10 coming in as 2.4 favourite ahead of Geumbittuhon.
Admiral and Areumdaun triumph at Busan
Busan Racing Review – February 22 2008
This afternoon’s card at Busan had joint feature races – a domestic and a foreign race. First up was the domestic race over 2000 metres and Areumdaun Jilju (3.6) made the most of 3.5kg weight advatage over favourite Sinjin Gangja (2.3) to win by three quarters of a length. The Ahn Sun Ho ridden 6 year old led throughout the race and withstood Sinjin Gangja’s late challenge. Thirty minutes later, Admiral Reigart (4.6) recorded its second win of the year so far with a half length win over odds on favourite Keep It Quick (1.9). Keep it Quick had led for most of the race but Admiral Reigart came from the back of the field in the final two furlongs of the 1800 metre race to take it on the line.
There were plenty of surprises throughout the rest of the nine race card as only one odds-on favourite came home in front all day – Cheongnyenuiguisang at 1.8 in race 4. The longest priced winner was I’m a Firecracker (46.4) in race 1 which came home a length and a half ahead of a field including strong favourite My Mind’s Made Up (1.4) which finished back in fourth place.
It was a mild afternoon in Busan today and, although the worst of winter appears to be over, it is expected to drop back towards zero for the tomorrow’s racing at Seoul.
Seoul Racing Preview – February 23 & 24
Sunday sees the most valuable race of 2008 so far at Seoul Race Park. The 1400 meter Segye Ilbo Cup is race 9 and is off at 17:00. It’s for foreign bred three-year olds is worth 53Million won to the winner. Just 8 runners will line up (the minimum required number for place bets to be paid on the third placed horse) and include Air Kat and Serendipper. There are 11 races on Sunday and 12 on Saturday. On both days, the first race is under orders at 11:20.
Busan Preview – February 22
Two handicaps headline Busan Race Park’s nine-race card this Friday, both worth 42.5Million. The first (race 8), over 2000 metres for domestic horses and the second (race 9) over 1800 metres for foreign horses. The domestic race sees prolific winners Sinjin Gangja (14 runs/7 wins) up against Areumdaun Jilju (10/6) with the latter favoured by the handicapper. The foreign race features Keep It Quick (14/6) and also Admiral Reigart, which won a 32 Million won handicap three weeks ago. There are a total of nine races with the first off at 13:00 and the last at 17:10.
There will be racing at Busan again on Sunday while Seoul Race Park and Jeju Race Park will host racing on both Saturday and Sunday.
Jockey’s Championship – Moon goes two clear
Four wins over the weekend took Moon Se Young onto 19 winners for 2008 so far. Cho Kyoung Ho scored one win each day. Yoon Dae Keun remains in third place while Oh Kyung Hoan’s four wins – including victory on Subsidy – on Sunday bring him up into fourth alongside Park Tae Jong. The weekend saw first wins of 2008 for Lee Jun Cheol and Won Jung Il.
1. Moon Se Young 19
2. Cho Kyoung Ho 17
3. Yoon Dae Keun 8
4=. Park Tae Jong, Oh Kyoung Hoan 7
KRA signs agreement with Cambodia
During the weekend’s racing, the screens at the tracks showed footage of a meeting the Korea Racing Authority held with its Cambodian counterparts last week. Apparently, the two signed signed a Memorandum of Understanding for future co-operation. Cambodia is not currently a member of the Asian Racing Organization.
Subsidy hits form again as Oh KH rides four winners
Seoul Racing Review – Sunday February 17
After some indifferent recent form and questionable fitness, Subsidy was back in the winner’s enclosure at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The Oh Kyoung Hoan ridden 1.5 favouite hit the front as they entered the back straight of the 2000 metre handicap and pushed on to win by 9 lengths ahead of second-favourite Obaek Yechan (4.4) and Eunpa Manse (27.3). It was a 16th career win from 25 starts.
Subsidy was the last of four winners for Oh Kyung Hoan, having earlier won race 2 on Suseongsinhwa (3.3), race 5 on the highly rated S-Line (1.9) and race 8 on Chamgippeum (6.8). Moon Se Young almost matched Oh’s feats with three wins including race 6 on Devilish Speed – a horse so obviously a class apart from the others in the race that it went off at 1.1, the shortest possible price – and also on Seoulchukje (12.7) in race 7 which formed a 254.2 exacta payout with second placed Super Tiger.
Busan Race Park hosted the richest race of the day which, like Seoul’s feature, was a 2000 meter handicap. Fifth-favourite Hwanggeumbit Taeya (10.1) ridden bu Gu Young Jun took first place, four lengths ahead of Wonder Love (8.5).
Horse Racing in Korea 