The KRA has announced that Cho Kyoung Ho has won its quarterly “MVP” jockey poll for April-June. Cho got 46% of the vote ahead of Moon Se Young with 37%. It’s the first time since the final quarter of 2006 that one of either Moon Se Young or Park Tae Jong has failed to take the award which used to be given on a monthly basis. Cho last won the honour in March 2005 and will receive his award on Sunday along with Seo Beom Suk, who took the trainer’s category
Month: July 2008
Playing Politics coasts to three from three
Top Point lands feature at Seoul / The Bee Keeper beaten at Busan
Playing Politics maintained his 100% record in emphatic style at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Stepping up in class and distance to 1700 metres, the US born son of Outflanker cantered around the back straight comfortably on the shoulder of early leader Jewanguijari (13.8 ). As they entered the home straight, Choi Beom Hyun shook Playing Politics into action and the 1.1 favourite took the lead with a furlong and a half remaining, running on for a seven length win. The three year gelding now has three wins from three races.
On a hot day with temperatures hoverng around the 30 degree mark, the track quickly dried from the overnight rain and the feature handicap was won in predictably easy fashion by favourite Top Point. Moon Se Young took Top Point out in front from the start and had little to do as the 1.2 favourite cruised away from the field for a six length win with Heukjo Bisang (20.0) holding on for second. The four year old made it her ninth win in 14 outings and is yet to be beaten in six races in 2008.
Moon Se Young rode Top Point as a replacement for Cho Kyoung Ho who was thrown from Baekdu Jeongsang out of the starting stalls prior to race 7. That race was won by Little Pumpkin (9.6), Choi Beom Hyun’s second win of the day and he would go on to also take race 9 on Lucky Mountain (6.0). Moon Se Young also rode a treble with his win on Top Point sandwiched between victories in race 4 on Jeil Beonjjeok and in race 12 on Bonny Bee.
At Busan Race Park there was a first defeat for three year old The Bee Keeper. Stepping up to 1800 metres for the first time, the top weight started the 2.0 favourite and looked well placed as they turned for home. However, Hardride (5.6) had the faster sprint securing victory by a neck from Honor Day (5.6) with The Bee Keeper back in fourth. Earlier in the day there had been drama in the first race when jockey Cho Chang Wook was unseated from second favourite Yeoreumbi when seemingly in a winning position just metres from the line. With no horses nearby, there was no action for the stewards to take and favourite Magic Force (2.8 ) took the victory.
Seoul Racing Review
Gamadongja ends 2008 drought with first category 1 win
Gamadongja won his first category 1 handicap and his first victory in five 2008 outings in the feature at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. After making the early running before fading to a disappointing ninth over the same 2000 metre distance in last month’s Owner’s Trophy, Nozomu Tomizawa repeated the tactics taking the New Zealand bred four year old into an early lead. This time the 1.6 favourite never looked in danger and began accelarating away from the rest of the field at the two furlong pole to record a nine length win over Golden Arch (25.9) and Eunpa Manse (3.6). Gamadongja moves onto a career record of six wins from eleven races, the gelding winning five out of six 2007 outings and finally finding his 2008 form this afternoon.
In other races, there was a wire to wire win for Cheongcheonbaegil (4.3) who just managed to hold off Free Woody (2.6) in the 1800 metre KRW 30Million race 9 and a third win from six races for three year old gelding Dangdanghan (10.0) in race 8. Three jockeys landed doubles with championship leaders Moon Se Young and Cho Kyoung Ho joined by veteran Kim Ok Sung. Kim scored with Crown Carla (8.9) in race 2 and Dakota Royal (5.7) in race 4. Cho won on Bandoeui Kkum (3.9) in race 6 and Auckland Love (2.6) in race 10, the New Zealand born gelding winning for the first time in nearly a year. Moon left it late to record wins in race 7 on Robby Tiger (3.2) and in race 12 on Wontagui Gisa.
Chris Taylor had four rides but didn’t trouble the placings in any, coming closest with sixth placed finishes on Ungbiyeongung (13.1) in race 4 and Chaser (10.8 ) in race 12.
Golding / Gaeseon Janggun win at Busan
Two horses with a habit of finishing second in 2008, Golding and Gaseon Janggun, were back in form at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Golding left it late but after three consecutive second place finishes, the six year old was finally back in the winner’s enclosure with a final stride victory in the co-feature at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Starting the 1600 metre handicap te 2.1 favourite, but carrying significantly more weight than his rivals, Golding started the race slowly with Gu Young Jun bringing him into contention as they rounded the turn. Early leader and second favourite Dongban Geona (5.5) fell away as Oreumak (10.4) took up the lead with a furlong to go. It was Golding who had the faster finish, however, overcoming Oreumak on the line to win by a neck with Deputized Angel (34.2) six lengths back in third.
In the second co-feature, Yoo Hyun Myoung tried to repeat the same tactics on Jeolho Chance that had seen the three year old filly land her first major handicap last month as he raced to an early lead of the 2000 metre category 1. It was not to be today though as Jeolho Chance (2.8 ) tired in the home straight to allow another three year old, Gaeseon Janggun (3.6) to sweep past and to victory with top weight Sinjin Gangja (5.1) in second and Hannam Daegyo (18.1) third. For Gaeseon Janggun it was a third career victory following second placed finishes in both Classics so far this season and his first run since the Derby. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday.
Weekend Preview – July 11-13
Golding looking for form at Busan / Gamadongja, Top Point and Playing Politics go at Seoul
The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan Race Park on Friday afternoon with a nine race card starting at 13:00. There’s a double feature with seperate handicaps for foreign and domestic bred horses. The foreign one is up first where Golding (29 runs/14 wins) seeks to return to winning ways after three consecutive second placed finishes. The six year old is going to have it all to do, however, as at 61.5 kilos, he’ll be carrying seven kilos more than the rest of the field. In the domestic handicap, Sinjin Gangja (18/8 ) heads the field along with Boryeong Bulbit (16/7). There will also be six further races at Busan on Sunday with the first off at 12:40.
Seoul Race Park has cards on both Saturday and Sunday with the start time 11:20 both days. Saturday sees a small field contest the feature race of twelve, a category 1 handicap for foreign bred horses with Gamadongja (10/5) heading the weights. On Sunday there’s eleven races with a similarly small field contesting the feature where Top Point (13/8 ) is the biggest name on show. Earlier in the day the three year old hot property, New Zealand bred Playing Politics (2/2) will make his third outing, stepping up to 1700 metres in race 6, three weeks after breaking the track record over 1300 metres. Jeju also has racing on Saturday and Sunday starting at 12:20.
The second weekend of July is usually the start of evening racing at Seoul Race Park when, to avoid the worst of the heat, racing would start in the middle of the afternoon and continue until late into the evening. This year, however, for the first time since racing moved to Gwacheon twenty years ago, the KRA has decided not to hold night racing, citing the need to save energy as its reason. Post time for the first race will therefore continue to be 11:20am
Natural Nine and Baekpa entered for SBS
Four year olds Natural Nine – runner-up in the 2007 Derby and winner of this year’s Sports Chosun Cup and Baekpa, winner of the 2007 Oaks and recent conqueror of Namchonuijijon are both entered for the SBS Cup which takes place at Seoul Race Park on Sunday July 20. Also among only eight entries is the seven year old Myeongmun Gamun, winner of the 2007 President’s Cup and a horse that has never been out of the money in his 25 races amassing nearly KRW 1 Billion in prizes. It will be Myeongmun Gamun’s first outing since being forcibly withdrawn when long odds-on favourite for refusing to enter the stalls in a handicap in May. We’ll have the full line-up once the field has been confirmed this time next week.
Samsimnyeonsarang lands Sports Seoul
Second favourite takes fillies’ Cup / Namchonuijijon beaten again
Samsimnyeonsarang (4.4) won a hard fought home straight duel with favourite Daehyo (2.4) to land the KRW 63Million Sports Seoul Cup, one of the biggest fillies races of the season leading up to the Korean Oaks. Having disappointed in the two Colt’s Classics in her two previous outings, Samsimnyeonsarang, ridden by Lee Dong Kuk, set the early pace while Park Tae Jong on Daehyo sat towards the back of the twelve-strong field. Park made his move as they kicked for home and Daehyo looked to be best placed as they hit the furlong pole. Samsimnyeonsarang, however, had energy in reserve and regained the lead in the final 100 metres to win by a length with Daehyo just holding off the fast-finishing Baram Queen (6.5) for second.
Namchonuijijon was back in action in race 10 with connections looking to bounce back from the four year old’s shock defeat at the hands of Baekpa last month. That defeat is not looking so shocking anymore though as the 1.3 favourite never featured finishing a well beaten fifth behind six-year old mare Jeongtongseong (17.2). Second in the Oaks in 2005, Jeongtongseong had won just one of her five starts in 2008 up to today but she started quickly and kept on the shoulder of pace-setter Seocheon Yangban (53.3) until taking up the lead as they rounded the final turn. As Shin Hyoung Chul tried in vain to get a run out of Namchonuijijon, Nujindo (15.6) was the biggest danger, but Cho Kyoung Ho was able to keep Jeontongseong in front for a length and a half win with Northern Victor (11.5) in third. Namchonuijijon finished fifth. Being beaten by Baekpa was excused by virtue of Baekpa being a very fine horse – this time four old-stagers beat the horse many predicted to be the star-performer of 2008.
Cho Kyoung Ho and Moon Se Young both scored doubles but it was a tougher day for Chris Taylor. Following his debut win yesterday, he opened with a fifth placed finish on Jiljuyuhok (29.0) in race 1 but things went downhill from there with Silent Flirt (219.8 ) in race 3 finishing last and the horse later being banned form running for two months. This was followed by riding Balgeunhuimang (20.2) to ninth in race 4 and then, in race 7, the moderately fancied Gangcheonsan (22.1) refused to run when the stalls were opened. Eventually, the horse cantered round the track 30 seconds behind the field in a race which was won by Won Jung Il on 102.6 outsider Black Pumpkin. No fault was attached to Taylor for the performance of either Silent Flirt or Gangcheonsan which also received a two month ban for further schooling.
At Busan Race Park there was a first win for another new overseas jockey with Japanese rider Kazuyuki Watase guiding three year old Thor (3.5) to victory in race 1. Watase made his debut on Friday and he wasn’t the only Japanese jockey in the winner’s enclosure this afternoon as Toshio Uchida landed race 5 on Yongdu Baram (4,6). Feature race at Busan was won by second favourite Gongnopae (5.8 ), half a length in front of Storm Rider (82.3) and favourite Gamun Bobae (3.9).
Chris Taylor marks debut with winner
South African jockey Chris Taylor made a winning start to his Korean career, landing the 1700 metre, KRW 30Million race 12 on Kronos (11.4) at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Coming out of stall 8, Taylor settled Kronos into the middle of the field as the early pace was set by Ikuyasu Kurakane on Neungnyeokchungman (17.9) and then taken up in the back straight by strong favourite Guarantee (1.6). Taylor steadily made gains as they crested the turn, entering the home straight in fifth and running wide to find a run. It looked like Guarantee was going to hold on for a time but the four year old Kronos was by far the quicker of three fast finishers, hitting the front with 30 metres remaining and taking victory by a length from Neungnyeokchungman and Seungundaeseung (10.6). Guarantee, the first runner out of the stable of recently retired jockey Woo Chang Gu, finished fouth.
It was a fine end to what had been a tough first day’s racing for Taylor. On a wet day in Seoul, his first mount, Seonghwangsan (175.2) in race 3 finished thirteenth from fourteen and his next two, Giant Tsunami (218.9) in race 4 and Galsaek Maeryeok (223.2) in race 5, were tailed off last and pulled-up respectively. With Kronos, however, he was finally given a horse with which he could show what he could do. Taylor will be back with a further four rides tomorrow.
Feature race of the day was a domestic category 2 handicap which saw a comfortable win for Hwanggeum Mulgyeol (6.7) by three lengths from Chamgippeum (5.4) and favourite Happy Go (1.7). Lee Ae Li took Hwanggeum Mulgyeol into a six length lead in the back straight and although the field had closed the gap by the final turn, the five year old had plenty in reserve for the sprint. In a similar handicap for foreign bred horses, favourite Pocketful of Money (1.4) scored a similarly dominant victory for Moon Se Young, leading from start to finish for a five length win from Value Play (6.0) with a long gap to outsider Runaway Angel (90.1) in third. Jockey of the day was Ikuyasu Kurakane who landed a treble with wins on Burning Believe (14.8 ) in race 5, Quick and Glory (9.1) in race 7 and Crocap (3.2) in race 9.
Weekend Preview
Racing gets underway at 11:20 at Seoul Race Park on both Saturday and Sunday with twelve races on Saturday and eleven on Sunday. Highlight of the weekend is the Sports Seoul Cup, one of the year’s biggest races for three year old fillies which is race 9 on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Ttukseom Cup winner Namchonuijijon makes his first appearance since his surprise defeat at the hands of Baekpa last month. There’s racing at Busan on Sunday starting at 12:40 and Jeju will be hoping for a better weekend after last week’s cancellation with cards underway on both Saturday and Sunday at 12:20.
Busan Preview
The first card of the second half of 2008 gets underway at Busan Race Park at 13:00 on Friday. Highlight of the nine race card is an 1800 metre handicap for domestic-bred horses with the weights co-headed by Widaehan Bonneung (28 runs/10 wins) and Areumdaun Jilju (12/7), the four year old Areumdaun Jilju being in much better form of late. Busan will also host a six race card of Sunday with the highlight being a similar handicap for foreign-bred runners where Gukje Sinmun Cup winner Angle Slam and six year old Hwanggeumbit Taeya top the weights.
Horse Racing in Korea 