Wins for High Taxi, Jigusangwiryeok / First victory for Kim Dong Min
After upsetting Bally Brae last time out, Dongbanui Gangja went off odds-on favourite and duly delivered a two and a half length win in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Settling in behind early pacesetter Dirt King, Dongnaui Gangja always looked menacing and when Choi Beom Hyun asked him for a little effort at the two furlong pole, the result was never in doubt. Running in second was Obaek Yechan with Dirt King holding on for third. Dongbanui Gangja [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] now has an impressive record of seven wind from fourteen starts and has never been outside the first four and may come into the recokoning for the season ending Grand Prix race.

The day’s second most valuable race saw a comfortable win for favorite Jigusangwiryeok. Under Moon Se Young, the four year old went wire to wire for a three length win over 1900 metres ahead of Geumbit Gangja and Red Carpet in race 11. In other races, the steadily improving gelding High Taxi took his first win at cat 3 level with a narrow win in race 10. There were shock defeats for hot favourites Choisangbong in race 7 and Mr. Vancouver in race 8 but Oreumsaemi justified being backed into 1.5 to take only her second victory in sixteen outings in race 3.

Jockey Kim Dong Min finally got off the mark in his fortieth race. The apprentice partnered third favourite Seonbong Daeseung to a four length win in race 4. In other jockey news, Willie Uys, who made his debut last week was not on the card today and it has been confirmed he has returned to his native South Africa.

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow for the President’s Cup. The card for one of the highlights of the season gets underway at 11:00 with the big race at 16:40. Likely favourite will be Myeongmun Gamun, but Natuaral Nine, Baekpa and Hongji will all have their supporters in the KRW 265Million Group 1. Busan also hosts a card with the first race at 12:20. Today saw light rain throughout the day although at present the forecast for tomorrow is cool, dry and bright.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Outsider is Lim’s biggest win / Galsaem successful at last
Hardride proved to be the most successful ride of jockey Lim Sung Sil’s career as the outsider beat the odds to land the KRW 142Million first prize in the Busan Metropolitan City Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon. However, it was heartbreak for Hardride’s regular rider Yoo Hyun Myoung who led from the start on Florida Native only to be overtaken in the final few strides. Florida Native was quickest away and with Dongbang Geona and Hardride following, the four-year old set the pace round the first turn and through the back straight.

As they turned for home, odds-on favourite Golding moved up menacingly on the outside under Toshio Uchida and Hardride dropped back to sixth, seemingly out of the hunt for places. There was much more to come, however, as Golding faltered in an ugly sprint. Florida Native increased his lead but Lim Sung Sil had found a run for Hardride and a final furlong dash saw the three-year old gelding overhaul the leader for a half-length win. Another outsider, Winter Invitation ran on for third. It was Hardride’s fifth career victory from fifteen starts and his first at the top level.

At Seoul Race Park, Galsaem finally landed her first victory of 2008. Having taken a pounding from the handicapper and suffering some near misses, the six year old mare took advantage of a weaker than usual cat.1 handicap field and went wire to wire over the 2000 metres for a length and a half win from Sinheung Gangho and Totoro. In the previous race, the scratching of Playing Politics had seen Yodongseong go off the 1.2 favourite and duly record a businesslike two and a half length victory in a 1900 metre handicap.

In other races, the highly thought of two-year old import Bulpae Gisang just managed to hold off the challenge of outsider Black Saint in race 3. The two of them were ten lengths clear of the rest of the field and Bulpae Gisang [Lightnin N Thunder – Neat Trick (Clever Trick)] is now two for two. In a similar race for domestic horses, another two-year old, Nice Choice romped home by ten lengths for his second win in three races and could be one for the Classics next year.

For jockeys it was very much Choi Beom Hyun’s day as he scored four winners to Moon Se young and Park Tae Jong’s two each. Willie Uys was scheduled to make his second appearance, but the South African had to sit out due to a “stomach bug”.

Busan Metro City Cup (G3) – Busan Race Park – 2000M – Nov 9, 2008 – 15:20

1. Hardride (USA) [Colony Light – Lametta (Lomond)] – Lim Sung Sil – 40.0
2. Florida Native (USA) [Kissin Kris – Binndiana (Jose Binn)] – Yoo Hyun Myoung – 12.9
3. Winter Invitation (USA) [Take Me Out – Winter Crown (Cox’s Ridge)] – Jo Chan Hoon – 32.9
Distances: 0.5 lengths/2.5 lengths – 13 ran

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Taebaek Janggun upsets Free Woody / Uys makes creditable debut
Wangson stepped up to cat.3 for the first time at Seoul Race Park this afternoon but the three year old had things all his own way as he cruised to a 10 length win. Under Moon Se Young, the 1.9 favourite came round the field in the back straight and opened out as they rounded the final turn. A long way behind the winner, Bang Choon Sik on Kkumcheoreom held off Nozomu Tomizawa on Daeseolbong for second. Wangson now has four wins from eight outings and looks to be one to watch in the handicap ranks next year.

On a beautiful autumn day that showed the track at its finest, things went the way of the second favourite in the day’s most valuable race. Taebaek Janggun kept alongside favourite Free Woody for the early stages of the 1900 metre handicap but a burst of pace around the third corner took him to the front. Although Free Woody responded in the sprint the damage had been done and Taebaek Janggun ran on for a three length win under Choi Beom Hyun. Earlier there was an impressive performance by two year old Ganggeonhan, landing race 1 by seven lengths.

South African jockey Willie Uys made his Seoul debut in race 4. Riding the lightly backed Absolute Power he got out of the gate quickly, avoiding some nasty collisions at the back and showed towards the front for most of the 1300 metre race. As they entered the home straight, leaders Natural Guy and favourite Mideumi pulled away from the field and battled it out for the victory with Natural Guy taking it on the line for Choi Beom Hyun. There was a gap of 12 lengths between those two and the next home, third-favourite Taepung Malli, with Uys and Absolute Power coming in fourth at 17.4. Uys will have one more ride tomorrow on Eastern Hotshot in race 3.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

A kilo too far for Areumdaun Jilju / Baekgeom wins easily again
Sinheung Gangja made the most of a nine kilo weight advantage to get up in the final few metres to take the feature race at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Billed as a battle between top handicapper Areumdaun Jilju and Derby winner Ebony Storm, things were going to form as those two led from the gate and through the backstretch. It was all change as they turned for home, however. Ebony Storm started to go backwards through the field as Han Sang Kyu on Sinheung Gangja moved into contention. Toshio Uchida kept Areumdaun Jilju in the lead but the three year old had much the faster sprint coming through for a half length win on the line. Outsider Segye Jepae ran on for an unlikely third place.

The loss was only Areumdaun Jilju’s second of the year but Ebony Storm is without a win since the Derby back in May. In other races, there was a second easy win for the grey two year old Baekgeom [Halo’s Image – Sweet Paige (Montbrook)]. The horse arrived in Korea in July and followed up his debut win last month with a five length victory in race 1 this afternoon. Meanwhile, Eiki Nishimura scored his second success in Korea riding Gaeulbi to a five length win in race 5. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN