Yeonseung Daero, Bally Brae, Dongbanui Gangja in action

Dongbanui Gangja, Korea’s best horse, will make his first appearance of 2010 at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon. The double Grand Prix winner will face the horse he took that title off when Bally Brae lines up alongside him in the ten furlong test. Despite carrying 62 kilos – the largest handicap weight awarded for some time, Dongbanui Gangja will likely be heavy favourite to get the better of a full field of fourteen.

Down at Busan, Yeonseung Daero makes his highly anticipated four-year old debut. The nearly horse of 2009, great things are expected of him in 2010. He’ll take on foreign bred horses in Sunday’s feature including such luminaries as King Kephalos and track stalwart Golding over nine furlongs.

Friday at Busan and Saturday at Seoul are relatively low-key affairs although Japanese rider Kunihisa Hirase will debut at Busan on Friday. Of interest, however, will be the appearance of three-year olds Money Car and Great True at Seoul. The former is a Derby contender, the latter an import that we could see running for big prizes later in the year.

Friday January 29

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday January 30

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:30, last 17:10

Sunday January 31

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15

Dongbanui Gangja wins the 2009 Grand Prix: