Month: October 2015

Weekend Race Times

It’s suddenly got cold across the Korean peninsula! Temeratures have touched as low as freezing point in the capital Seoul and while Busan is, as ever, slightly warmer, it’s still a good 10C colder than last week.  So it’s a good thing there’s plenty happening on the track to keep us warm.

It is set to be a bright but chilly weekend

It is set to be a bright but chilly weekend

Feature race of the weekend is at Busan and the final leg of the Queens’ Tour for fillies and mares. That’s the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup and will take place on Sunday afternoon. We will have a full preview of the big race on Saturday. In the meantime, here’s what’s happening when and where:

(Update – Oct 31: Italian jockey Nicola Pinna who has ridden in Japan and Hong Kong as well as his home country, debuts at Seoul this weekend with two rides on Saturday and one on Sunday. Japan’s Makoto Okabe will join Busan next week).

English race cards available here

Friday October 30
Busan Racecourse: 11 races from 11:40 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 13:20 to 17:20

Saturday October 31
Seoul Racecourse: 13 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:20

Sunday November 1
Seoul Racecourse: 10 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:30

Belated Weekend Round-Up

Given that this coming weekend’s cards are already out – at least those for Busan – this is rather late but there were a few notable things that happened last weekend.

Doraon Hyeonpyo, seen here winning last year's Breeders' Cup, got back to winning ways last weekend (Pic: KRA)

Doraon Hyeonpyo, seen here winning last year’s Breeders’ Cup, got back to winning ways last weekend (Pic: KRA)

Spring Gnarly suffered his first bleeding attack when sent off as odds-on favourite for Sunday’s feature race at Busan. The US bred five-year-old had won nine of his previous fifteen starts and was 2nd in this summer’s Busan Mayor’s Cup but fell out of contention rounding the home turn and while he actually completed the race at a canter, jockey Kim Yong Geun opted not to push him. Aussie-bred Cheonji Bulpae won the race, his first win since March 2014.

Right now, you’ll not get up on the rail at Busan. For the past few weeks it has been noticeable that winner after winner has been coming home in the centre of the track while those on the rail have ended up going backwards. It’s happened to several well-fancied horses including odds-on favourite My Blade on Sunday afternoon. The reason is that the sand is much deeper on the rail than in the centre at the moment and until that’s sorted – and it needs to be – it looks set to continue.

Doraon Hyeonpyo, last year’s Champion Juvenile, couldn’t quite cut it in the Triple Crown races this year but he bounced back to form at Busan last Friday winning a class 2 race over 1900M. Jockey Choi Si Dae made sure to bring him to the middle of the track (of course) as they entered the home straight and the three-year-old cruised away for a 6-length win. Doraon Hyeonpyo will be racing at class 1 next time.

Already at class 1 in Seoul is another Korean Derby also-ran, New White Socks. However, the three-year-old, who looks practically unbeatable up to 1700M, yet again was found wanting over 1800M. Sent off as the odds-on favourite for Sunday’s feature race, New White Socks led into the closing stages only to be overhauled close to the line by Nulpurunchongnyong. It was a third consecutive 2nd place for New White Socks at the distance.

Riding Nulpurunchongnyong was Yuri Takahashi with the Japanese jockey continuing his excellent recent run of form with a double on Sunday. That took Takahashi’s total number of winners to 15 since joining a couple of months ago. A new Italian jockey is set to join Seoul from November 1.

This coming Sunday sees the final leg of the Queens’ Tour, the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup, take place at Busan. We will have a full preview on Saturday.

Triple Nine Bests Rock Band To Win President’s Cup

It promised to be a great occasion and so it proved as in the sunshine of a glorious autumn afternoon at a packed Seoul Racecourse, Triple Nine avenged two big race defeats to stablemate Rock Band to romp away with the President’s Cup.

Triple Nine after winning the President's Cup

Triple Nine after winning the President’s Cup

Triple Nine was 2nd in the Korean Derby to Yeongcheon Ace, 2nd in the Minister’s Cup to Rock Band and 2nd in the Owner’s Cup once more to Rock Band. He had picked up a minor Stakes of his own in between and today punters were split between the two three-year-olds. In the end Triple Nine started as favourite by the tiniest possible margin.

That faith by punters was to prove well-founded. Rock Band, ridden by Kim Yong Geun, would lead early with Gumpo Sky and High Five for company. Lim Sung Sil meanwhile kept Triple Nine just behind, stalking the leading three.

The question as they turned into the home straight was would Rock Band find another gear and go away? He wouldn’t. But he did stay on well. Sotong Sidae briefly got his nose in front at the furlong pole but travelling down the outside by far the best of them was the winner. Triple Nine collared them all and then lengthened away, already in front by three lengths on the line.

Rock Band rallied himself for 2nd while Masa Tanaka brought home the fast-finishing Ildeung Hanghaesa to edge Sotong Sidae out of 3rd. Gumpo Sky was 5th with Derby winner Yeongcheon Ace in 6th.

Triple Nine and Rock Band meant yet another big race 1-2 for the Kim Young Kwan trainng juggernaut. It was a clean sweep too for Ecton Park and for the Isidore Farm on Jeju Island where he stands. Triple Nine is the third product of a mating between his sire Ecton Park and his dam, the wonderfully named A Little Poke (Pleasant Tap). She already has three more full siblings to today’s champion; a filly and two colts, on the ground. Rock Band and Ildeung Hanghaesa are also both Isidore products.

For jockey Lim Sung Sil it was a second President’s Cup win. He rode Indie Band, Rock Band’s elder brother, to victory in 2013. He would go on to win the Grand Prix Stakes on the same horse.

Indeed, for the past two years, the winner of the President’s Cup has gone on to win the season-ending Grand Prix Stakes back at Seoul over 2300M in December. Triple Nine, who has now won seven of his eleven starts and has finished 3rd in the other four could well be there and could well make it three in a row. In a sign that he may not be coming to the Grand Prix, Rock Band was this week nominated for the Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi, also in December.

As expected, the race was once again dominated but Busan horses with them occupying five of the top six spots. The exception was the ever-improving Sotong Sidae who stepped up again to finish a very gallant 4th. Busan has been entering horses in this race for six years now and has won on all six occasions. The two tracks face each other again on the south coast next Sunday in the final leg of the Queens’ Tour. It’s hard to see the capital’s trainers starting to make amends there.

President’s Cup (KOR G1) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – Oct 18, 2015

1. Triple Nine (KOR) [Ecton Park – A Little Poke (Pleasant Tap)] – Lim Sung Sil – 2.4, 1.1
2. Rock Band (KOR) [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] – Kim Yong Geun – 1.2
3. Ildeung Hanghaesa (KOR) [Ecton Park – Saeroun Bulpae (Northern Afleet)] – Masakazu Tanaka – 3.5
Distances: 3 lengths / 0.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Sotong Sidae 5. Gumpo Sky 6. Yeongcheon Ace 7. Heukgisa 8. Pinot Noir 9. Impetus 10. Mupae Daewang 11. Singgeureounachim 12. Haemaru 13. High Five 14. Goliath Marine 15. Yaho Sunshine 16. Jeongsang Bima

The President’s Cup 2015: Full Runner By Runner Preview

The President’s Cup is one of the highlights of the Korean racing season. Along with the Derby and the Grand Prix Stakes it boasts the higest purse of any race on the peninsula and is the race where the best of this year’s domestic three-year-olds, face older opposition. The 2015 edition takes place at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

The President's Cup is one of the most valuable races in the Korean racing year

The President’s Cup is one of the most valuable races in the Korean racing year

For the past two years, the winner of the President’s Cup has gone on to win the Grand Prix. In 2013 it was Indie Band and in 2014 Gyeongbudaero. This year it is Indie Band’s full-brother, Rock Band, who is the one to beat.

And it is possible. The Derby winner Yeongcheon Ace takes his chance as does Rock Band’s stablemate Triple Nine. He was 2nd in both the Derby and the Minister’s Cup. Could he finally get the big prize this time? It is set to be a fascinating race. Here is a full run-down of the 16-strong field with race records. As per the race conditions, all are Korean bred:

The President’s Cup (KOR G1) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – October 18, 2015 (15:15)

1. Yeongcheon Ace [Menifee – Dixie Avenger (Dixie Union)] 3yo colt (11/4/3/4) – Choi Si Dae
The Korean Derby winner has to be respected. He won the Derby with a strong late run and has since run twice, finishing 3rd behind Rock Band and Triple Nine in both the Minister’s Cup and Owner’s Cup. He is likely to try to come from off the pace and will surely be looking to at least place again.

2. Impetus [Exploit – Miss Stravinsky (Stravinsky)] 5yo horse (27/7/2/8) – Ham Wan Sik
Impetus is a useful horse who comes in with a win and two third-place finishes from his last three starts. He can either go out quickly as he did when winning over 1800M in July or come from the back. He faded a little in the closing stages of his only previous try at 2000M though and it is hard to see him beating some of the Busan horses.

3. Triple Nine [Ecton Park – A Little Poke (Pleasant Tap)] 3yo colt (10/6/4/0) – Lim Sung Sil
There could be a lot more to come from this one. He has won six of his ten starts to date and he has 2nd places in the Derby to Yeongcheon Ace and in the Minister’s Cup and Owners’ Cup to Rock Band. In between he managed to win the Gyeongnam Do-Min Ilbo Cup. He is unlikely to want to lead but he will be close to the pace and will surely be involved in the business end of the race. Rock Band may be the more explosive right now but he is a very solid horse whose time will come.

4. Rock Band [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] 3yo colt (7/6/1/0) – Kim Yong Geun
The strong favourite and full brother of 2013 winner Indie Band. He didn’t run as a two-year-old and has only been beaten once in seven starts this year – and that day he was sore and got a terrible trip. He only stepped onto the Classic trail with the final leg, the Minister’s Cup, in which he duly made all to win and then followed it up in the Owners’ Cup. If something sets a crazy pace early or if he gets a bad trip again, he can be beaten but if he runs to his best he surely won’t

5. Mupae Daewang [Volponi – Mup’aegado (Lost Mountain)] 5yo gelding (29/5/3/2) – Seol Dong Bok
This will probably be the Busan horse with the fewest backers and he is yet to win at a higher level than class 3. He comes in following two victories from his last three starts but this will be too much. He generally doesn’t start quickly but may as well try to lead here.

6. Sotong Sidae [Gold Money – Myeonggauihuye (Black Minnaloushe)] 4yo gelding (26/7/4/6) – Park Byeong Yun
This is his frist race since winning the Sports Chosun Cup over this distance in August. That day he beat Haemaru, Pinot Noir and Heukgisa and he wil be fancied to beat them again. Beating the Busan visitors is another thing altogether though but he is perhaps Seoul’s best chance.

7. High Five [Creek Cat – Nam’s Gulch (Gulch)] 5yo horse (29/6/7/3) – Song Keong Yun
After three consecutive 2nd place finishes inclding to Triple Nine in the Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo, High Five was a class 1 winner last time out over 1400M. He is quick and a place is possible here. He is likely to look to get forward early.

8. Gumpo Sky [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme)] 4yo colt (24/9/7/3) – Kim Dong Young
A really good horse who was 7th in this race last year. He comes in having beaten Ildeung Hanghaesa and Goliath Marine at level weights in the Busan Ilbo Cup in August before running a disappointing last in the Owners’ Cup behind Rock Band last month. We will forgive him that though and give him another chance today. Winning will be tough but he can go well.

9. Ildeung Hanghaesa [Ecton Park – Saeroun Bulpae (Northern Afleet)] 4yo gelding (23/5/5/4) – Masakazu Tanaka
This is another for who winning will be tough but a money finish is possible.He hasn’t won since June but was 2nd to Goliath Marine when giving him weight in July before turning the tables on that horse when running 2nd to Gumpo Sky in August. He was 4th in the Owners’ Cup and the horses who beat him that day will be favoured to do so again but another 4th or even better can’t be ruled out.

10. Goliath Marine [Volponi – Queenie Bee (Geri)] 4yo gelding (25/5/4/4) – Pasquale Borelli
He beat Ildeung Hanghaesa with a weight advantage in July for his most recent win and was then an expected 3rd behind that one and Gumpo Sky in the Busan Ilbo in August at level weights. He was 4th over this distance in his most recent race and if he runs to his best, 4th can’t be completely ruled out. Others are more fancied though. Pasquale Borelli rides in his first Korean Stakes race.

11. Yaho Sunshine [Hawk Wing – Miss Redoubled (Alphabet Soup)] 3yo colt (14/5/2/1) – Lee Chan Ho
A revelation in recent months, he comes in here following three consecutive victories that have propelled him from class 4 to class 2 in double-quick time. His most recent win was in the TJK Trophy on August 29. Good as he is though, this is a huge step up. He has won by leading from the gate and from coming from just off the pace.

12. Jeongsang Bima [Forest Camp – Smokegetenyoureyes (Smokester)] 4yo colt (19/5/4/3) – Park Tae Jong
This one doesn’t arrive in very much form to speak of and is just one race into a comeback after a seven-month absence and was last of 12 in that. Obviously he needed the race but this should be too much. He generally likes to go back at the start and close late on but while the first half of that shouldn’t be a problem here, the closing part may be.

13. Haemaru [Vicar – Forest Flower (Timber Country)] 4yo gelding (19/7/1/4) – Moon Se Young
Along with Sotong Sidae this looks Seoul’s best shot. He was 3rd behind Sotong Sidae in the Sports Chosun Cup in August before disappointing in September over 1800M. He was sent back to trial earlier this month which he did well and with Moon Se Young riding him, he will be backed. The wildcard.

14. Singgeureounachim [Exploit – Singgeureoun (Mr. Adorable)] 7yo horse (52/10/9/13) – Kim Dong Soo
A super-expereinced horse and stalwart of the track for almost five years now. He returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in over a year in June, beating Impetus over this distance and has followed it up with two 4ths. He wil give a good account of himself but others should be sharper.

15. Pinot Noir [Capital Spending Neungnyeokchungman (Pacificbounty)] 5yo mare (21/5/6/2) – Park Eul Woon
The only mare in the race, Pinot Noir will be an outsider. She last won on October 2014 although she has only raced six times since. Her most recent start was in the Sports Chosun Cup in August when she ran 5th behind Sotong Sidae and Haemaru. She usually likes to go back and close but it is going to be tough today.

16. Heukgisa [A.P. Dancer – Mansumugang (Half Term)] 6yo gelding (30/11/5/2) – Lee Joon Chel
On the official ratings, only Gumpo Sky is rated higher but against a bunch of up and coming three-year-olds, that doesn’t mean much. Like all of Seoul’s entrants, Heukgisa is a solid and honest campaigner who looks to have just a little too much to find to beat the Busan raiders. LAst start he was 5th in the Sports Chosun behind Sotong Sidae, Haemaru and Pinot Noir. He won by leading from gate to wire over this distance in April and may look to lead.

Summary: Again it looks like Busan’s race with all the main contenders having travelled up from the South coast. This is an opportunity for Rock Band – who is expected to be Tokyo Daishoten bound instead of Grand Prix bound if he comes through this – to show how good he really is. As usual, pace will make this race; if some Seoul horses with little to lose decide to go for it early, things could get very interesting but overall, it will be expected to look like the following:

Selections: (4) Rock Band (3) Triple Nine (9) Ildeung Hanghaesa (1) Yeongcheon Ace

Iku and Jo Sung Gon Dominate At Busan

There isn’t a jockey challenge bet in Korea but if there was, yesterday at Busan it would have been a two-man race with Jo Sung Gon and Ikuyasu Kurakane dominating the Friday afternoon card.

Four winners: Ikuyasu Kurakane (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Four winners: Ikuyasu Kurakane (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Of course, punters had seen this coming. With the likes of Kim Yong Geun, Choi Si Dae and Masa Tanaka among eight Busan riders in Seoul for the President’s Cup on Sunday (Union rules say a jockey who has the temerity to go and ride in a big race at the other track isn’t allowed to ride at his or her home track on the same weekend) and You Hyun Myung on the long-term injured list, Jo and Kurakane were really the only Big Beasts of the weighing room in action.

Jo Sung Gon managed to get himself beaten on two favourites but like Kurakane, still emerged with four winners from the eleven-race card.

Highlight of Jo’s winners was perhaps a dominant victory for the young US import Doraonpogyeongseon (Kantharos) the third of his four winners which all arrived consecutively in races 5 to 8. Doraonpogyeongseon, named after a Grand Prix winning horse of the 1990’s, was getting his maiden win on his second start.

Kurakane’s winners arrived in pairs. He rode two-year-old debut-maker My Alice (Limitless Bid) to an eye-catching, albeit hard to judge how good it really was, eleven-length  triumph in race 2 but the highlight was in the final race 11 when he guided two-year-old import Gakbyeolhan (Big Brown) to win by three lengths.

Four winners: Jo Sung Gon

Four winners: Jo Sung Gon

The juvenile Gakbyeolhan was beating seven older horses over a mile on what was just his third career start and looks quite a prospect.

Had there been a jockey challenge and had it been run under Hong Kong rules, Kurakane would have come out as the winner due to riding three 2nd place finishers as well – two of them behind Jo’s winners. Contrastingly Jo, aside from his winners, only got one other into the top three.

While the eight Busan riders in the capital will be riding in the big race on Sunday afternoon, both Jo Sung Gon and Ikuyasu Kurakane have a full book of rides on Busan’s short six-race card on Sunday. It would be very surprising if either failed to add to their weekend total.

Weekend Race Times

It’s President’s Cup weekend. Sixteen runners will line up at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon for one of the richest races of the season. They include the Korean Derby winner Yeongcheon Ace and the Minister’s Cup winner – and currently the hottest property on the peninsula – Rock Band.

The autumn festival takes place at Seoul on President's Cup weekend

The autumn festival takes place at Seoul on President’s Cup weekend

We’ll have a full runner-by-runner preview of the big race here on Saturday morning but in the meantime, here is what is happening when and where on a weekend where Seoul has its “autumn festival” after racing each day:

Click here for English language race cards

Friday October 16
Busan Racecourse: 11 races from 11:40 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 8 races from 13:20 to 16:50

Saturday October 17
Seoul Racecourse: 13 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:40

Sunday October 18
Seoul Racecourse: 10 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:30

Cheon Gu 4th As Satono Tiger Wins Ohi Interaction Cup

Urawa-based Satono Tiger was too strong for Cheon Gu and the other Korean raiders as he ensured the honours remained on home soil with a comfortable victory in the Interaction Cup at Ohi last night.

Satono Tiger goes clear (Pic: sanspo.com)

Satono Tiger goes clear (Pic: sanspo.com)

As expected it was Cheon Gu (Old Fashioned) who set the early pace but Satono Tiger (King Kamehameha), a 7-year-old horse who had won seven of his forty-one primarily JRA starts and was top sprinter in the NAR last year, took things up inside the final two furlongs and cruised away for a comfortable victory.

The fast finishing Major Athlete (Daiwa Major) on the outside and Fire Prince (On Fire) on the rail knocked Cheon Gu out of the places in the closing stages with the Seoul trained three-year-old hanging on for 4th. The other two Korea-trained entrants Cowboy Son and Dynamic Jilju finished in 8th and 10th.

See here for race video: https://www.nankankeiba.com/liveon/2015101320120211.do

And a full and comprehensive race report here

Ottug Ottugi Heads A Kim Young Kwan Quinella In Gyeongnam Sinmun

We might have had a surprise winner of the Juvenile Championship race at Seoul on Saturday but it was business as usual in the corresponding event at Busan on Sunday as trainer Kim Young Kwan saddled a 1-2 and the odds-on favourite Ottug Ottugi doing the business.

One thing that Ottug Ottugi does have in common with Seoul’s winner Waikiki is that she is a filly. However, unlike Waikiki, who was getting her maiden victory yesterday, Ottug Ottugi came in to today’s race undefeated in her two previous starts.

Under Choi Si Dae Ottug Ottugi led from gate to wire but the second string very nearly got up. Nozi Tomizawa and Power Blade ended up almost in the stands so wide did they run looking for quicker ground – as had been common at Busan this weekend – but Ottug Ottugi just held on by a neck

It’s the fillies that will go to the Breeders’ Cup race at Seoul at the end of November as favourites.

Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Racecourse – 1200M – Oct 11, 2015

1. Ottug Ottugi (KOR) [Forest Camp – Main Objective (Lion Heart)] – Choi Si Dae – 1.8, 1.2
2. Power Blade (KOR) [Menifee – Cheonmachong (Lost Mountain)] – Nozomu Tomizawa – 1.3
3. Whitte Queens (KOR) [Exploit – Miracle Win (Iriquois Park)] – Song Keong Yun – 3.8
Distances: Neck/1.75 lengths – 8 ran

Interaction Cup: Korean Horses Race In Japan On Tuesday

Cheon Gu, Cowboy Son and Dynamic Jilju will be racing for Korea under the lights at Ohi Racecourse in Tokyo on Tuesday night as they take on a full field of 13 Japanese horses over 1200M in the third running of the Interaction Cup.

image

Cheon Gu

And in contrast to last year when Korea didn’t really bring the firepower needed in order to be competitive, there is a feeling that if the horses run to the best then they – especially Cheon Gu – have a chance of making it into the money this time around.

Cheon Gu has been drawn in gate 1 while Cowboy Son and Dynamic Jilju will start from gates 12 and 13. As ever, Yoo Seung Wan will ride Cheon Gu, who is competing in his third consecutive international race having taken part in the KRA Cup at Kranji in Singapore in July and then the Asia Challenge Cup in Seoul in August when he was beaten only by Choegang Schiller and El Padrino. Oh Kyoung Hwan takes the mount of Cowboy Son while Ikuyasu Kurakane has travelled back to his homeland to ride Dynamic Jilju.

The Japanese contenders are sure to expect the Korean horses to look to get out of the gate quickly and look to set a fast pace and then try to hang on. That’s what happened when Watts Village won the first running of this race two years ago and Cheon Gu has indeed gone forward in each of his last two races only to be reeled in.

As for those Japanese runners, as ever they tend to be older and have a lot of experience behind them and a lot of wins between them. Gorski is making his first run at NAR level following a solid JRA career and is likely to be one of the main dangers while Satono Tiger and Maruka Bakken are others who have been racing in stiffer competition and could go well on Tuesday. For a full run-down of the Japanese contenders, see the preview at the excellent Japanracing site here.

Here is the full list of runners and riders with race records:

Interaction Cup – Ohi Racecourse – 1200M – October 13, 2015 (20:15)

1. Cheon Gu (USA) [Old Fashioned – So Much Fun (Speightstown)] 3yo colt (8/4/1/2) – Yoo Seung Wan
2. Gorski (JPN) [Neo Universe – Nikiya (Nureyev)] 8yo horse (42/8/3/4) – Seiji Yamazaki
3. Blue Tanzanite (JPN) [Brian’s Time – Keyboogie (Lyphard)] 6yo horse (37/4/1/6) – Takehiro Kashiwaga
4. Fire Prince (JPN) [On Fire – Restive Commander (Commander In Chief)] 4yo colt (30/5/6/1) – Tadanari Konno
5. Kevin Dieu (JPN) [South Vigorous – Little Namura (Ashkalani)] 6yo horse (27/5/3/0) – Tatsuya Sawada
6. Coreles Puma (JPN) [Highbridge Slew – Terano Judi (Adjudicating)] 11yo horse (68/10/8/8) – Takayuki Yano
7. Satono Tiger (JPN) [King Kamehameha – Fabulous Turn (Sunday Silence)] 7yo horse (41/7/6/4) – Seiji Sakai
8. Air Lafon (JPN) [Durandal – Pretty Tidy (Jade Robbery)] 8yo horse (40/12/6/2) – Takumi Kobayashi
9. Kurino Ama Dablam (JPN) [Orewa Matteruze – Lady Mahalo (Forty Niner)] 5yo mare (38/4/4/2) – Naoki Machida
10. Tre Bone (JPN) [Agnes Digital – Heart Full Voice (Mejiro Ryan)] 7yo gelding (41/5/2/5) – Daisuke Mashima
11. Major Athlete (JPN) [Daiwa Major – Splintercat (Storm Cat)] 6yo horse (38/3/96/2) – Taito Mori
12. Cowboy Son (USA) [Cowboy Cal – Nosmallachievement (Smart Strike)] 4yo colt (19/10/2/2) – Oh Kyoung Hwan
13. Dynamic Jilju (USA) [Forestry – Beat Your Feet (Dixieland Band)] 4yo colt (27/6/3/4) – Ikuyasu Kurakane
14. Erimo Feather (JPN) [Sinister Minister – Little Mermaid (Twining)] 5yo mare (26/4/1/4) – Jun Aritoshi
15. Maruka Bakken (JPN) [Kurofune – Famed Grace (Sunday Silence)] 8yo horse (38/7/3/4) – Hidemitsu Sakai
16. Taisei Legend (JPN) [King Kamehameha – Sharp Kick (Mejiro McQueen)] – 8yo horse (39/9/5/2) – Tsubasa Sasakawa

Life’s A Beach For Waikiki in Mayor’s Cup

Filly Waikiki was the shock 48/1 winner of the Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup at Seoul Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, in the process becoming a rather unlikely champion 2-year-old for the capital city track.

The previously unbeaten Meni Music had been sent off the slight favourite for the 1200M test but with a whole host of unexposed and very lightly raced entrants, the likelihood of a surprise was always high.

Second favourite Winners Glory was prominent for much of the race and looked to have the race won entering the final furlong. However, Waikiki, who had been very slow to jump and only led one entering the home straight, flew home in the closing stages under jockey Park Byeong Yun to snatch victory on the line.

Waikiki had raced twice previously, finishing 2nd on both occasions. She is now likely to race in the Breeders’ Cup at the end of November when the bet Seoul juveniles will face the best of Busan’s. Indeed, the Busan version of the Mayor’s Cup – the Gyeongnam Sinmun Trophy – will take place this afternoon on the south coast. Ottug Ottugi, currently two for two, is set to start as favourite.

Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup – Seoul Racecourse – 1200M – Oct 10, 2015

1. Waikiki (KOR) [Pico Central – Wyvern (Didyme)] – Park Byeong Yun – 49.0, 7.4
2. Winners Glory (KOR) [Strike Again – Luck And Fame (Western Fame)] – Kim Dong Soo – 1.5
3. Gaia Thunder (KOR) [One Cool Cat – Now Cope With This (Tiznow)] – Song Jae Chul – 14.0
Distances: 0.5 lengths / 1 length – 12 ran