Month: March 2016

Busan Friday Review

So how do you make a Seoul horse better? Well if his name is Tapipoint, you move him to Busan. 

The few Seoul horses who have been moved to Busan since switching between the tracks became permitted last year have tended to sink without trace – and in fairness, with a couple of notable exceptions, those who have moved in the opposite direction haven’t exactly been pulling up trees either. Tapipoint (Concorde Point) though has been, for want of a better phrase, on point. He ran 2nd in his first two starts on the south coast and today got it spot-on, winning the class 2 race 10 by three lengths under apprentice jockey Lee Yong Ho.

Favourite for that race had been Emeth. However, the Kim Young Kwan trainee sank without trace in the home straight beating just one home. It wasn’t all bad news for favourite backers though as, on a filthy afternoon, the two bankers obliged. Peter Wolsley’s Golden Kings (Ecton Park) – who is in fact a filly – claimed an easy maiden victory in race 4 under Pasquale Borelli while Dyna’s Dream (Meiner Select) was far too strong in securing his third straight win in race 8.

Bart Rice was also among the winners, saddling race 7 victor Giant Hold (Hold Me Back) but it was Ikuyasu Kurakane who was pick of the foreigners today. The Japanese rode three winners with the pick being the up in class Bohemian (Orientate), a strong winner of the 1800M race 9.

It poured with rain for most of the day and times were quick, with many races being run in near track-record times. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday while on Saturday attention turns to Seoul where there is an eleven-race card which gets under way at 10:50am.

Busan Friday: Race By Race Preview

After last week’s snow induced chaos, it is finally warming up on the peninsula. Racing gets underway Friday with a ten-race card at Busan. 

Busan Racecourse

It’s Busan Friday time

There are a total of 10 races with the first at 11:40 and the last at 18:00. There is also a pony racing card on Jeju Island. English racecards are available here.

Races 4-10 will be simulcast to overseas. Here are full notes on those races along with probable favourites:

Race 4: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 40 Million / 13:40 

(4) GOLDEN KINGS was 2nd on debut at the end of January and should surely be going one better against a moderate set of fillies and mares here. (3) CAPTAIN CHANCE has picked up minor prize money in each of her last four outings and can be close again. She finished behind (5) HURRICANE FORCE, who managed a shock 2nd place over this distance on February 12th having previously shown no discernible talent but must be given a chance here. (8) HWASEONG ACE and (2) IGIPPEUM GEUDAERO look the best of a less than impressive rest.

Favourites: (4) Golden Kings (3) Captain Chance (8) Hwaseong Ace (5) Hurricane Force

Race 5: Class 5 / 1200M / Allowance / KRW 40 Million / 14:25 

(1) LADY CHAMP, coming in following a 2nd and a 3rd in her most recent two outings could be the one to score in an open race. (8) SANGSEUNG MULGYEOL was a class and distance winner last start, beating (6) JIBONG JILJU. The latter was returning from seven months out, raced like he needed it and should be much closer today. (10) ALSO NUMBER ONE is yet to strike in eight starts and while a well-beaten 2nd behind a good winner last month, can be dangerous here. (7) LOAD CELL, up in class today following back to back 2nd place finishes is the other one to watch.

Favourites: (1) Lady Champ (6) Jibong Jilju (10) Also Number One (8) Sangseung Mulgyeol

Race 6: Class 5 / 1400M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 15:15 

A winner on his debut in debut and close in three subsequent starts, Bart Rice’s (7) SHORT STOP looks the standout here. He was beaten into 4th place by (1) COOL RUN on his last start but should overturn that form today. There are a couple of dangers. (9) ROCKET BLADE was an easy winner on debut in January and while he found it tougher on his first try at this class on February 19th, can go better here. (2) WONIL ACE was 2nd over 1300M last start and should be close while (8) WARRIOR KING is inconsistent but goes well on his day. (6) HWANHUIUI BYEOL didn’t perform on his first try at this class but can improve.

Favourites: (7) Short Stop (9) Rocket Blade (2) Wonil Ace (1) Cool Run

Race 7: Class 4 / 1600M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 16:05 

(4) MUJEOKUI SAMSON, from Kim Young Kwan’s stable hasn’t shown a lot in three starts so far, is one of a number who may appreciate the opportunity at this distance. The stable means he will be favourite. (6) GANGHAN NAMJA has raced at a mile before and while it didn’t go well, he is a two-time winner over 1400M and will have backers. (3) OHHWAMA and (8) GIANT HOLD raced indifferently together over 1400M in January but both could improve today as could (9) AFLEET CORREDOR, a stablemate of Mujeokui Samson. (11) GIMAKIN JILJU, racing for the first time since a disappointing effort on Christmas Day, could deliver at good odds.

Favourites: (4) Mujeokui Samson (6) Ganghan Namja (11) Gimakin Jilju (8) Giant Hold

Race 8: Class 4 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 17:00 

(7) DYNA’S DREAM is hard to oppose here, coming in after back to back wins. She is up in class but is nicely in and should have the beating of these. Nothing else enters in much form so (2) POWERFUL FORCE and (4) WORLD QUICK, who have both beaten a few of these in their most recent outings are next best although both will have to find plenty to challenge the favourite. (3) MASTER KEY has been poor in her last two but can go better dropped back in distance while (6) IRON MARINE was last returning from almost four months off in February and can improve today.

Favourites: (7) Dyna’s Dream (2) Powerful Force (3) Master Key (4) World Quick

Race 9: Class 3 / 1800M / Handicap / KRW 72 Million / 17:30 

Thomas Gillespie’s (5) JUNGANG GONGJU could only manage 5th of 8 in a competitive event over this distance in January. This is competitive too but the opposition s perhaps a touch softer and we could see a repeat of this mare’s Christmas Day victory. (3) DONGNAM CHEONHA ran a decent 3rd on his first start of 2016 over the distance last month and should be close again while (6) BOHEMIAN is up in class and distance following victory at 1400M in January. (9) CHEONJI GEOTAP was disappointing over a mile last starts but can be given another chance today with (7) GLOBAL KING, racing for the first time since October, a live outsider.

Favourites: (5) Jungang Gongju (3) Dongnam Cheonha (6) Bohemian (7) Global King

Race 10: Class 2 / 1400M / Handicap / KRW 88 Million / 18:00

(1) EMETH won three of his first four and dropped back to 1400M today should be able to hit the front early and make all to return to the winner’s circle here. (5) LAST TICKET is another who should appreciate the shorter distance today but may have to settle for a sixth 2nd place finish while speaking of 2nds, (10) TAPIPOINT has finish in that position in both his two starts at Busan since being relocated from Seoul and can challenge again today. (2) YUSEONG FIGHTING and (3) JIBONG MANSE look best of the rest.

Favourites: (1) Emeth (10) Tapipoint (5) Last Ticket (2) Yuseong Fighting

What Have We Learned From Success Story?

Success Story brought the Korean adventure at the Dubai World Cup Carnival to a successful conclusion with a rousing run behind California Chrome last week. A second front-running performance and gutsy finish under another flawless Tadhg O’Shea ride, meant he landed back to back 3rd place finishes, this time in one of the most widely watched races of the Carnival so far.

The decision to run in that race was not without risk. Although Success Story had won at 2000M before, he is considered to be much better at shorter distances and accordingly was also entered for a 1400M race the same night. However, with California Chrome scaring off a number of potential rivals and jockey  O’Shea expressing confidence in the horse getting the trip and being competitive, the decision was made to take a chance at the greater distance. And it was a decision that paid dividends with Success Story’s front-running and then gutsy rally to get up for 3rd place earning him plenty of praise. Of course, California Chrome was much better – he finished four lengths ahead of Success Story but it could have been forty had Victor Espinoza been so inclined – putting in a performance judged to be the best in the world last week.

The wider significance is that for the second time, Success Story looked like he belonged in the race. It’s true that just as when finishing 3rd of 14 last month, he was racing against horses, Chrome aside, who are no more than solid handicappers but until last week, not many would have thought a Korean bred and trained horse could cope with even that level, let alone beat the majority of his competitors. He vindicated the decision of the Dubai handicappers to invite Korean horses and has ensured that a return trip next year – either for him or for others from here – is very much a possibility.

Success Story took to Dubai very well. He reportedly enjoyed the stables, the routine of the lengthy walk to and from trackwork each day  and the dirt track itself, as well as the general environment. At the races, he looked so much better than he generally does in Korea, having been turned out beautifully. He looked like a racehorse. His groom led him up in a shirt and bow-tie and his connections – it seemed as though the whole family was there – were dressed up as if for Royal Ascot.

In Korea, the grooms tend to wear Union issued t-shirts to the parade ring; except for big Stakes races, 90% of trainers don’t wear anything different to races than they would wear around the barn and owners rarely leave their lounge (although Busan is generally much better than Seoul in this regard, especially when their horses visit the capital). Owners will from April be permitted to have their horses run in their own colours rather than those of the jockey. With the current drive by the KRA to reboot the image of racing in this country, it would be very welcome if this was accompanied by a little more sophistication in the raceday experience.

The most important thing of course is that he ran well, exceeding the expectations of the most optimistic observers. O’ Shea deserves great credit for extracting the very maximum out of him on both occasions but he was well trained and well entered too. Mainstream Korean news outlets carried reports on the two races while the California Chrome factor ensured Success Story was mentioned in global coverage of Thursday’s race.

Success Story wasn’t the only Korean-trained horse at the Carnival. Sprinter Cheongu was actually considered the more likely of the two to be competitive. His best run prior to Dubai was a 3rd place behind Choegang Schiller and El Padrino in the Asia Challenge Cup in Seoul last August and the knowledge that he would travel fine, having previously taken trips to Singapore and Japan in his stride, meant one less thing to worry about. It was not to be. On opening night, he missed the break and then lost a plate. In such circumstances, running 5th of 8 was creditable but a lackluster performance last Thursday was less easy to explain away. He’s done his bit over the past few months but this time, he just didn’t run very well.

Seven and a half years ago, I wrote an article called  “What have we learned from Pick Me Up?” The answer then and for several subsequent years was “not a lot”. Pick Me Up was the first horse to go on what was a well-intentioned but ultimately counter-productive initiative to let Korean-bred horses race in the United States. It inadvertently became an incentive to ship horses that may otherwise have been spelled, to an unfamiliar trainer to participate uncompetitively in three races for which a subsidy was provided. Essentially, the wrong horses went to the wrong races at the wrong time and it was still continuing up until last year.

By contrast, the interactions with Japan, Singapore and now Dubai are much more positive. With connections being invited to target a particular race, the trainer is still responsible for training the horse, the grooms go with the horse and everybody involved is invested in the trip being successful. So “What Have We Learned from Success Story?”, the answer now might still be “Not a lot just yet” but with the caveat of “Watch this space…” The prospect of more nights like  last Thursday are a huge incentive to keep trying.