A BUMPER CROWD OF 27,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT SEOUL ON SUNDAY, AND THEY SAW A TEN RACE CARD WHICH CONCLUDED WITH A 1200M CLASS 2 WHERE FLYING DAY continued her consistent run of form by making it six wins from fourteen starts with a last gasp victory over longtime leader Nice Force (writes Luke Humphreys).

Flying Day (Race Day) at her previous victory had run down last year’s top juvenile filly Chief Star in the last couple of strides and ran down another smart sprinter in the closing stages with an extending half-length victory over Nice Force who just about returned to his best form that saw him start an odds-on favourite in the KRA Sprint on Grand Prix Day last year.

Flying Day paid 5.3 on the Korean tote with Nice Force being the 4.3 second favourite, whilst the 3.9 popular pick Eldorado Nolbu ran his usual consistent race without winning leaving himself too much to do in the run and he ended up finishing a never nearer 3rd. Blue Lemon was the other one in the market at 7.1 and finished 5th.

30 minutes earlier Kozzi Asano landed Race 9 (1200M Class 4) on GOOD MORNING COME (Freedom Child) who returned to the winners list after being around the mark against solid opposition at her previous three starts. Following her three-quarter length victory as the 3.0 favourite she has now won three races from nine starts. Hwasangwihwan was 2nd with Fedaykin, 4.8 third choice, 3rd and Chumchuneunjangmi, 4.6 second pick, in 4th.

The Luigi Riccardi prepared three-year-old filly WILD MAGIC (Triple Nine) made it back-to-back front-running wins in Race 7 (1800M Class 4) as the 2.5 favourite with a one-and-three-quarter length victory over the 3.5 second market choice Ghost Chrysol. Wild Magic continues to progress, and the domestically bred filly is one to keep following.

Jeong Jeong-hee was on board Wild Magic and 58 minutes later he was in the winner’s circle again when DREAM ISLE (Flameaway) landed Race 8 (1600M Class 3) by one-length over the Tony Castanheira prepared Western Gun.

ANYANGBITCHUISOKDO (Dynamic Dash) recorded the second victory of his career at start five when winning Race 5 (1200M Class 5) by two-and-a-half lengths as the 1.9 favourite over the 3.7 second choice Last K. Anyangbitchuisokdo had run 2nd in last year’s Rookie Stakes to Chief Star and stripped fitter from his first-up run in April to score decisively. Last K looks progressive going forward whilst Hwansangui Nara, 7.3 fourth pick, was 3rd ahead of Flying Concord, 4.9 third favourite.

COWBOY QUEEN (Cowboy Cal) was a decent two-length maiden winner in Race 2 (1300M Class 6) as was GOLD ID (Mr. Crow) in Race 1 (1200M Class 6) who despite missing the start, a la her debut, landed the prize by two-and-a-half lengths at an odds-on quote of 1.6.

SUNDAY AT BUSAN SAW CLEAN ONE PRODUCE THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR IN KOREA SO FAR AND THE DAY WAS MADE EVEN BETTER FOR HIS TRAINER MOON HYEON-CHEOL AND OWNERS HEALING FARM UNION WHEN KNICKS GO WON won the concluding 1200M Class 3.

Knicks Go Won (Knicks Go) showed her versatility by diving through on the inside after settling midfield to land the prize at odds of 2.0 and continue her excellent record which now sits at four wins from six starts. Her two defeats had been behind Brug Kingman, to be mentioned later in the report, and in a form line race for this last start when her chances were ruined by the wide draw and having to play for luck from the rear. Great Top, 6.1 second favourite, was a half-length 2nd with the speedy Pachamama boxing on for 3rd. Twin Rainbow, 7.5 third choice, could only manage 6th with Grand More, 6.4 fourth pick, 9th.

The victory naturally completed a double for trainer Moon Hyeon-cheol and owners Healing Farm Union, but it also did for jockey Jung Do-yun as he won the opening 1200M Class 6 on O. K. BABY (Old Fashioned) which was the 4.6 second favourite and defeated the 2.4 favourite Pachoui Kkum into 2nd.

Jo In-kwon also rode a double on the card with WORLD BOLD MAN (Gemologist) leading them a merry dance to win Race 2 (1400M Class 6) by six-lengths before ONE LAST MARGARITA (Maximum Security) got a deserved first victory at attempt five in Race 6 (1400M Class 4) after being just behind some smart types in his previous four starts.

SATURDAY AT SEOUL SAW THE INCREDIBLY EXCITING ROSHE make his reappearance following a twelve-length demolition job of the LR Sports Seoul Trophy field in March and he was equally as impressive in his return which saw him win by ten-lengths at odds of 1.2 in a rattling quick time of 1:38.8.

Roshe (Rogueish) has now won five races from five starts and connections stated after his black type victory in March that the Korean Grand Prix (KOR-G1) was their big target for the year at the start of December. He did nothing to dent his chances of heading in that direction with his 1600M Class 2 victory. He looked a million dollars right from the word go, was positioned perfectly just behind the leaders and when jockey Jang Chu-youl peeled him out on the home turn he took off like a rocket.

It was a much better performance from My Empire, 10.4 third pick, who after being a beaten favourite at each of his last two starts, including behind Roshe in the Sports Seoul, finished in 2nd and whilst he clearly is not up to the standard of Roshe he remains a talented type. New Dolkong, who was resuming since finishing last in the Grand Prix, finished 6th whilst the up in grade Raon Silence, 7.7 second favourite, was part of the early speed battle, which played into the hands of Roshe, and folded to be 7th.

On the basis that Roshe has pulled up fit and well he will now head down to Busan for the Owners’ Cup (KOR-G3), first leg of the Korean Premier Series, over 1600M on Sunday 28 June which will be his biggest test to date.

It was a great day for the winning connections of Roshe as jockey Jang Chu-youl came out and rode the following winner in DAEHAN POWER (Power Blade) who landed Race 8 (1700M Class 4) by two-and-a-half lengths and in doing so completed an impressive come from behind hat-trick of wins whilst trainer Seong Sang-hyun and owner Park Jae-yong had SILVER MOON (Musket Man) also come from well back to win Race 4 (1300M Class 5) in the dying strides at odds of 40.6 defeating Jeongsang Hera, 3.4 second choice, and Naol Aurora, 2.5 popular pick. Golden Diva, 6.8 third favourite, was 6th.

Other winners on the card included ENDING FIRE (Constitution) in Race 10 (1200M Class 3) who scored by one-and-three-quarter lengths under Luiz Quiroz at odds of 7.7. Moving Volcano, 3.4 second pick, was 2nd with Rooftop, 6.1 third choice, in 3rd whilst Raon The Affirmed, 2.3 favourite, was 5th. 

Ending Fire was one of three winners on the day for trainer Park Jae-woo who also scored with BLACK MAMA (Chrysolite) in Race 2 (1700M Class 6), who at odds of 1.7 scored by eight-lengths under Ruan Maia, whilst JOSE (Concord Point) (1200M Class 5) was the middle winner on the program for trainer Park at odds of 28.4.

CHRYSOL STONE (Chrysolite), in the colours of Katsumi Yoshida, bounced back to her best form in Race 9 (1800M Class 3) with what was eventually a runaway four-length success as the 2.9 favourite. She was making it five wins from eight starts, and she had led in each of her four victories prior to her most recent win however she couldn’t lead this time and looked beaten early in the straight before rallying to run away and win in what was clearly her best performance to date. She had taken her chance in the Dong-a Ilbo Trophy (KOR-LR) against the best older fillies and mares in March and whilst nothing went right that day, she could potentially get to that level going forward.

ON FRIDAY AT BUSAN AN EXCELLENT LOOKING CLASS 2 CONTEST CONCLUDED THE CARD AND BRUG KINGMAN despite carrying 5.5kg more than his last start course, distance, and grade victory continued his excellent 1400M record with an exceptionally soft two-and-a-half length win as the 7.2 second favourite.

Brug Kingman (Gyeongbudaero) was second in the market to the Moon Hyeon-cheol prepared Seo Seung-un ridden three-year-old colt Clutch Winner, 1.5, who was having his first run since LR success at the beginning of March in the Gyeongnam Shinmun Trophy where he finished nine-and-a-half lengths ahead of the subsequent Luna Stakes (Korean 1000 Guineas) victor Clearly Winner.

However Clutch Winner was awkwardly away as he shifted out significantly leaving the gates from his outside draw and then had to work to race in a forward role and had nothing left with 400M to go and that was when Brug Kingman set sail for home and put it beyond doubt. Amazing Khan, Wind Winner, and Binnaneungil chased him home with Clutch Winner folding late to only manage 5th. Interestingly his two defeats from his five starts have been when he has not led. The Masa Tanaka ridden Bart Rice prepared Northern Bid, 9.7 third choice, was another bitter disappointment as he was always towards the rear and failed to beat one home.

However, Tanaka and Rice combined for success one hundred minutes earlier when BARAM DAERO (Copper Bullet) landed 2.6 favouritism in Race 6 (1200M Class 4) by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Baram Daero chased home the impressive Road To Ace at his previous start but broke his maiden at the start prior and has now won two of his past three starts and will go up to Class 3 grade next.

Every other race on the card was part of multiple success on the card for either a jockey or trainer and Thomas Gillespie took honours from that perspective with a treble.

His trio of winners were all impressive and the first of those was classic aged filly GOLD POCKET (Indie Band) who led throughout to win Race 3 (1400M Class 5) by seven-lengths as the 1.4 favourite under Seo Seung-un and in doing so made it two wins from three starts with Yeoun, 3.4 second choice, chasing her home.

LIGHTNING FORCE (Air Force Blue) was too speedy from the front in Race 5 (1200M Class 5) under a 3kg apprentice claim from Son Gyeong-min and the classic aged colt will be up to Class 4 level now following his seven-length, theme of the day, victory.

WONDERFUL KAYLAN (Power Blade) completed the treble for the Irish trainer in Race 7 (1800M Class 3) and whilst she did not follow the Gold Pocket/Lightning Force trend of winning by seven-lengths she won by a decent space of four-lengths and just like the other pair led throughout. Her task to hold the front was made easier when the hat-trick seeking Sky Win Win, 1.6 favourite, was not as cleanly away as usual and could not lead and finished a never nearer 3rd.

Trainer You Hyun-myung had a double with WONDERFUL LALA (Shackleford) a comfortable three-length winner of Race 1 (1300M Class 6) before CAPTAIN DRAGON (Colors Flying) landed Race 4 (1800M Class 5) as the 3.8 second favourite defeating the 1.7 odds-on chance Hey Bro by two-and-a-half lengths.

The victory of Wonderful Lala was the beginning of an early riding double for Park Jae-i as WORLD GOAT (Keen Ice) followed up 80 minutes later in Race 2 (1600M Class 6) with a six-length score as the 3.5 second favourite.

The mares take centre stage next week with the KNN Cup (KOR-G3) over 1600M at Busan which concludes the Spring/Summer Queen’s Tour series.