THE MAIN RACE THIS WEEKEND IN KOREA WAS THE CONCLUDING CONTEST AT SEOUL ON SUNDAY IN THE SHAPE OF A 1200M CLASS 1 HANDICAP AND WITH LESS THAN THREE-LENGTHS COVERING THE FIRST EIGHT HOME IN THE ELEVEN-RUNNER FIELD IT WAS KING HONOR who landed the prize completing a treble on the day for rider Kim Yong-geun (writes Luke Humphreys).

The consistent King Honor (To Honor And Serve) came from midfield to score at his very first attempt at the grade over 2.6 favourite Hansen Bracing with the ever-consistent Ziggurat in 3rd. One of the roughies in the field in Geosen Bangyeok looked the winner for most of the way down the straight before peaking on the run in the final 100M with Daehan Jilju, Mighty Look, Yongam Sesang, and J S Road, 4.0 second favourite, filling the next four places in an outstanding finale to the weekend.

The Oaks winner CATCH RACE (Afleet Express) bounced back to winning ways in Race 9 (1600M Class 3) with an effortless five-length victory as the 1.3 favourite. She had put the writing on the wall in the Luna Stakes (Korean 1000 Guineas) prior to her last gasp Oaks victory before being beaten in similar fashion to the way she defeated Clearly Winner in The Oaks when 2nd to Sunrise in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup. She never looked like losing and defeated co-favourites Namsan Belt, 7.7, and longtime leader Baro Danaeun, 9.2.

MUJEOK HAMDAE (Mischieviously) scored for Furkan Yuksel as the 3.1 favourite in Race 7 (1800M Class 4), one of multiple wins across the weekend for trainer Lee Shin-woo. Mujeok Hamdae was first up since the beginning of April when chasing home Gwanaksan Sky and came from midfield to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

TIGER BULPAE (Power Blade) broke through at the ninth time of asking in Race 6 (1400M Class 5) and justified punters confidence winning by two-and-a-half lengths as the 1.7 favourite. The three-year-old filly had finished either 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th in each of her eight previous runs but finally was able to better all those results and did it well. Kim Yong-geun was the winning jockey and that was the first of his three wins on the day.

The second of them was on BREEDO SIRIS (Improbable) who caused a big upset over Live Star in Race 8 (1800M Class 3). Live Star, who had bounced back to form at his previous run after being beaten miles in the KRA Cup Mile (Korean 2000 Guineas) and Korean Derby, was horribly away at the start so was not able to find his favourite position in front but whilst he did not have to use too much petrol to find a forward role without kickback the 1.4 favourite could not peg back Breedo Siris, who was the 18.4 fifth market choice, and finished a three-length 2nd. 

ROYAL HOPE K (Gaon Champ) extended his unbeaten record to two in Race 4 (1200M Class 5) with a gutsy victory for Jang Chu-youl and Moon Byeong-ki. The 1.9 favourite, who had won by two-and-a-half lengths over 1000M against his own age group on debut, was a bit awkward off the turn and was one of the first off the bridle but he knuckled down strongly in the straight to win by a head and should improve up in trip as well as with more racing experience.

The opening pair of juvenile contests were won by MIGHTY HIGHT (Cairo Prince) who landed Race 1 (1000M Class 4) by three-lengths for Ruan Maia at odds of 21.2 and overturned an eight-length deficit from the 2nd placed 2.2 favourite A.K Jun from their debuts, whilst K SOCKS (Race Day), following a debut 6th behind Royal Hope K, scored in Race 2 (1200M Class 6) for Kim Hyo-jung and Luigi Riccardi at odds of 3.7.

MOON HYEON-CHEOL HAD TWO OF HIS BEST THREE-YEAR-OLDS AT THE RACES ON SUNDAY AT BUSAN AND IN THE PRINCIPAL 1600M CLASS 2 CLUTCH WINNER made an impressive winning return despite being slow at the start as he was when turned over as an odds-on favourite when previously seen in May following his Listed victory in the Gyeongnam Shinmum Trophy in March.

Clutch Winner (War Of Will) had to be ridden up by Seo Seung-un and did find a forward role without kickback but was not able to lead outright. However, he showed a great turn of foot over the second last furlong of the contest to put the race beyond doubt and won for the fourth time in his career, his first when not leading, by three-quarters of a length. Clutch Winner was the 2.3 favourite and bounced back to his best over the consistent Pachamama, 9.2, who ran a fine race on her first run at the grade in 2nd with long-time leader Race Man, 6.9, in 3rd over Open Sky, 6.2, who came from well back as did Magarita for 4th and 5th respectively.

Moon Hyeon-cheol’s other three-year-old colt racing on the day was INDIE TIGER (Uncaptured) who made it four starts for four wins in Race 5 (1800M Class 3) but it was by far the ugliest of the quartet to date. He sat on the outside of longtime leader Gwangbokui Banseok throughout and only put him away in the last furlong, but the 1.2 favourite won well enough in the end by a length under Jin Kyum. Seobu Vision was 2nd a nose ahead of Gwangbokui Banseok with 8.5 second favourite Lime Tree in 4th.

LEMON TREE (Cowboy Cal) made it two wins from his last three starts in Race 6 (1400M Class 4) with both of those wins being under Busan’s best apprentice Nam Jeong-hyeok. He scored by two-and-a-half lengths at odds of 7.3 whilst other favourites All The Best, 3.4, Daegilui Kkim, 4.0, and Miss Sniper, 5.0, were all well beaten in 5th, 10th, and 11th places. All The Best was on pace in the run whilst Daegilui Kkum never looked like following up her incredibly impressive previous victory after receiving kickback in the run and Miss Sniper finished last after working to lead.

Lee Hyo-sik had a double on the card riding MORNING ARIA (Air Force Blue) to a one-and-a-half length front-running success in Race 1 (1000M Class 6) for the juveniles before following up on YURIM SKY (Overanalyze) in Race 4 (1800M Class 5) which won by five-lengths at odds of 34.6.

AT SEOUL ON SATURDAY THE FIRST TWILIGHT MEETING OF THE SUMMER TOOK PLACE WITH THE MAIN RACE BEING RUN UNDER THE LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE CARD AND THE PLAYER led most of the way to score by one-and-a-half lengths under Jeong Jeong-hee. 

The Player (Concord Point) had been around the mark in previous runs and proved too strong at odds of 14.6. More Than Joke, 5.4, was 2nd with the hat-trick seeking distance specialist Maru Janggun, 4.9, in 3rd. Last start eleven-length Class 3 winner Blue Piora, well backed late into 4.2, was a never nearer 5th coming from last whilst another recent winner at that level Royal Socks, 9.3, was 7th after being wide throughout. The 4.1 favourite was Flying Day who was always in the last trio of runners and struggled for the second consecutive start with a big weight. Winning trainer An Byung-ki was completing a training double on the day after winning Race 2 (1200M Class 6) with YEONDONG STAR (Musket Man) who fought back hard after being headed under a strong ride from Kim Hyo-jung to score narrowly from the front.

The other trainer with a double was Lee Shin-woo and her two winners were very impressive in CONCORD BLUE (Concord Point) in Race 9 (1400M Class 3) under Ruan Maia and ANYANGBITCHUISOKDO (Dynamic Dash) in Race 7 (1600M Class 4) for fellow Brazilian rider Andre da Silva. Concord Blue, who had run a fine 8th in The Derby in May, had put the writing on the wall at his previous run with an outstanding ten-length course and distance victory at Class 4 grade. He did not win but quite so far this time and Maia earned his riding fee as he had to steer him away from the eventual 3rd placed East Gangjeok early in the straight when Concord Blue had a couple of attempts to bite East Gangjeok. However, Concord Blue then got his mind on the job and scored comfortably by two-lengths over the in form 5.8 second favourite Club Q who ran a fine race in 2nd. The victory of Anyangbitchuisokdo came sixty minutes earlier and last year’s Rookie Stakes runner-up was very impressive stepping to a mile for the first time scoring by seven-lengths as the 3.2 second favourite. The 3.1 favourite was stablemate Geosen Daero, 4th in last season’s Rookie Stakes, who was 6th whilst 4.3 third choice Thunder Marvel was ridden prominently in a change of tactics from a low draw over the Seoul mile with the short run to the first turn and ran well in 2nd.

Anyangbitchuisokdo ran around a bit on Andre da Silva early in the straight but not to the extent that Loving Purple did on him in Race 3 (1400M Class 6) when she effectively pulled herself up at the top of the straight and subsequently unseated him. Brazilian jockeys were the story of the race with Franco da Siva riding CHEONMA NUBI (Thunder Moccasin) to a three-length success whilst 2.6 favourite Duson Life ran a shocking race only finishing 9th of the ten runners under Ruan Maia who reported to stewards that the horse putting on 16kg since his last race could have affected the colt’s performance.

Kozzi Asano continued his great form riding a double with the Tony Castanheira trained FLASH JUDE (Flashback) landing Race 4 (1300M Class 5) before JJARITHAN HAENGBOK (Maximus Mischief) caused an upset in Race 8 (1200M Class 4). Flash Jude, 3.3 favourite, produced a big performance after getting squeezed at the start by other rivals and subsequently being towards the rear in kickback and did a good job to get as close as she did in the run let alone get up on the line to land the prize over Bank Line, 3.7, and Nasca Bulchunggaek, 8.7. Jjarithan Haengbok was sent off at 30.6 by punters after being in the market in each of his six previous runs and he duly saluted and in doing so denied the punters popular pick in 1.5 favourite G Flex.

There were two very easy victors on the card in the shape of GWANAKSAN WINDY who produced an excellent front-running debut in Race 1 (1000M Class 6) scoring by ten-lengths whilst NICE WINNER (Race Day) landed punters confidence at odds of 1.4 with a similar front-running win in Race 6 (1700M Class 4) with his margin of victory being by seven-lengths.

ON FRIDAY AT BUSAN SHIN STAR ONE made it a hat-trick of incredibly impressive wins and only did even more to enhance his reputation as another potential star for trainer Moon Hyeon-cheol and owners Healing Farm Union.

Shin Star One (Centralcommand) made his debut on November 14 last year and twenty-four hours later was gelded. He then ran 4th on Boxing Day before resuming on May 29 with a 1400M maiden victory at odds of 10.0 coming from worse than midfield. He followed up over 200M further at Class 5 on June 26 before winning over again a furlong further in Race 7 (1800M Class 4) on Friday’s card. All three of his victories have been by six-lengths. Unlike the other three best horses for the Moon Hyeon-cheol and Healing Farm combination, Clean One, Knicks Go Won, and Saesidae Won, Shin Star One is a Korean bred. Shin Star One raced on the outside of the leader Cheonnyeondor, 9.8, throughout and drew clear in the straight. The big disappointment was World Dancer Cat, 5.1, who disappointed in the Luna Stakes (Korean 1000 Guineas) when fancied but ran 5th in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup. She was always out the back and finished last. Franco da Silva was the winning jockey on Shin Star One, and he was completing a double after success in Race 3 (1600M Class 6) on 3.2 favourite YEONGGWANGUI GREEN (Elusive Bluff).

Park Jae-i was the other rider with multiple success on the card after completing an early double with LAVENDER CROWN (Honor A. P.) in Race 1 (1200M Class 6) and OASIS KINGDOM (Uncaptured) in Race 2 (1300M Class 6). The former came from well back to win the juvenile maiden brilliantly on debut by an extending three-lengths, prepared by Park’s wife Kim Hye-sun, whilst the latter held off the challenge of equal 2.6 Art Tree to score by three-quarters of a length.

Two other impressive winners on the card were AEGIS CROWN (Shackleford) in Race 4 (1200M Class 5) and PACHOUI KKUM (Medici Glory) in Race 6 (1400M Class 5). The Bart Rice trained Aegis Crown had four runs in his first preparation before resuming in June. That day he missed the start badly and lost his chance but bounced back at his next start despite again being slow to go. He led throughout in this most recent victory to score by six-lengths as the 2.2 favourite under Seo Seung-un. Pachoui Kkum was 2nd to a subsequent winner on debut before winning next time around and followed up by three-quarters of a length as the 3.1 second favourite in her win on the card. The 2.0 favourite was the Franco da Silva ridden Bart Rice trained Brown Choco who was slow at the start after getting upset in the gate and never looked likely from there.

Next week both of the Seoul and Busan versions of the Rookie Stakes will take place with Australian bred South Carnival, impressive Luigi Riccardi prepared debut winner Kkumui Yeonsok and Hope K the three main chances at Seoul whilst impressive seven-length debut winner Seraph, the first victory for 2021 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide as a stallion, will be the main attraction of the Busan version.

Elsewhere across the weekend Doctor Chris and Yeosu Super Star are nominated for a 2000M Class 2 at Busan on Sunday whilst an 1800M Class 1 will take place at the Seoul meeting on the same day. Racing will also take place on Monday 17 August on the National Liberation Day Public Holiday and Luigi Riccardi has the smart Clutch Magic entered for an 1800M Class 3. Riccardi could be in for a good weekend because as well as Kkumui Yeonsok and Clutch Magic; he has Circle A nominated for the 1600M Class 2 on Saturday.