ON SUNDAY AT SEOUL A LISTED RACE TOOK PLACE IN THE RUNNING OF THE ILGAN SPORTS TROPHY OVER 1800M FOR DOMESTIC BRED HORSES WITH NO HIGHER THAN A KOREAN HANDICAP MARK OF 85 AND THE INCREDIBLY PROGRESSIVE CLUTCH MAGIC produced his best performance yet with a gutsy victory for jockey Johan Victoire and trainer Luigi Riccardi (writes Luke Humphreys).
Clutch Magic (Uncaptured) raced on the outside of the longtime leader No Problem throughout the contest before putting him to the sword at the top of the straight. However, this was when the 3.0 favourite Musket Day, who had easily won the spring equivalent of this race earlier in the year, was launched by Jang Chu-youl to challenge and looked to have the measure of the three-year-old colt. But the 3.6 second favourite was not to be denied and determinedly fought back to win the prize by a head from Musket Day whilst Yongam Sesang, who was a further neck back in third, may have beaten them both in another fifty metres.
“I knew that No Problem was going to go in front and that he was going to want to stay there” said Victoire “so even though my horse has natural speed, I did not want to go too fast so that it would help the horses behind to get into the race. So, I settled in the second spot and Clutch Magic was a little upset at first to not be in front but then he quickly relaxed. In the home straight, I saw Musket Day coming on my outside and he may have even overtaken me, but my horse was able to give another effort, he has a big heart. Right after crossing the finish line, I was not sure if I had won but I was happy after finding out that I had won. He was a little bit lost when he ran in the Minister’s Cup, but he is gaining more experience, and I too am getting to know him better. Clutch Magic is a horse I have been riding since the beginning, so it is even more meaningful, and I have lofty expectations for the rest of this year and even next year with this horse.
Of the rest Eclipse The King, 13.3, came home in fourth, with Taepyeong Hero, 9.6, in sixth ahead of No Problem, 11.5, who folded for seventh whilst Sling Star, 5.2, was eleventh of the thirteen runners.
The day was a big one for both Victoire and Riccardi as they followed up in Race 9 (1800M Class 1) with another impressive three-year-old in the shape of American-bred gelding G B VAULT (Rock Your World) who enhanced his reputation as a stayer of the future even further with a six-length win as the 4.0 second favourite. Just like Clutch Magic did seventy-five minutes earlier G B Vault raced on the outside of the leader but in his case, he could not have won any easier with 2.6 favourite Pepper X, who was having his first run since finishing down the field when fancied in the KRA Cup Classic, finishing second ahead of Black Belt in third. The other favourites included Vics Go, 5.0, Hero Fighter, 8.6, and Zetta Master 8.6, and they came home in fifth, sixth and seventh. Riccardi was actually completing a treble of wins on the day as juvenile filly G B QUEEN (Hansen), who just like G B Vault is raced by Son Byung-seok, followed up her impressive five-length trial score with success from the front in Race 1 (1000M Class 6) as the 1.4 favourite under Kim Hyo-jung.
KOREAN DREAM (Echo Town) is a colt racing in good form at present as evidenced by his four-length on pace victory in Race 11 (1200M Class 3) under Ruan Maia. He started the 2.6 favourite and recorded his second career victory following a second at his previous run to the impressive Hero Cheetah.
Fellow Brazilian jockey Andre da Silva was in the winner’s circle thirty minutes earlier when WONPYEONG GANGJA (Purge) completed consecutive victories in Race 10 (1400M Class 4) as the 3.1 favourite by a half-length. Overall, it was the five-year-old geldings third career victory with two of them coming from his last two starts. His main danger in the market was Flutter, 3.6, who dropped out to run sixth after leading.
Perhaps the best juvenile we have seen this year to not yet run in black type company is SINGSING NASHE (Nashville) who was outstanding in Race 7 (1200M Class 4) as the 1.3 favourite. The American-bred colt had won a trial by thirteen-lengths in July before following up by seven-lengths on debut in outstanding time. On both occasions he had led, and this is something he could not do this time as he was slow to go and was out the back. However, he and jockey Yoo Seung-wan had only one plan and that was to go forward and by the time the runners were taking the turn they had rushed past most of the field to get on pace and had too many gears for their rivals from then on. He will now be up to Class 3 and with options limited for foreign-bred juveniles from a black type perspective it will be interesting to see where this very promising horse heads next.
Other winners on the card included STORM TROOPER (Cowboy Cal) who landed Race 2 (1300M Class 4) by two-lengths for jockey Jeong Woo-ju, trainer Jung Ho-ik and owner Eric Koh, 2.7 favourite RAPTURE (Nitrous) in Race 5 (1200M Class 5) for Ruan Maia, their cause was helped when 3.1 second favourite Highlight stumbled leaving the gates and lost all chance, the green but smart JECHUK SANJIRO (Shackleford) in Race 6 (1400M Class 5) for jockey Luis Quiroz and trainer Lee Shin-woo and two-year-old ECLIPSE EAGLE (Shackleford) which landed Race 4 (1200M Class 6) as the 1.6 favourite.
THE THIRD EVER MEETING FROM YEONGCHEON ON SUNDAY SAW AN 1800M CLASS 2 AS THE MAIN RACE AND HEY BROTHER showed what a good horse he is when he leads with an outstanding four-length win as the 1.7 favourite.
Hey Brother (Doraon Hyeonpyo) had been one of the favourites for the KRA Cup Mile (Korean 2000 Guineas earlier in the year following a hat-trick of wins and a second in the trial race but failed vehemently after receiving kickback. At his previous run a month earlier, he was able to bounce back to his best after leading in a Class 3 and came up one grade and did the exact same thing and never looked like being caught. Geuma Gutty, 5.9, was second with the consistent Honored Khan, 7.9, coming home third whilst Eohwadungdung, who is known as a renowned leader, did an excellent job to run fourth.
Kwon Sung-ju was the winning trainer of Hey Brother and he completed a double when MUJEOKYI (Hightail) led throughout to win Race 5 (1200M Class 4) effortlessly by six-lengths whilst that was completing a treble for apprentice Son Gyeong-min who had earlier ridden the Moon Hyeon-cheol trained BEST TIGER (To Honor And Serve) to success in Race 2 (1400M Class 5) which was completing a hat-trick of victories and did so by the smallest margin as the 2.2 favourite.
Race 3 (1400M Class 4) saw American-bred two-year-old colt Supex World start a 1.3 favourite following his outstanding debut victory in July but he was green leaving the gates and could never work into the race and only managed to dead heat for fifth in a race that was won by the 74.3 rank outsider PILSEUNG YEOJE (Rock Your World) which defeated fellow three-year-old filly Boryeonguikwaesok by four-lengths with the Japanese bred Smart Shamal in third ahead of three-year-old filly World Dancer Cat in fourth.
THERE WAS AN EXTRA MEETING AT SEOUL ON MONDAY AS THAT WAS THE SUBSTITUTE DAY FOR THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY AND A 1600M CLASS 2 WAS THE HIGHLIGHT AND IT WAS AN UPSET WITH 32.4 CHANCE GREAT STORM pinching victory right on the line from the 2.7 favourite Global Champ.
Great Storm (Overanalyze) came from well back in a fast run race and with the leaders walking late he was able to come home too well for Global Champ, who looked the winner, with Nano Masin in third. The other favourites were Tap Tier, 3.9, who was fourth with Remember Again, 4.5, only eighth and My Empire, 9.7, running a very disappointing last of the ten runners after being on pace but he did pull up with a breathing issue.
The admirable HYEUKMUSANG (Race Day) landed the concluding Race 10 (1400M Class 3) under Luis Quiroz by a nose over Songdang Hwangtaeja with three-lengths back to the third placed Grace Route. Hyeukmusang has now won three of his past four runs and is starting to build up a decent record.
The consistent three-year-old filly LOVE IN SEOUL (Army Mule) made it four wins from ten starts with a soft four-length victory as the 2.5 favourite in Race 9 (1400M Class 4). 5.4 second favourite Chaos attempted to lead throughout at her first try over seven furlongs but dropped out to be ninth of the eleven. The other favourites in the race were Mighty Shine and Geumjeoksan, both 5.8, who were third and fourth.
Progressive three-year-old stayer BEOLGYO ALADDIN (Enticed) followed up his 1800M Class 5 Korean Cup Day victory with another victory over that distance but this time at Class 4 in Race 7. He scored by the narrowest of margins as the 4.4 second favourite. The 3.9 favourite was Wild Magic who attempted to lead throughout but faded to run sixth and unfortunately injured her near-fore fetlock.
Yoo Seung-wan rode a double with GLOBAL CARD (Prospective) winning Race 3 (1300M Class 5) before SONGDANG SKY (Gemologist) landed Race 6 (1700M Class 4). Global Card was an upset winner over 1.4 favourite Surprise which attempted to lead throughout at his first run back from a long layoff, but fitness told in the final 100M for the Luigi Riccardi trained Nasca owned three-year-old gelding who had been so impressive at his previous run in January. Songdang Sky put the writing on the wall at his previous run, his first attempt at Class 4, when second to Jeongsang Hero and cutely got the prize as the 2.0 favourite by a half-length.
Brazilian riders had a race-to-race double with KLIMT WORLD (Klimt) a 39.0 winner of Race 4 (1400M Class 5) for Franco da Silva before Ruan Maia led throughout on 1.9 favourite BLACK MAMA (Chrysolite) in Race 5 (1700M Class 5).
B WORK (Race Day) looked as if he would appreciate the extra furlong in Race 1 (1200M Class 6) going on the way he had got to the line in both his previous solitary trial and race and duly roared away late to score by five-lengths at odds of 7.7 for Kozzi Asano and Tony Castanheira. The 2.1 favourite was Luna Socks who attempted to win from the front but came home in fifth.
SATURDAY WAS NATIONAL FOUNDATION DAY AND THE SEOUL MEETING SAW A 1200M CLASS 2 AS THE MAIN RACE AND IT SAW A SLIGHT SURPRISE WITH SPALTA and Kim Hyo-jung leading throughout from the outside gate to run their rivals off their feet.
Spalta (Mr. Crow), 7.4 third favourite, was reversing form with the second placed 1.6 chance Raon Florence from when they met in July and scored by one-length with Raon Florence never looking likely to peg him back. Spark Thunder came home in third whilst the other main player in the race was Mighty Joy who was sent off as the 4.3 second favourite following a victory over Concord Blue three weeks earlier and came home in fifth place.
Seo Seung-un rode a race-to-race double in the second half of the card with KING MASTER (The King) bouncing back to winning ways in Race 7 (1800M Class 3) before COWBOY SOCKS (Cowboy Cal) landed Race 8 (1600M Class 4). King Master, who had run an outstanding fourth in The Derby three runs earlier, was the 1.7 favourite and recorded his first win since March by one-and-three-quarter lengths whilst the Lee Shin-woo trained three-year-old filly Cowboy Socks was completing back-to-back successes following a victory in August and scored by three-quarters of a length as the 4.7 third pick in a big finish with Cheongsan Jilju, 9.6, Chocolate, 7.7, and Nunkkot, 3.5, all close up in second, third and fourth places whilst Flying Smart, 3.7, only came home in eighth.
Another hoop with a race-to-race double was Lim Gi-won who rode a pair of 1.9 favourites to success in INFLATION (Medici Glory) in Race 5 (1200M Class 5) and LUCKY JOY (Gemologist) in Race 6 (1700M Class 5). The Song Moon-gil trained Inflation produced a smart performance to score as easily as he did by three-lengths and get out of trouble after being tucked in on the inside and the three-year-old colt has now won twice from as many starts. Other favourites included Jeongmun Kingdom, 11.1, who was second, Silk Specter, 9.7, who came home in third, with two-year-old G B Ace, 3.7, in fourth whilst debut winner Teukgeup Gisang, 8.5, was ninth. The consistent Lucky Joy scored by three-quarters of a length fifty minutes later over third and second market choices Hyeokmyeonguijilju and Power Best.
It is not often that Luigi Riccardi trains a winner at big odds but that was the case in Race 3 (1400M Class 6) when 20.4 chance GWANAKSAN WISH ME (Triple Nine) got up late on under Kim Tae-hui giving the twenty-six-year-old her one hundredth career victory in the saddle. In the case of the four-year-old gelding his was recording his first win at start eleven. Myeong Powerful, Ilgeup Bisul and Geumseong Bulpae did the chasing whilst 1.4 favourite Legend Monster was sixth.
Two-year-old winners at the beginning of the card included SPECIAL SUNSHINE (Shackleford), who won Race 1 (1000M Class 6) under Johan Victoire, and MACHEON MAMA (Tout), who for Ruan Maia landed 2.0 favouritism by one-and-a-quarter lengths in Race 2 (1200M Class 6) following her second place on debut over 2.2 second favourite Powerful Mr. whilst STEEL MORE (Nitrous) led throughout to win Race 4 (1300M Class 5) by two-lengths following three minor placings from three previous starts.
AT BUSAN ON FRIDAY THE MAIN EVENT WAS THE FINAL EVENT IN THE SHAPE OF A CLASS 3 OVER 1800M AND JANGGO MAN scored by two-and-a-half lengths as the 4.3 second favourite making it four wins from seven starts.
Janggo Man (J P’s Gusto) defeated the consistent Champ Sonny, 6.9, with Tantan Daero, 8.3, in third ahead of the 2.2 favourite Powerful Battle in fourth who attempted to lead throughout but could not follow up his incredibly impressive nine-length Class 4 win at his previous run. Janggo Man unfortunately injured both sesamoid bones in his near foreleg after the line.
O.K. BABY (Old Fashioned) was another on the card that made it four scores from seven runs in Race 7 (1600M Class 4) and a hat-trick of victories on top of that with success by one-and-a-quarter lengths from the front as the 3.2 co-favourite under Masa Tanaka. The three-year-old colt will now be up to Class 3 grade and there is no reason he will not continue to progress. The other co-favourite was Legend Hit, the KRA Cup Mile (Korean 2000 Guineas) sixth placegetter from March, who finished ninth and never looked likely.
Franco da Silva rode a pair of impressive winners with the first being RED DEVILS (Purge) in Race 1 (1000M Class 6) for the juveniles. The 2.1 favourite followed up his neck August 27 trial victory with an on-pace success by four-lengths over 72.6 roughie Press Queen which ran home well for second with 3.0 second choice Winning Wild in third. The second winner for Franco came in Race 3 (1200M Class 6) with the Bart Rice trained three-year-old gelding JEONGMUNKEUNDAEBAG (Nitrous) which followed up a soft trial victory a fortnight earlier with success by six-lengths on debut as the 1.9 favourite and looks very smart. The second choice was Wild Jump, 4.0, but she was only eighth of the eleven runners.
Baik Kwang-yeol prepared a double which began with UNCLE PARK (Uncle Chuck) winning Race 2 (1000M Class 4), a foreign-bred juvenile maiden, by four-lengths as the 1.1 favourite under Seo Seung-un. The American-bred had had two previous runs for a third and a second and was too good for his five rivals. The other victory for trainer Baik was with another two-year-old in DOCTOR ATE (Hansen) which landed Race 4 (1400M Class 6) in the dying strides as a 2.2 favourite. The colt has looked every inch a stayer since day one and needed every yard of the seven furlongs to snatch the prize from the longtime leader Geumbit.
Race 6 (1300M Class 5) saw the two favourites run the Quinella but not in the order punters expected with 4.9 second choice WIDAEHAN HEART (Musket Man) proving too strong for 1.3 odds-on chance Ace Crow by four-lengths in a race that the pair dominated from the word go whilst YEONGGWANGUI HOPE (Testa Matta) was a comfortable five-length winner of Race 5 (1400M Class 6) for jockey Jin Kyum and trainer Thomas Gillespie.
This weekend in Korea sees Group One racing return in Seoul with the running of the President’s Cup over 2000M for domestic bred horses only at three-year-old and older. It looks set to be arguably the race of the year with the majority of the best horses in the country having been targeted for this race instead of the Korean Cup, to dodge Clean One who is an American-bred, such as Global Hit, Gangpungma, Success Baekpa and Speed Young whilst three-year-old’s Funny Wild, who was fourth in the Korean Cup, and Breedo Sol will also line up. Elsewhere across the weekend in the nation’s capital impressive last start winner Concord Codie could take on Live Star in an 1800M Class 3 on Sunday whilst an 1800M Class 2 is the main race on Saturday. Down south a 1200M Class 1 takes place on Friday in Busan and entries include Born Dia, Gangseo Giant and Jeulgeounyeojeong whilst a 1400M Class 3 is the main race on Sunday in Yeongcheon.
