Australia and Hong Kong have named their representatives for the International Jockey’s Challenge which will be held at Seoul Race Park on October 4 and October 5.
Robert Thompson will be flying the flag for Australia. The fifty year old has recorded well over 3000 wins in his career. Meanwhile, 34 year old Eddie Lai will be the Hong Kong representative.
They will join Greg Cheyne from South Africa as well as jockeys from the US and Japan in the four race event.
Sunday is a big day for overseas bred horses in Korea with Seoul and Busan both hosting G3 races offering nearly KRW 150Million to their respective winners. Seoul hosts the KRA Cup Classic at 17:00 but first up is is the Gyeongsang-Namdo (South Gyeongsang Province) Governor’s Cup which will come under orders at Busan Race Park at 15:40. The race has attracted a number of veteran Busan horses such as Golding and Hangye Geukbok as well as younger challengers such as Florida Native and the three year Saeroun Bulpae. See below for a full list of runners and riders.
There are cards at Busan on Friday and Sunday with Friday’s action getting underway at 13:00 when there will be ten races. The first of six races is off at 12:40 on Sunday:
Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup – G III (Foreign) – Busan Race Park – 1800M – Sep 28, 15:40
1. Wonder Love (USA) (35/4/9/6) – Han Sang Kyu
2. Hangye Geukbok (USA) (34/12/6/5) – Jo Sung Gon
3. Angle Slam (USA) (34/7/6/8) – Moon Jung Won
4. Gamun Bobae (USA) (18/5/3/4) – Chae Gyu Jun
5. Deoksugung (USA) (29/6/2/2) – Park Sung Gwang
6. Hwanggeumbit Taeyang (AUS) (33/6/10/5) – Kazayuki Watase
7. Florida Native (USA) (19/6/3/3) – Jo Chan Hoon
8. Golding (USA) (31/15/7/3) – Toshio Uchida
9. Saeroun Bulpae (USA) (11/4/1/4) – Yang Young Nam
10. Miraculous Medal (USA) (31/4/4/2) – Yoo Hyun Myoung
11. Dangdae Star (NZ) (25/8/1/2) – Deryl Daniels
12. Gongnopae (USA) (29/6/4/3) – Kim Eu Su
13. Namdo Choegang (AUS) (31/7/3/5) – Gu Young Jun
This coming Sunday sees the G3 (local) KRA Cup Classic at Seoul Race Park. The 2000 metre race is a handicap for foreign bred horses and among the more prominent entries are the six year old mare Galsaem and the four year old Pocketful Of Money. The final list of runners and riders, along with weights, will be available on Thursday.
Looking further ahead, the season’s fourth classic, the Minister of Agriculture’s Cup will take place at Seoul Race Park on Sunday October 12. Horses based at Busan Race Park have won all three of the Classics contested so far this year and this week it’s been confirmed that at least two of those – Derby winner Ebony Storm and Oaks winner Jeolho Chance – will make the journey up to Seoul next month.
* Video of the JBBA race from Busan Race Park last Sunday is now available at Youtube. Please Click Here.
Minsokchum (3.7) landed one of the biggest pony races of the year at Jeju Race Park on Sunday in winning the KRA Jeju Cup. The four year old scored a half length win from Medaljeonseon (11.1) after coming through with a late run. The race was worth KRW 27Million and is one of the most valuable races to be held at the track on Jeju Island where racing is exclusively for the locally bred Jeju pony. A filly, Minsokchum has a race record of eight wins from twenty two outings.
Myeongmun Gamun beats Good Day / Jilju Hara beaten
There was a tight finish to the Donga Ilbo Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and it was four year old Geumsuni (13.1) who held on in the photo to win the Cup by a nose from Junior Shards (11.5). Quickest out of the stalls in the 1400 metre race was Yoo Sang Wan on Esteban but as they hit the first corner, third favourite Bonny Bee (8.0) took over the running. Always well placed, Kim Hyo Seob on Geumsuni took over with a furlong to run and just held off the fast finishes of Junior Shards and pre-race favourite Wig (2.6) to claim victory.
In other races at Seoul, Myeongmun Gamun (2.7) overcame strong favourite Good Day (1.5) in the feature handicap. Good Day, under Cho Kyoung Ho led from out of the backstretch, but Jung Ki Young on Myeongmun Gamun found more in the home straight to win by two lengths. Such was the dominance of the pair, there was a further eight lengths between them and Lee Ae Li on shock third placed Seungni Yongsa (212.4).
At Busan Race Park, there was a shock defeat for Jilju Hara. The Japanese import had strolled to victory in her first two outings and was sent off the 1.2 favourite in the JBBA race which was only for Japanese bred horses. It was second favourite, Lucky Guy (4.3), however, who went wire to wire, holding off Jilju Hara by half a length at the finish. Earlier there was a convincing return to form for three year old filly Useung Party. Last in the Oaks last month, she stepped back in distance and dominated race 2 with a seven length win.
After yesterday’s rain, it was a hot and sunny afternoon which was reflected in attendance at both tracks.
Favourite Gamadongja (1.6) led wire to wire in recording his second straight win over 1200 metres leading home Bally Brae (3.0) by a length and a half. Bally Brae hadn’t run in a sprint for over two years but had broken the track record on his only previous outing at 1200 metres, however, on a soaking wet track, both Gamadongja and Bally Brae were well inside that time. Cash Parade (22.5) ran on for third. The New Zealand bred Gamadongja moves on to eight wins from thirteen outings
The day’s other race of note was also won by a hot favourite as Noubeau Riche landed a category 2 handicap with an impressive late run to win by three lengths from Gangcheolgwon.
Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow with the first under orders at 11:20.
Areumdaun Jilju caps five wins/four seconds for veteran
Racing returned to Busan yesterday and Toshio Uchida underlined his domination of the track since his arrival earlier this year with his biggest winning haul to date. From ten rides, the Japanese rider landed five winners and four second places with only his ride in the last failing to trouble the placings.
As expected, Uchida took the feature race on favourite Areumdaun Jilju (1.8 ). Uchida opened his sprint as they rounded the home turn, the four year old Areumdaun Jilju running on for a comfortable four length win – his fifth of 2008. Namdo Jijon (5.9) just edged out Procyon (6.4) for second with Rainmaker, later discovered to have picked up an injury, back in fifth.
Racing returns to Korea this weekend after breaking for Thanksgiving last week and it looks set to be an eventful three days. Big race of the weekend is the Dong-A Ilbo Cup which is off at 17:00 at Seoul Race Park on Sunday. The 1400 metre race is one of the biggest races of the season for fillies and mares and has attracted a field including Samsimnyeonsarang, Challanhanbit, and Gateway.
There are a number of other big name horses on show at Seoul on Saturday and Sunday when cards will get underway at 11:20 with twelve races on Saturday and eleven on Sunday. Former horse of the year, Bally Brae drops back to 1200 metres for the first time in nearly two years in Saturday’s feature. The six year old holds the course record over the distance and will be up against the likes of Gamadongja, Baekjeonmupae and Dankee’s Pal. Myeongmun Gamun has satisfied the starter that he can be trusted to behave at post and the seven year old goes in Sunday’s feature, a 2000 metre handicap.
The first action of the weekend is, as usual, on Friday at Busan Race Park. The South Gyeongnam track hosts ten races on Friday with the first going to post at 13:00. There’s a double feature with handicaps for foreign bred and domestic bred horses. In the domestic, Rainmaker is given another chance to prove his KRA Cup Mile success wasn’t a fluke, but he’s going to have it all to do against a top class field headed by Areumdaun Jilju who has won five out of six this year. Also going is Procyon, the four year old gelding looking to bounce back after two disappointing runs at shorter distances. Namdo Jijon, who finished third in the Derby will be there too as will Annika Queen. Sunday’s Busan card is lower key with six races getting underway at 12:40. One novelty on the card is race 5, a race only for Japanese bred horses.
As usual, Jeju Race Park hosts pony racing on Saturday and Sunday and Sunday sees one of the big races of the season in the shape of the KRA Jeju Cup which is off at 15:55.
There’s no racing this weekend as runners and riders take a break for Korean Thanksgiving (known as “Chuseok”) which this year falls on Sunday. Cards will return to normal from next week with the first meeting being at Busan Race Park on Friday September 19.
Weekend Round-Up
Eoullimnyeongung, second in the Munhwa Sports Cup went one better at Seoul Race Park this afternoon, landing the Ilgan Sports Cup by the narrowest of margins in a blanket finish. The four year old gelding started the race the 3.1 favourite and held off Baekdu Jeonseol by a nose to take the KRW 63Million first prize. Free Woody (8.9) came third, a half length back. Eoullimnyeongung had been second in his last three outings and today’s win was the fith in his career.
After two disappointing runs, Subsidy was back on form in the feature handicap. The eight year old son of Mr Prospector took his 18th career win, but like in the earlier Ilgan Sports, it went to a photograph. Subsidy, under Moon Se Young was well placed throughout and hit the front on the line to win by a nose from favourite Dongbanui Gangja. Owner’s Association Trophy winner and second favoruite, Saerounbisul was back in fourth.
Down at Busan Race Park, South African jockey Deryl Daniels continued his impressive start to his Korean stint. Daniels guided second favourite Dangdae Star to victory in the day’s big handicap. The New Zealand bred gelding took his first win of 2008 by a length and a half from Seonbaljein (7.4). It was Daniels’ second win in Korea and he added another placing finishing third on outsider Sinsan (75.9) in race 1.
On Saturday, Shaving Points made his first since May following an injury. Things did not look right, however, as the three year old faded badly finishing last of 10. Saturday’s big race was won by long odds-on favaourite Secret Weapon.
Horse Racing in Korea 