Author: gyongmaman

Busan Review

Sinjin Gangja led from the start to claim victory in today’s feature race at Busan Race Park. The 1.8 favourite never looked in any serious danger as he recorded a two length victory in the 2000 metre handicap ahead of Hannam Daegyo (19.8 ). The four year old notched his ninth win from twenty outings.

There had been a shock in the previous race as Arch Racer, second in the Korean Oaks last month was sent off 1.5 favourite, only to finish third behind Silver King (25.3) and Locomotion (9.7) in 1600 metre category 2 handicap.

Jo Sung Gon was jockey of the day, landing a treble, while female jockey Park Jin Hee socred two winners. Racing returns to Busan Race Park on Sunday at 12:40pm.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Weekend Preview

Ilgan Sports headlines weekend / Shaving Points returns
The weekend’s cards get underway this afternoon at Busan Race Park with a nine race program starting at 13:00. Highlight is the last seeing a Cat.1 domestic handicap headed by Sinjin Gangja and Widaehan Bonneung.

Attention switches to Seoul on Saturday where the first of a twelve race card will be off at 11:20. Attention will be on Shaving Points, the unbeaten three year old making his first appearance since May in the Cat 2. race 11.

Sunday sees the feature race of the weekend in the shape of the Ilgan Sports Cup. The race for domestic Cat 2’s attracts a field of thirteen and is off at 17:00. Immediately after the Ilgan Sports, Subsidy will head the weights in a handicap, the eight year old son of Mr Prospector bidding for a return to form with what would be his eighteenth career win. Busan also runs a card on Sunday with the first of six off at 12:40.

Gambling Review Threat to Korean Racing

The government appointed National Gaming Control Commission (NGCC) is expected to make its recommendations soon and it could spell disastrous news for the racing industry in Korea. The NGCC was formed in 2007 to oversee the gaming industry in Korea with its mission supposedly being to protect the Korean public from gambling.

In August, the NGCC’s recommendations persuaded the government to double tax on casino operators to 20%. This instantly caused the stock of “Kangwon Land”, the only casino in Korea open to Korean citizens, to drop 15% – the maximum daily limit. Bloomberg quoted Kangwon Land’s rivals “Paradise Casinos” as describing the move as being “just like they are telling us to shut down shop”. Next in the NGCC’s sights is horse racing.

The primary proposal of the NGCC is to limit the annual revenue of the Korean gambling industry to a total of $12.4Billion. This would include the most prominent gambling methods of horse racing, lotteries and casinos and also cycle racing and motor boat racing which both have vibrant betting markets in Korea. Under the proposal, the Korea Racing Authority (KRA) would be given a revenue quota and would face stiff penalties if it was exceeded. Given that upwards of $30Million can be wagered on a good day at Seoul Race Park and Seoul, Busan and Jeju combined currently have upwards of 200 race meetings each year, the implications for racing are obvious.

Other proposals put forward by the commission are the introduction of an ID card for gamblers to track individuals’ spending on gaming, a ban on off-course betting, a reduction in races and a total ban on simul-casting. Although the commission is yet to rule specifically on racing, industry insiders are nervous with some pointing to the make-up of the commission as being especially hostile to racing. The NGCC has fifteen members, ten of whom represent civil groups with five more being government officials. Not only does racing have to worry about the unpredictability of those representing the civil groups who traditionally take a very hard line against any form of gambling, but also a majority of the govenment appointed members come from the Minstry of Culture, Tourism and Sport, who run the casinos. With the KRA operated by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, few voices are likely to speak up for racing.

Over the past few weeks, the KRA has been taking signatures from racegoers at all three of its tracks in support of the racing industry. However, given that the casinos had representation on the NGCC and still suffered, the outlook for racing is not good. In a country where racing, despite the well-intentioned efforts of the KRA, has never managed to shake off its reputation as having a negative effect on society, there is a great danger that it could fall victim to equally well-intentioned, but gravely misguided, government intervention.

Pick Me Up runs at Delaware

Pick Me Up ran in the $55,000 Overnight Stakes at Delaware Park on Wednesday. Racing on turf over a mile and a half, the six year old was unplaced in a field of eight on his US track debut.

UPDATED: The video of the race can now be seen at Youtube. Click Here. Hat-tip to fpop for the upload and the tip-off!

Busan Stewards’ Reports now available in English

In a big step for the Korea Racing Authority, stewards’ reports for all races run at Busan Race Park are now being made available in English as well as in Korean.

The move is one of the more tangible ones in the KRA’s plans for the internationalization of Korean racing which includes the annual International Jockey Challenge and the sending of locally bred horse Pick Me Up to the United States to race. It is anticipated that Seoul Race Park will be issuing similar English reports within the next few months.

Currently the reports can only be accessed via the Korean language version of the KRA’s official website, not the English version. Until this happens, the English language reports can be downloaded straight from the Busan Latest Results page of Horse Racing in Korea.

Triple Seven leaves rivals on the mat

Baekpa suffers shock defeat / Brilliant Knight wins again
Second favourite Triple Seven galloped to victory in the KRW 53Million Olympic Judo Race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Favourite Dangdanghan (2.7) bolted out of the gate under Lee Shin Young and set the pace through the back straight, leading the field as they rounded the final turn. However, Choi Beom Hyun brought Triple Seven through the field and edged in front inside the final furlong taking a length and a quarter win. Outsider Bareukaseu (34.0) recovered from a dreadful start to grab second in the final stride from Dangdanghan.

The race was run to welcome back Korea’s Judo team from the Beijing Olympics and gold medallist Choi Min Ho was on hand to present the prize. Beforehand, Choi himself was presented with KRW 250Million (about $250,000) for his exploits in Beiijing with silver-medallist Kim Jae Beom receiving KRW 100Million.

The other Choi, Choi Beom Hyun had to settle for slightly less prize-money, but nevertheless he had an exceptional day in the saddle, with Triple Seven’s win quickly followed by a battling win on Huimang Energy in the next race. The four year old gelding just held off Lucky Seven by a neck in an 1800 metre cat. 2 handicap. The 2.6 favourite has now won his last three and even though this was his first cat. 2 outing, looks likely to be facing cat. 1’s soon. The win brought jockey of the day Choi’s win tally to three having much earlier guided odds-on favourite Tiger Sox to victory in race 1.

In the feature handicap, the stage seemed set for Baekpa to continue her impressive recent form as she was sent off the 1.4 favourite. Things did not go to plan, however, as Park Tae Jong found himself slightly out of position as they turned for home in the 2000 metre race. At the same time, Ikuyasu Kurakane on Machine Gun found an explosive turn of foot to open up a six length lead. Park eventually found his run and Baekpa started to close it down but the line came too soon and the six year old gelding Machine Gun (26.2) recorded his first ever category 1 win in fifteen attempts by an impressive 5 lengths. Second favourite Natural Nine was third.

Last action of an eventful day saw exciting import Brilliant Knight extend his record to four wins from four races. The three year old gelding led from start to finish but had to work for it in the final furlong as outsider Rich Market finished strongly, Brilliant Knight [Lion Hearted – Deputy Lady (French Deputy)] eventually recording a half length win.

At Busan Race Park, the feature race was a cat 1 foreign bred handicap which saw a commanding seven length win by Dongbang Geona. The Japanese bred gelding hit the front early in the back straight and kicked on as they turned for home, the contest over well before the final furlong. It was the four year old’s eighth career win.

The feature domestic handicap was a chaotic affair. The 1800 metre cat. 2 race was delayed after hot favourite Daehan Dolpung fell inside the starting stalls bringing down Jeorin Jiyong in the next stall. Although both horses got up, both were withdrawn. When the race did get underway, new third favourite Katrina (4.1) was first over the line. However, the mare had spent most of the final furlong pushing second placed Seonggeong Gado (2.8 ) so far wide towards the stands, punters were scurrying for cover. Meanwhile, on the other side of the track, a blanket finish had the first six horses finishing within a length of each other. The inevitable Stewards’ Inquiry reversed the order of the first two home giving Seonggong Gado just his second win of a long career.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Gamadongja Sprints Home

Four winners for Moon as favourites dominate
Gamadongja dropped back in distance to land the day’s most valuable race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. In a rare non-handicap category 1 race, Gamadongja, who has never been beaten at sprint distances went wire-to-wire in the 1200 metre race 10 to take a length and a half vctory from favourite Pocketful of Money (2.2) who was running at the distance for the first time since 2006. Fly Queen (6.5) was a well beaten third.

Pocketful of Money was partnered by Moon Se Young and the day saw very much a return to form for Moon as he landed four winners. All were odds-on favourites and included a narrow win on Last Dance Buddy in race 7. The three year old colt took his second win and is yet to finish worse than second in five outings. Later on Moon also took the feature domestic bred race on Wontagui Gisa (1.7).

It was very much a day for favourites with seven of the twelve races returning odds-on winners. After last week’s perfect conditions, summer was back today with temperatures averaging thirty degrees throughout the afternoon. Sunday is expected to be cooler and cloudier with an outside chance of rain. The first race gets underway at Seoul at 11:20 and at Busan at 12:40.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Debut Winner for Daniels

Deryl Daniels landed a winner on his first day’s racing at Busan Race Park this afternoon.  The South African jockey guided four year old Nagase to victory in race 5.

The 31 year old Daniels had earlier scored a third place finish in race 3 on 79.2 outsider High Honor.  On Nagase, Daniels kept the 3.7 second favourite well placed as they turned and hit the front in the final furlong, running on for a half length win.

The win means that Daniels has matched Danny Craven and Chris Taylor who also scored winners on their debuts.   

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Weekend Preview

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan Race Park this afternoon with a nine race card beginning at 13:00.  Busan will also host its usual six race card on Sunday with the first going to post at 12:40.  Racing at Seoul Race Park starts at 11:20 on both Saturday and Sunday.

The most valuable race of the weekend is Race 8 at Seoul on Sunday, a race celebrating the Korean Olympic Judo team which the KRA sponsors.  Sammuae and Dangdanghan line up amongst a field of category 3’s.  Later on Sunday Baekpa will be in action in a cat 1 handicap with the likes of Natural Nine for company.  Jeju Race Park will also host its usual Saturday and Sunday cards.

New South African jockey heads for Busan

The KRA has announced the arrival of a new overseas jockey to be based at Busan Race Park. South African Deryl Daniels will make his debut this coming Friday. Daniels is 31 years old and has been riding for 16 years first in South Africa, where he was top apprentice in 1997, and then stints in Singapore, Macau, Dubai, Kuwait and Mauritius. He has 560 career wins and his record over the last three years is 826 rides with 54 winners.

Daniels replaces Australian Danny Craven who completed his contract early this month after spending 10 months riding first at Seoul before making a short extension to his contract in Busan. Craven finished up with figures of 151 rides with 10 wins.

Daniels becomes the second South African jockey to debut this year although Chris Taylor’s Korean career has come to a premature end with his decision to end his contract after less than two months. Taylor debuted at Seoul Race Park on July 5 with a win, but that was to be his only success in 17 rides.

Daniels arrives on a six month contract which will take him up to February 2009 and will line up for the first time on unraced two year old Magic Play in race 1 on Friday.