Myeongmun Gamun back winning / Miss Ecton returns with defeat / Supernatural maintains record
Yeongung Manse once again got the better of classic winners Rainmaker and Ebony Storm with a classy win in this afternoon’s feature handicap at Busan Race Park. The gelding went off 4.1 third favourite and from the gate vied for the lead with Ebony Storm (3.1). It proved to be a straight battle between these two in the stretch and having hit the front for the final time two furlongs out, Jo Chang Wook kept Yeongung Manse ahead for a half length victory. Mirae Cheonsa (8.5) came home third.

Punters had kept faith with Rainmaker despite his disappointing form since his KRA Cup Mile win and he was sent off 2.9 favourite. However, coming from the back of the field, Toshio Uchida wasn’t able to find a clear run quick enough to put in a challenge, Rainmaker eventually a fast finishing fourth. It’s four runs now without victory for Rainmaker although the quick finish would suggest that if he is better placed coming off the final turn, he may have some more in him. Conversely, Yeongung Manse how has four wins on the spin and, depending on how the handicapper treats him, will surely be favourite next time out. It was another good run by Ebony Storm, the Derby winner may even have just nicked it if given a few more metres.

Earlier at Busan, Miss Ecton made her first appearance since winning the Busan Ilbo Cup all the way back in March. Lining up in race 5, the filly finished strongly but was unable to catch wire to wire winner Passing Gear (9.8 ) and second placed Ima Firecracker (8.6). In finishing third, she did, however, manage to beat favourite White Bull (2.1). Meanwhile Kazuyuki Watase scored his second double of the weekend while compatriot Toshio Uchida suffered his first winless raceday since early July.

Fifteen handlers were required to get favourite Myeongmun Gamun into the stalls in the feature at Seoul Race Park. The recalcitrant gelding lapsed back into his bad habits on his first outing since finishing second to Baekpa in the SBS Cup. As so often in his career, connections had reason to be grateful to the handlers, however, as the seven year old went on to convincingly defeat a field of nine with 71 previous wins between them in the 1900 metre race. Jung Ki Young brought Myeongmun Gamun into contention in the back straight and the rest had no answer as he made his move on the final turn. Dashing Champ, who set the course record at this distance in June, got closest but the 2.6 favourite never looked in danger. Baengnokjeong, third in the SBS Cup, took the same position today.

It looked as though Dixie Vicar was going to end Supernatural’s 100% win record as the two battled it out in the final furlong of the 1400 metre race 9. However, Park Soo Hong asked the New Zealand bred gelding to find something more and Supernatural responded at the right time to get up by a length. The four year old Supernatural [Danske – Dance On Deck (Yachtie)] now goes three for three. Although unable to hold on, it was another good performance from the filly Dixie Vicar who was coming off the back of two consecutive wins.

The beautiful weather at both tracks ensured good attendances and although field size was disappointing in a number of races, overall both Seoul and Busan provided a good afternoon’s sport.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Favourites disappoint as Storm Rider takes handicap win
Florida Native and Namdo Choegang both finished well down the field as Storm Rider (6.6) won a dramatic final furlong battle in the feature handicap at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Storm Rider, under Seo In Seob, set the early pace and featured at the front of the field throughout the 1800 metre race but had to fight off a strong challenge from Jungnyeong (10.5), Cho Sung Gon bringing the six year old from the back to the front of the field in the final few hundred metres. The line just came soon enough, however, for Storm Rider to record victory by a nose.

Earlier on a wet afternoon on the South Coast, there was another win for the promising New Zealand bred gelding Dandi. The three year old battled to his third win in five races, taking victory by a nose in race 4. In the day’s feature domestic race, favourite Lucky Dancer (2.4) took his fourth win from his last five races with a comfortable three length win over Hammer Stone (21.2). It was a good day for Japanese jockey Kazuyuki Watase who landed a double to take his Korean winners tally to three.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Playing Politics beaten / Hongji takes Galsaem again
Third favourite Vicar Love tore up the field in the final furlong to claim victory in the KRW 63Million YTN Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The unbeaten Playing Politics went off the hot favourite at 1.8 and under Choi Beom Hyun was well placed throughout the back straight. As they rounded the final turn, however, Playing Politics couldn’t find his sprint and it was Shim Seung Tae on Vicar Love (6.9) who went away from the rest, leading home by five lengths from outsider Serendipper (33.8 ) and Milwaukee Special (9.5) with the favourite in fourth (full result below).

It was not a good day for favourites. In race 9, six year old Galsaem suffered another setback, going down to Hongji for the second time this year. Galsaem, sent off 1.6 favourite, jumped out of the gate and led through all four corners but as they wound up the sprint, first Nujindo (7.8 ) and then Hongji (4.1) went past, Hongji ultimately the quickest by just over a length. Galsaem is still without victory since her last outing of 2007 and it was Hongji’s first win since the pair faced each other in February.

By this stage many punters had already taken a batttering after highly fancied Captain Cugat (1.4) went down to Royal Missile (4.2) in race 7, however, there was some relief as the fast improving Hera (1.9) came home four lengths clear in race 8.

On a day when one unbeaten record was broken, maybe another one began as the New Zealand bred gelding Coleraine made his first appearance on the track since arriving in Korea at the end of May. He was sent off slight favourite at 3.1 but it’s unlikely the odds will be so generous next time as he bounced out of the gate and never looked back, the rest of the field trailing in seven lengths behind at the end of the 1000 metre race 5. Coleraine’s time of 59.1 seconds just half a second off the course record.

At Busan, there was a six race program and the Japanese bred Jilju Hara kept up her 100% record (1.4) with an astonishing fifteen length win in race 4. The three year old filly, by Dehere and out of Super Innocent, won her first race back in June by eleven lengths and surely has a interesting future ahead. Busan’s feature came down to a three way final furlong battle and it was Toshio Uchida on Distance Runner (4.9) who just got the better of Annika Queen (4.8 ) and Milliondollar (21.0). There was disappointment in the last as The Bee Keeper, likely to be hot favourite was withdrawn through injury. In his absence, Winter Invitation (4.6) took a narrow win from Honor Day (2.3).

YTN Cup Cat.2 (Handicap) – 1900M – Seoul Race Park, 17:30

1. Vicar Love (US) [Vicar – Canberra (Silver Hawk)] – 56kg – Shim Seung Tae
2. Serendipper (Aus) [Danewin – Coppelius (Pleasant Colony)] – 54kg – Cho Kyoung Ho
3. Milwaukee Special (Can) [Milwaukee Brew – A Bit Special (Rahy)] – 57kg – Ham Wan Sik
Distances: 5 lengths, 3/4 length

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN