Author: gyongmaman

Janggun Sinhwa wins as big names disappoint

Rainamker third but Procyon last / Uchida in imperious form again
Janggun Sinhwa (6.0) took the feature handicap at Busan Race Park this afternoon scoring a two and a half length win over Mirae Cheonsa (12.7) with KRA Cup Mile winner Rainmaker (4.2) a further length back in third. Favourite Procyon (2.0), Busan’s top money winner in recent times made the running out of the gate and held the lead until two furlongs to go before tying up in the straight to finish last of the twelve. KNN Cup winner Annika Queen (8.7) never featured, finishing second last.

For Janggun Sinhwa it is a sixth win from eighteen outings and is the first for the four year old at this level. Meanwhile it was a welcome return to the placings for Mirae Cheonsa – the outstanding filly of both 2006 and 2007 who won her first eight races coming close for the first time this year.

Mirae Choensa was ridden to second place by Toshio Uchida who had another outstanding day. Following his double last Sunday, the Japanese jockey landed a treble this afternoon with wins in races 3,4 and 7 with two more second places. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday with the first of six races off at 12:40.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

SBS Cup Weekend Preview

Natural Nine vs Baekpa vs Myeongmun Gamun / Saerounbisul goes on Saturday
Sunday sees ten line up for the SBS Cup at Seoul Race Park. Second in the Derby in 2007 and winner of this year’s Sports Chosun Cup, four year-old Natural Nine (13 runs/6 wins) heads the field but faces two big name threats in Baekpa (18/7) and Myeongmun Gamun (25/14). The dominant filly of 2007 and the only female horse here, Baekpa was back to winning ways last time out, defeating Namchonuijijon while the seven year old Myeongmun Gamun has won more prize money than any other horse currently racing in Korea despite a fear of the starting stalls. Also lining up is Dashing Champ (29/7), the gelding who set a track record over this 1900 metre distance only last month and 2006 Derby winner Baengnokjeong (19/7). The race is off at 17:00.

Saturday’s highlight is a 2000 metre handicap for foreign bred horses in which Saerounbisul (17/6) will make his first appearance since winning the Owner’s Trophy last month. The four year old will start the marginal top-weight over Seoul Teukgeup (11/4). Racing gets underway on both Saturday and Sunday at 11:20.

Rainmaker takes on Procyon at Busan

KRA Cup winner and subsequent disappointment Rainmaker is back in action at Busan Race Park on Friday, lining up for a 1600 metre handicap against a host of well known domestically bred horses. Heading the weights is Procyon (15 runs/9 wins), the gelding suffering his first defeat of 2008 last time out in the KNN Cup a race won by Annika Queen (17/6) who also goes here. The first of nine races at Busan on Friday gets underway at 13:00. Sunday sees its usual six races with the first off at 12:40, the highlight being a foreign-bred handicap with Bugyeong Choegang (14/6) topping the weights.

Cho Kyoung Ho takes second quarter honours

The KRA has announced that Cho Kyoung Ho has won its quarterly “MVP” jockey poll for April-June. Cho got 46% of the vote ahead of Moon Se Young with 37%. It’s the first time since the final quarter of 2006 that one of either Moon Se Young or Park Tae Jong has failed to take the award which used to be given on a monthly basis. Cho last won the honour in March 2005 and will receive his award on Sunday along with Seo Beom Suk, who took the trainer’s category

Playing Politics coasts to three from three

Top Point lands feature at Seoul / The Bee Keeper beaten at Busan
Playing Politics maintained his 100% record in emphatic style at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Stepping up in class and distance to 1700 metres, the US born son of Outflanker cantered around the back straight comfortably on the shoulder of early leader Jewanguijari (13.8 ). As they entered the home straight, Choi Beom Hyun shook Playing Politics into action and the 1.1 favourite took the lead with a furlong and a half remaining, running on for a seven length win. The three year gelding now has three wins from three races.

On a hot day with temperatures hoverng around the 30 degree mark, the track quickly dried from the overnight rain and the feature handicap was won in predictably easy fashion by favourite Top Point. Moon Se Young took Top Point out in front from the start and had little to do as the 1.2 favourite cruised away from the field for a six length win with Heukjo Bisang (20.0) holding on for second. The four year old made it her ninth win in 14 outings and is yet to be beaten in six races in 2008.

Moon Se Young rode Top Point as a replacement for Cho Kyoung Ho who was thrown from Baekdu Jeongsang out of the starting stalls prior to race 7. That race was won by Little Pumpkin (9.6), Choi Beom Hyun’s second win of the day and he would go on to also take race 9 on Lucky Mountain (6.0). Moon Se Young also rode a treble with his win on Top Point sandwiched between victories in race 4 on Jeil Beonjjeok and in race 12 on Bonny Bee.

At Busan Race Park there was a first defeat for three year old The Bee Keeper. Stepping up to 1800 metres for the first time, the top weight started the 2.0 favourite and looked well placed as they turned for home. However, Hardride (5.6) had the faster sprint securing victory by a neck from Honor Day (5.6) with The Bee Keeper back in fourth. Earlier in the day there had been drama in the first race when jockey Cho Chang Wook was unseated from second favourite Yeoreumbi when seemingly in a winning position just metres from the line. With no horses nearby, there was no action for the stewards to take and favourite Magic Force (2.8 ) took the victory.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Seoul Racing Review

Gamadongja ends 2008 drought with first category 1 win
Gamadongja won his first category 1 handicap and his first victory in five 2008 outings in the feature at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. After making the early running before fading to a disappointing ninth over the same 2000 metre distance in last month’s Owner’s Trophy, Nozomu Tomizawa repeated the tactics taking the New Zealand bred four year old into an early lead. This time the 1.6 favourite never looked in danger and began accelarating away from the rest of the field at the two furlong pole to record a nine length win over Golden Arch (25.9) and Eunpa Manse (3.6). Gamadongja moves onto a career record of six wins from eleven races, the gelding winning five out of six 2007 outings and finally finding his 2008 form this afternoon.

In other races, there was a wire to wire win for Cheongcheonbaegil (4.3) who just managed to hold off Free Woody (2.6) in the 1800 metre KRW 30Million race 9 and a third win from six races for three year old gelding Dangdanghan (10.0) in race 8. Three jockeys landed doubles with championship leaders Moon Se Young and Cho Kyoung Ho joined by veteran Kim Ok Sung. Kim scored with Crown Carla (8.9) in race 2 and Dakota Royal (5.7) in race 4. Cho won on Bandoeui Kkum (3.9) in race 6 and Auckland Love (2.6) in race 10, the New Zealand born gelding winning for the first time in nearly a year. Moon left it late to record wins in race 7 on Robby Tiger (3.2) and in race 12 on Wontagui Gisa.

Chris Taylor had four rides but didn’t trouble the placings in any, coming closest with sixth placed finishes on Ungbiyeongung (13.1) in race 4 and Chaser (10.8 ) in race 12.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Golding / Gaeseon Janggun win at Busan

Two horses with a habit of finishing second in 2008, Golding and Gaseon Janggun, were back in form at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Golding left it late but after three consecutive second place finishes, the six year old was finally back in the winner’s enclosure with a final stride victory in the co-feature at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Starting the 1600 metre handicap te 2.1 favourite, but carrying significantly more weight than his rivals, Golding started the race slowly with Gu Young Jun bringing him into contention as they rounded the turn. Early leader and second favourite Dongban Geona (5.5) fell away as Oreumak (10.4) took up the lead with a furlong to go. It was Golding who had the faster finish, however, overcoming Oreumak on the line to win by a neck with Deputized Angel (34.2) six lengths back in third.

In the second co-feature, Yoo Hyun Myoung tried to repeat the same tactics on Jeolho Chance that had seen the three year old filly land her first major handicap last month as he raced to an early lead of the 2000 metre category 1. It was not to be today though as Jeolho Chance (2.8 ) tired in the home straight to allow another three year old, Gaeseon Janggun (3.6) to sweep past and to victory with top weight Sinjin Gangja (5.1) in second and Hannam Daegyo (18.1) third. For Gaeseon Janggun it was a third career victory following second placed finishes in both Classics so far this season and his first run since the Derby. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Weekend Preview – July 11-13

Golding looking for form at Busan / Gamadongja, Top Point and Playing Politics go at Seoul
The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan Race Park on Friday afternoon with a nine race card starting at 13:00. There’s a double feature with seperate handicaps for foreign and domestic bred horses. The foreign one is up first where Golding (29 runs/14 wins) seeks to return to winning ways after three consecutive second placed finishes. The six year old is going to have it all to do, however, as at 61.5 kilos, he’ll be carrying seven kilos more than the rest of the field. In the domestic handicap, Sinjin Gangja (18/8 ) heads the field along with Boryeong Bulbit (16/7). There will also be six further races at Busan on Sunday with the first off at 12:40.

Seoul Race Park has cards on both Saturday and Sunday with the start time 11:20 both days. Saturday sees a small field contest the feature race of twelve, a category 1 handicap for foreign bred horses with Gamadongja (10/5) heading the weights. On Sunday there’s eleven races with a similarly small field contesting the feature where Top Point (13/8 ) is the biggest name on show. Earlier in the day the three year old hot property, New Zealand bred Playing Politics (2/2) will make his third outing, stepping up to 1700 metres in race 6, three weeks after breaking the track record over 1300 metres. Jeju also has racing on Saturday and Sunday starting at 12:20.

The second weekend of July is usually the start of evening racing at Seoul Race Park when, to avoid the worst of the heat, racing would start in the middle of the afternoon and continue until late into the evening. This year, however, for the first time since racing moved to Gwacheon twenty years ago, the KRA has decided not to hold night racing, citing the need to save energy as its reason. Post time for the first race will therefore continue to be 11:20am

Natural Nine and Baekpa entered for SBS

Four year olds Natural Nine – runner-up in the 2007 Derby and winner of this year’s Sports Chosun Cup and Baekpa, winner of the 2007 Oaks and recent conqueror of Namchonuijijon are both entered for the SBS Cup which takes place at Seoul Race Park on Sunday July 20. Also among only eight entries is the seven year old Myeongmun Gamun, winner of the 2007 President’s Cup and a horse that has never been out of the money in his 25 races amassing nearly KRW 1 Billion in prizes. It will be Myeongmun Gamun’s first outing since being forcibly withdrawn when long odds-on favourite for refusing to enter the stalls in a handicap in May. We’ll have the full line-up once the field has been confirmed this time next week.

Samsimnyeonsarang lands Sports Seoul

Second favourite takes fillies’ Cup / Namchonuijijon beaten again
Samsimnyeonsarang (4.4) won a hard fought home straight duel with favourite Daehyo (2.4) to land the KRW 63Million Sports Seoul Cup, one of the biggest fillies races of the season leading up to the Korean Oaks. Having disappointed in the two Colt’s Classics in her two previous outings, Samsimnyeonsarang, ridden by Lee Dong Kuk, set the early pace while Park Tae Jong on Daehyo sat towards the back of the twelve-strong field. Park made his move as they kicked for home and Daehyo looked to be best placed as they hit the furlong pole. Samsimnyeonsarang, however, had energy in reserve and regained the lead in the final 100 metres to win by a length with Daehyo just holding off the fast-finishing Baram Queen (6.5) for second.

Namchonuijijon was back in action in race 10 with connections looking to bounce back from the four year old’s shock defeat at the hands of Baekpa last month. That defeat is not looking so shocking anymore though as the 1.3 favourite never featured finishing a well beaten fifth behind six-year old mare Jeongtongseong (17.2). Second in the Oaks in 2005, Jeongtongseong had won just one of her five starts in 2008 up to today but she started quickly and kept on the shoulder of pace-setter Seocheon Yangban (53.3) until taking up the lead as they rounded the final turn. As Shin Hyoung Chul tried in vain to get a run out of Namchonuijijon, Nujindo (15.6) was the biggest danger, but Cho Kyoung Ho was able to keep Jeontongseong in front for a length and a half win with Northern Victor (11.5) in third. Namchonuijijon finished fifth. Being beaten by Baekpa was excused by virtue of Baekpa being a very fine horse – this time four old-stagers beat the horse many predicted to be the star-performer of 2008.

Cho Kyoung Ho and Moon Se Young both scored doubles but it was a tougher day for Chris Taylor. Following his debut win yesterday, he opened with a fifth placed finish on Jiljuyuhok (29.0) in race 1 but things went downhill from there with Silent Flirt (219.8 ) in race 3 finishing last and the horse later being banned form running for two months. This was followed by riding Balgeunhuimang (20.2) to ninth in race 4 and then, in race 7, the moderately fancied Gangcheonsan (22.1) refused to run when the stalls were opened. Eventually, the horse cantered round the track 30 seconds behind the field in a race which was won by Won Jung Il on 102.6 outsider Black Pumpkin. No fault was attached to Taylor for the performance of either Silent Flirt or Gangcheonsan which also received a two month ban for further schooling.

At Busan Race Park there was a first win for another new overseas jockey with Japanese rider Kazuyuki Watase guiding three year old Thor (3.5) to victory in race 1. Watase made his debut on Friday and he wasn’t the only Japanese jockey in the winner’s enclosure this afternoon as Toshio Uchida landed race 5 on Yongdu Baram (4,6). Feature race at Busan was won by second favourite Gongnopae (5.8 ), half a length in front of Storm Rider (82.3) and favourite Gamun Bobae (3.9).

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN