A field of ten will line up for this coming Sunday’s KNN Cup Handicap at Busan Race Park. The weights are headed by Procyon (9 wins/14 runs), the four year old gelding looking for a fifth straight win although if he were to take the KRW 77Million first prize, it would be the biggest win of his career to date. Chae Gyu Jun rides. Second weight is Areumdaun Jilju (7/11), making her first appearance since February, followed by the less prolific Haeil (3/21) and Yeoin Cheonguk (5/26). Former star three year-old Mirae Cheonsa (9/17) also goes but is yet to place in five races in a to date disastrous four year old season whereas Seongsan Daegun (3/19) has never been out of the placings in six outings in 2008. Lower in the weights are two horses who won tidy handicaps last time out in the shape of Distance Runner (5/18 ) and Annika Queen (5/16). Rounding out the field are Hangryong (3/17) and Magic Moment (5/15). The 1400 metre KNN Cup is race 5 on Sunday and comes under orders at 15:35.
Author: gyongmaman
Good Day wins in the rain
Eleventh win for four year old / Uchide triumphs on Busan debut
Top weight and favourite Good Day (1.7) scored a two length victory in this afternoon’s feature handicap at Seoul Race Park to move on to a career record of eleven wins from 15 races. Seocheon Yangban (19.9) under Yoo Seung Wan made the running for most of the 1900 metre race which was run in heavy rain but Cho Kyoung Ho kept Good Day in second or third position thorughout before opening out the sprint in the final two furlongs coming home ahead of Highway Star (57.2) and Machine Gun (19.4) for the win. It was surprising second place for eight year old Highway Star who generally finishes at the back of the field in this kind of company. However, his sixty fourth race ended with his nineteenth placed finish.
Good Day was Cho Kyoung Ho’s second win of the afternoon, his earlier victory coming on Baekdudaeseong (5.0) in a competitive 1700 metre test ahead of Taesanjangnyeong (13.6) and Camellia (2.9) with one time Derby hopeful Sammuae (3.7) back in fourth. The day’s second most valuable race was taken by favourite Huimang Energy (3.0) under Choi Beom Hyun in a tight finish from Choennyoen Bobae (6.1) and Gamdong Yeonchul (47.3) with the first five finishers within two lengths of each other.
While it was overcast at Seoul, it was a little bit brighter at Busan Race Park where Japanese jockey Toshio Uchida made his Korean debut. Uchida finished last in his first race but quickly made up for it with victory on the Japanese bred Jangangja (8.6) in one of the day’s joint-features. In the other, favourite Today (2.8 ) recorded a three length victory over Byeolbit Jigi (21.4).
Saturday Racing Review
Outsider Hwanggeum Mulgyoel (49.0) took the feature race at Seoul race Park on Saturday afternoon scoring a two and a half length win over Bisul (16.7) and favourite Bandoeui Byeol (2.9). With Boo Min Ho on board, the five year old bottom weight featured at the front of the race throughout, taking the lead with 100 metres to go and winning going away. Further down the field in seventh was Netizen’s Race winner Sichuseon (6.5), the Moon Se Young ridden horse looking well placed as they entered the straight but never finding his racing gallop.
Earlier, Chamgippeum (2.5) had put in a strong performance in winning an 1800 metre handicap, but there was a surprising defeat for three year old K J Khan in race 9. The Yoo Sang Wan ridden gelding had looked unstoppable in his last two outings and was backed into 1.5 for his first try at 1400 metres. Well placed on the final turn, however, K J Khan found himself unable to find a way through the trio of Thermopolis (9.3), Code of Silence (47.0) and Secret Shoes On (20.6). Thermopolis, ridden by Shin Hyoung Chul recording his first win in twenty outings.
A slightly below average Saturday crowd for what was at best, an average card in hazy sunshine. Sunday sees a better card and better weather predicted. Race 1 is underway at 11:20.
Golding second again
For the third consecutive race, Golding was beaten into second in Friday’s feature at Busan Race Park. Starting the 1.6 favourite, the top weight produced a fast finish to the 2000 metre handicap but it wasn’t enough to catch Seonbaljein (11.0) who, carrying nearly ten kilos less than Golding, finished even stronger to take a four length victory going away. Gamun Bobae (9.7) was third, but Gukje Sinmun Cup winner Angle Salm (9.1) was a well beaten fifth.
Earlier there was a return to form for 2007 KRA Cup Mile winner Luna (6.6) who was surprisingly dominant in taking an eight length win over Hangang Jeil (14.5), with hot favourite Sinjin Gangja (1.4) a further two and a half lengths back in third. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday.
Holiday weekend preview
J.S. Hold won’t run / Angle Slam vs Golding at Busan
It’s Memorial Day on Friday and the first of the weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan Race Park at 13:00 for a nine race card. Feature race of the day, and indeed of the weekend, is a KRW 52Million handicap over 2000 metres which will see a rematch of last month’s Gukje Sinmun Cup first and second placings in Angle Slam and Golding. Earlier, Sinjin Gangja will head the weights in another category 1 handicap. Sunday sees a more modest six race card at Busan. Japanese jockey Toshio Uchida will make his Busan debut with four rides.
As usual, there are cards at Seoul Race Park. on both Saturday and Sunday with 11:20 the post time for the first race on both days. J.S. Hold, who had been entered for Sunday’s feature race will not run, with Good Day (14 runs 10 wins) heading the field of the 1900 metre race 10. As usual there is also a card at Jeju Race Park on both Saturday and Sunday, with the first under orders at 12:20.
With Friday being a public holiday, there should be a slightly larger crowd at Busan although it is predicted to be a cloudy, if dry day. Saturday and Sunday are also predicted to be dry with Sunday likely to see the best of the weather.
J.S. Hold to return on Sunday
Last year’s triple crown winner J.S. Hold is one of 12 set to line up in this Sunday’s feature race at Seoul Race Park. Final declarations will be published tomorrow but the for year old is scheduled to line up in race 10, a 1900 metre handicap.
We;ll have a full preview of the holiday weekend’s cards tomorrow but other than J.S. Hold, the highlight is on Friday afternoon at Busan where there will be a rerun of May’s Gukje Sinmun Cup when winner Angle Slam goes up against second placed Golding.
Sunday Racing Review
Haengbok Teukgeup & Gamun Gabo win at Busan / Brilliant Knight Debuts at Seoul
Fine weather and a big crowd greeted the first day of June as Seungyu Sinhwa and Happy Go took the joint feature handicaps at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. In the race for domestic bred horses, Moon Se Young on Happy Go (2.0) started at the back of the field, moving into contention on the back straight and then accelerating into the finish to hold of Slew’s Appeal (23.8 ) by a length and a half with Top Value (18.1) a further length back in third. In the foreign bred race, Seungyu Sinhwa (3.9) hit the front early, Kim Ok Sung having the luxury of being able to ease down to a three length win over Senlis (7.4) and Entro (8.4).
The unraced Brilliant Knight made his track debut in race 3. The gelded son of Lion Hearted went off the 2.0 favourite and led the entire 1200 metres coming home eight lengths clear of the rest. It was very much Moon Se Young’s day. Aside from wins on Happy Go and Brilliant Knight, Moon was successful in race 2 on Saerounhuimang (3.2) and in race 8 on Jingyeok (3.1).
At Busan, the feature race was won by Haengbok Teukgeup (10.0), Lim Sung Sil riding the five year old to a three length win over Janggun Sinhwa (8.5) and Soprano (38.1) with favourite Milliondollar (2.4 and second favourite Perfect Champ (3.0) well down the field. Meanehile, Gamun Gabo (3.0) stepped up in both class and distance in race 6 and took his record to four wins from five outings by the narrowest of margins. The three year old son of Bernstein led from start to finish but had to hold off a strong final furlong challenge from Alchan Sonyeo (8.1) who finished far quicker than Gamun Gabo but just ran out of track with Gamun Gabo taking victory by a nose.
Top Point comfortably beats Galsaem
Favourite Top Point (1.5) eased to a six length victory over Galsaem (5.4) in the feature handicap at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. With Cho Kyoung Ho riding, Top Point led from the beginning of the 2000 metre race and pulled away as they hit the home straight to land his eighth win from fourteen runs.
The day’s second most valuable race was won by second favourite Victory Queen (3.3) with a two and a half length over Borkhan (2.7). Moon Se Young followed up his win on Victory Queen with victory in the last on Easy Company (9.8). Cho Kyoung Ho was jockey of the day, however, with Top Point the second of three wins, Cho being successful on Jigwan (2.5) in race 7 and Seongpacheonha (2.3) in race 11. There were also doubles for Kim Sug Bong winning races 1 and 2 on Badasarang (5.8 ) and Kkum Ha Na (20.6) and for Han Sung Yeol with wins on Speed Lady (1.6) in race 5 and Charming Victor (6.6) in race 6. Race 6 was notable for an extremely close finish with Charming Victor taking a half-length victory but the judges unable to split Thunder Hill (1.8 ) and Irwolsin (20.3) and declaring a dead-heat for second place.
A large crowd enjoyed the beautiful weather with bright sunshine and temeperatures in the low twenties. It is expected to be slightly warmer tomorrow but still fine. Racing gets underway at 11:20 at Seoul, 12:20 at Jeju and 12:40 at Busan.
Hangye Geukbok wins at Busan
Hangye Geukbok (3.0) took his second straight win in the feature handicap at Busan this afternoon winning a tight finish ahead of Hwanggeumbit Taeya (3.8 ) and Wonder Love (7.7). The six year old sat right at the back of the ten-strong field with jockey Yang Young Nam waiting until they hit the straight before making his move, then powering home for a half length win. It was Hangye Geukbok’s eleventh career win.
In other races, the three year old Useung Party (1.7) made her third career start in race 3. The filly won by seventeen lengths last time out and stepped up to 1200 metres for the first time. She led throughout under Yoo Hyun Myoung and came home a length and a half clear of Myeongpum Jilju (6.5) and seven ahead of third placed Daehan Dolpung (12.0) to keep her 100% record intact.
Weekend Racing Preview
The weekend’s cards get underway at Busan Race Park at 13:00 on Friday afternoon. Feature race on Friday is a 2000 metre handicap for foreign bred horses at 17:10 with Crafty Louis (22 runs/8 wins) the tope weight followed by Hwanggeumbit Taeya (29/6). There is also a six race card at Busan on Sunday afternoonwith the first race as usual at 12:40. Feature is race 5 where Perfect Champ will be looking to make it three out of the last three and eight from a career of fourteen, taking on Milliondollar (21/7).
Racing at Seoul begins at 11:20 on both Saturday and Sunday. There are twelve races on Saturday with Galsaem going in the feature handicap at 16:50, the six year old mare still looking for her first win of 2008. She’s up against Nujindo, who won over the distance last time out and perennial handicapper Flying Cat. Sunday sees eleven more races, with a pair of average handicaps the day’s highlights. As usual there are also cards on Jeju beginning at 12:20 on both Saturday and Sunday. It;s hot and humid in Seoul right now and over the weekend it is expected to be dry and sunny with temperatures reaching 25C on Saturday and 27C on Sunday.
Horse Racing in Korea 