Author: gyongmaman

Sinjin Gangja Dominates

The feature race at Busan Race Park went to form as Sinjin Gangja (2.0) took a comfortable four length victory to land the KRW 42Million, 2000 metre handicap. The four year old top weight took the lead in the back straight and as they turned for home accelerated away from Yeongwonhari (4.7) and Pick Me Up (3.2). Sinjin Gangja moves on to eight victories from seventeen outings.

Danny Craven notched his first winner at Busan with victory in race 8 on relatively unfancied Power Captain (15.9). Craven left his run late, battling to find room in a tight final two furlongs which saw jockey Yoo Hyun Myoung fall from the fast finishing Winter Invitation just as it looked like he had a winning run. Power Captain ultimately landed victory by a head from Alchan Sonyeo (27.0).

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Weekend Racing Preview

It’s almost the weekend already and racing starts at Busan Race Park at 13:00 on Friday with nine races. Feature event tomorrow sees Sinjin Gangja looking to return to winning ways after three consecutive second place finishes, topping the weights with Pick Me Up in a category 1 handicap. Yeongwonhari will also run in the 2000 metre race 9 off at 17:10. There is also racing at Busan on Sunday when the first of six races gets underway at 12:40.

Seoul Race Park has racing on Saturday and Sunday with 11:20 starts on both days. Saturday sees an average looking card enlivened by the presence of Hwangnyonsaji in the day’s most valuable race, the 1900 metre race 10. The three year old has placed in all his eleven races so far, winning five of them including the KRW 52Million New Year’s Race in January beating odds-on favourite Namchonuiijon, winner of last month’s Ttukkseom Cup. Sunday will see three beaten horses from the Ttukseom Cup up against each other again as Seonju Jangsu, Totoro and New Fighter all go in the weekend’s most valuable race.

As usual, there will also be a card on Saturday and Sunday at Jeju Race Park with the first of nine races getting underway at 12:20 both days.

Korean Derby 2008 – Busan runners

Five Busan trained horses are entered in the 2008 Korean Derby which takes place at Seoul Race Park on Sunday May 18. Headed by KRA Cup Mile winner Rainmaker, the Busan contingent will be hoping to do better than than the runners from Seoul Race Park did when they travelled down to Busan for the Cup Mile in April where, despite much build-up, the highest placed finisher was Sammuae in a disappointing fifth. We’ll have a full preview of the Korean Derby during next week, but for now, these are the Busan entrants:

1. Rainmaker – (6 races/3 wins/3 seconds) – Never outside the top two finishers and has won his last two, including the KRA Cup Mile.

2. Cheongnyenuigisang – (7/3/0/0) – After an indifferent year as a juvenile, the colt has a 100% record from three races in 2008.

3. Jeolho Chance – (8/4/1/1) – The filly was third in the KRA Cup Mile.

4. Ebony Storm – (10/4/0/3) – A mixed record but won last time out in a KRW 31Million handicap.

5. Namdo Jijon – (7/1/4/0) – The colt finished fourth in the KRA Cup Mile and finished second to Rainmaker in his previous outing.

Seoul Jockey’s Championship – Moon hits fifty

Moon Se Young’s victory on Sichuseon in the Netizen’s Day race yesterday afternoon was his fiftieth of the season, however, Cho Kyoung Ho managed to narrow the gap slightly to six after managing a double on both days. Park Tae Jong marked his return from a two week ban with three winners on Sunday and Ikuyasu Kurakane continued his good run of form with three wins over the weekend. Shim Seung Tae is in fifth place on 16 and Woo Chang Gu, the highest placed retained jockey in the list with 13. Jockeys retained by trainers are only allowed a limited number of rides each week so freelancers – of which there are 18 at Seoul – dominate the leaderboard:

1. Moon Se Young 50

2. Cho Kyoung Ho 44

3. Park Tae Jong 23

4. Ikuyasu Kurakane 18

Golding beaten as Angle Slam takes Cup

Outsider wins Gukje Sinmun / Sichuseon wins Netizen Day Race / Bally Brae beaten in handicap

18.4 shot Angle Slam won the KRW 68Million first prize in the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon with a half length win over Busan legend Golding. Golding started the race the heavy 1.3 favourite and sat at the back of the field for the first three quarters of the 1400 metre race while Angle Slam sat in the middle of the pack, Gu Min Sung making his move with two furlongs remaining. Sensing danger, Gu Young Jun quickened Golding and the six year old powered through the field like a train completing the final furlong a full half second quicker than his rivals – but it was too little too late as he ran out of track and Angle Slam secured a half length victory.

Up at Seoul Race Park it was also a major race day in the form of the Netizen’s Day Race. In front of a bumper Sunday crowd, a field of fourteen runners was led home by Sichuseon (3.1) in one of the most dramatic final furlongs of the year so far. With the early pace set by Cowboy and Bonny Bee, Moon Se Young found himself at the back of the field on Sichuseon and remained there until they entered the home straight. Looking boxed in on all sides, Moon asked for extra effort from Sichuseon and they threaded an impossible-looking route through the field hitting the front on the line to win by a neck from Wig (19.8 ) and Borkhan (41.0). Favourite Gangho Jewang (2.9), bidding for his third win in five races, never featured an finished a disappointing ninth. Sichuseon had to undergo a Steward’s Inquiry but no fault was found and Moon’s ride has to go down as one of the best in recent months.

After Golding’s shock defeat earlier, punters were relying on Bally Brae to deliver the goods in the feature handicap. however, it was a forlorn hope as, after featuring prominantly for the whole race, the six year old 1.2 favourite failed to produce his usual home straight burst and fell to a two length defeat to the Park Tae Jong ridden Saerounbisul (17.2) and Baekjeonmupae (14.8). Bally Brae was carrying 62 kilos, ten more than the winner and four more than second top-weight Angus Empire, who finished in fifth. After Bally Brae’s previous outing, Moon Se Young had noted his concern over the weight the horse was carrying and today it appears he finally reached his limit.

After yesterday’s lacklustre card at Seoul, it was a dramatic day at both tracks. With cool and cloudy conditions ideal for racing and bigger than usual crowds at both Seoul and Busan, a fine afternoon’s sport was delivered. Attention will now turn to the Korean Derby which is only two weeks away.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Seoul Racing Review

Nujindo took the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon with a three length win over Haengunui Bit. Only eight horses lined up for the 2000 metre, KRW 42Million handicap and Moon Se Young took 12.0 shot Saebyeok Dongja into an early lead which he held until the final furlong, Nujindo (10.4), ridden by Ikuyasu Kurakane coming by first, followed by Hangunui Bit and favourite Best Condition (1.9).

On a beatifully sunny day with temperatures reaching 29C, there was a larger than normal crowd, however, while the weather was wonderful, the card on offer was only average at best. There was a long overdue win for Triton (6.5) in race 7, finally scoring in his 13th outing, and also an impressive win by highly fancied Janggosan (1.4) in race 8. There were doubles for jockeys Ikuyasu Kurakane whose win on Nujindo was his second following Polaris (5.7) in race 1, Kim Hyo Seob on Tungilmunhwa (1.8 ) in race 5 and Chamgippeun (2.1) in race 11, and also for Cho Kyoung Ho who was back after a week’s absence scoring with Wonju Jangsa (3.2) in race 9 and Serendipper (2.9) in race 12. Unusually, Moon Se Young went through the day without landing a winner.

Tomorrow sees a better quality card at Seoul with the “Netizen’s” race and an appearance in the main handicap by Bally Brae. Meanwhile at Busan, the feature race is the Gukje Sinmun Cup. Racing is underway at Seoul at 11:20, Jeju at 12:20 and Busan at 12:40.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Busan Review – The Bee Keeper makes it four

Three year old The Bee Keeper made it four wins from four runs at Busan Race Park this afternoon with a comfortable three length win under An Sun Ho. Racing over 1600 metres for the first time, the 1.4 favourite never looked anything other than a winner in leading from start to finish.

The day’s fetaure handicap was won by 8.6 shot Patches of Gold, the four length win capping a remarkable afternoon for jockey Yoo Hyun Myoung who recorded four winners including three in a row on Bugyeong Sarang, Sainjeong and Haneul Cheonsa in races 4-7. In the day’s second feature, Perfect Champ (7.4) benefitted from dropping down to 1400 metres where he thrived in the early part of his career, and took a three length win over Milliondollar (2.2) and Luna (5.1). Racing returns to Busan with the Gukje Sinmun Cup on Sunday.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Weekend Racing Preview – Golding, Bally Brae in action

The weekend’s horse racing gets underway at Busan Race Park on Friday afternoon where the first of nine races is under orders at 13:00. There are joint feature races, a KRW 42Million handicap at 17:10 over 1800 metres with the weights headed by Dangdae Star and earlier, at 16:00, a 1400 metre KRW 40 Million race involving Luna, winner of the KRA Cup Mile in 2007 and Perfect Champ. Luna has a record of 10 wins from 21 races but has only run twice since her Cup Mile victory, disappointing both times. there will also be an outing in race 8 for unbeaten The Bee Keeper.

Busan’s main event takes place on Sunday when the feature of six races is the Gukje Sinmun (International Newspaper) Cup, a 1400 metre race for foreign bred horses with a KRW 68Million first prize. The biggest name in the field is Golding, the six year old with 14 wins from 27 outings dropping down to 1400 metres for the first time since April 2005. Golding will be up against a horse that was just three weeks old on that Spring day three years ago, Daejiui Yeosin, runner-up to Miss Ecton when favourite in the Segye Ilbo Cup in March. The three year old has 3 wins and 2 second places from his 5 starts and will be ridden on Sunday by Danny Craven. The first race on Sunday is off at 12:40 with the Cup race at 15:35.

There’s racing at Seoul Race Park on both Saturday (12 races) and Sunday (11 races) with an 11:20 start on both days. 2007 Grand Prix winner Bally Brae (13 wins from 20 starts) makes another appearance on Sunday, going in the feature handicap race 10 carrying 62 kilos, four more than second top-weight Angus Empire. The most valuable race at Seoul over the weekend is Sunday’s race 9, known as “The Netizen’s” race. Fourteen horses will go over 1400 metres for a KRW 53Million prize, the most interesting being the three year old Gangho Jewang with two wins from four runs and Huimang Energy, the horse with two white feet, who has won three of his seven outings. Park Tae Jong returns from his two week ban and Cho Kyoung Ho is also back after a one week lay off. There is also racing at Jeju Race Park on both Saturday and Sunday, race 1 is at 12:20 on both days.

Seoul Jockey’s Championship

With Cho Kyoung Ho and Park Tae Jong both absent, Moon Se Young was the only one of the top three jockeys in action at Seoul Race Park over the weekend, managing three wins to go eight clear of Cho. Moon was, unsurprisingly voted “MVP” for the first quarter and is on course to break Park’s 2000 record of 120 winners in a calendar year. Ikuyasu Kurakane landed three over the weekend to move into fourth place on 16 winners and there were victories for both of the female riders, Lee Ae Li and Lee Shin Young who moved onto 2 and 5 winners respectively. Lee Ae Li’s weekend finished early, however, injuring a finger during race 2 on Sunday.

1. Moon Se Young 48

2. Cho Kyoung Ho 40

3. Park Tae Jong 20

4. Ikuyasu Kurakane 16

Subsidy and Procyon secure comfortable wins

Subsidy stormed to victory in today’s feature at Seoul Race Park, while similar odds-on shot Procyon had it just as easy in the feature at Busan. Subsidy (1.4), carrying a monstrous 61.5 kilos hit the front as they exited the back straight, Moon Se Young pushing him on in the final three furlongs for a five length victory over Pocketful of Money (13.2) and the nine year old Value Play (33.2). Second favourite Obaek Yechan (5.1) featured prominantly until they entered the final two furlongs before fading badly to finish in last place. It was Subsidy’s 18th win from 28 races.

In other races, Nokhaji (2.3) landed a seventeen length victory for Lee Shin Young in the second feature, Luxury Queen and Eoullimgangja the distant second and third placed horses. Moon Se Young was the only jockey to record more than one winner, Subsidy adding to an earlier victory on Na Meon Jeo (2.3) in race 3. Moon had disappointment, however, on Hammer Punch in race 5. Dropping back down to 1400 metres after a bad run in the KRA Cup Mile earlier this month, Hammer Punch led early on but as the pace quickened off the final turn dropped back eventually finishing seventh behind Bulkkot Juja (14.7).

At Busan Race Park, Procyon (1.7) comfortably won the KRW 42Million race 6 by six lengths from second favourite Boryeong Bulbit (6.5). Australian jockey Danny Craven partnered Taehwa Janggun to third in the race, his first placed finish since relocating from Seoul to Busan. Earlier in the afternoon there was a fourth victory in seven races for the improving three year old Raon King (2.3).

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN