Today’s card at Seoul Race Park has been called off because of track conditions. Racing at Busan and Jeju will go ahead
Author: gyongmaman
Seoul Racing Review – Galsaem beaten in the rain
There was an upset in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon as Galsaem, starting at 1.3 was beaten into fifth place by outsider Cheonghae San (39.7). The eight year old, which had won 10 of its previous 54 races, moved steadily through the field before producing a fast final furlong to beat Star Wood by two and a half lengths.
Persistant rain overnight and throughout the day meant that just like last Sunday, the track was saturated which again resulted in a low crowd and tricky conditions for horses and jockeys. It was also a day of upsets as only one odds-on favourite came home in front – King’s Road, under ParkTae Jong in race 2. Shim Seung Tae rode 2 winners as did Cho Kyoung Ho.
Racing returns to Seoul Race Park at 11:20 tomorrow. Although the rain has stopped for now, showers are again forecast for tomorrow.
Busan Racing Review – Sinjin Gangja beaten
Boryeong Bulbit & Namsanui Jeonggi win / KB Soo gets third win / Seol DB rides treble
As noted on Horse Racing in Korea earlier this week, Boryeong Bulbit was the horse in form, and so it proved as the Cho Seung Keun ridden four year old made the most of a five kilo weight advantage to overcome 1.8 favourite Sinjin Gangja by a neck. Million Dollar (Yoo Hyun Myoung) led for most of the race but faded to fourth as Boryoeng Bulbit came through the field in the straight to land the KRW42 Million handicap at 19.7. Second favourite Mirae Cheonsa finished a disappointing ninth.
Earlier there was an impressive win for hot favourite Namsanui Jeonggi in race 6, Lim Sung Sil guiding the three year old to his third win in six outings in a dominant four length victory over 1400 metres. Jockey Seol Dong Bok rode three winners, the highlight being Huimang Messenger (8.2) in race 9 and there was a third Busan Race Park win for Soo Khoon Beng riding the wonderfully name Kkumkkuneun to victory in race 7 at 8.5.
Racing is back at Busan Race Park on Sunday at 12:40 with cards at Seoul and Jeju on both Saturday and Sunday.
Seoul Racing Preview
There are 12 races on Saturday at Seoul Race Park with the first underway at 11:20 with the most valuable race being the last, a handicap over 2000 metres involving Galsaem and Best Condition. Sunday sees 11 races, again the first under orders at 11:20. Temperatures are likely to be on the cool side of mild with showers a danger throughout the weekend.
There are also nine races on both Saturday and Sunday at Jeju, with the first starting at 12:20 on both days. Busan’s Friday and Sunday cards are previewed below.
Jockey Profile – Soo Khoon Beng
When Australian Garry Baker left Busan at the end of 2007, the track was, for the first time in its short history, without any international jockeys on its roster. Not for long, however, as January 24, 2008 saw the debut of Soo Khoon Beng for a short stint at the track. Born in 1974 in Penang, he raced in Singapore for nine years becoming one of the top jockeys at Kranji, Singapore’s only racetrack. He was champion apprentice in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and in 2005 became Champion Jockey. Also in 2005, he scored the biggest win of his career aboard Terfel in the Singapore Gold Cup. During his career in Singapore he had 2832 rides and scored 380 wins and 342 second places (source-Singapore Turf Club). He returned to Singapore in April after riding 5 winners from 34 rides. Here is his first victory.
Cho the nearly man as Moon pulls clear
Seoul Jockey’s Championship
Cho Kyoung Ho rode five seconds but only one winner on a weekend where Moon Se Young went 11 clear at the top of the jockey’s championship. Cho won Race 1 on Saturday but then suffered a series of near misses, notably on hot favourite Wind Rush in race 6. Moon Se Young picked up three winners on Saturday, including Bally Brae – after which he voiced his concern that Bally Brae was carrying too much weight in handicaps and was in danger of injuring himself – and a further two in the quagmire conditions on Sunday. Woo Chang Gu moved into double figures for the year and Ikuyasu Kurakane ended his recent lean spell with two winners on both days, doubling his year’s total to 8.
1. Moon Se Young 37
2. Cho Kyoung Ho 26
3. Park Tae Jong 17
4. Woo Chang Gu; Oh Kyoung Hoan 11
5. Chun Chang Ki 10
Racing Review – Miss Ecton takes Busan Ilbo Cup
Daejiui Yeosin beaten at Busan – Gayasanseong wins at Seoul
Miss Ecton (Yoo Hyun Myoung) won the KRW68Million Busan Ilbo Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon. The three year old filly timed her run to perfection to overtake 1.8 favourite Daejiui Yeosin (Kim Tae Kyung) in the final 100 metres to win by a length on the line. 17.1 shot Dongjjogui Bit (Kim Eo Su) finished a further length back in third. Miss Ecton started the 3.6 second favourite and Yoo was happy to keep her in the middle of the bunch until making his move as they entered the straight. Daejiui Yeosin hit the front with two furlongs remaining but Miss Ecton’s finish was too strong. Also at Busan, Admiral Reigart (4.0) continued his fine run of form for 2008 with a half length victory in a KRW42Million handicap. Admiral and Seonbaljein (17.4) both came from the back of the field to the front in the final two furlongs and it was the former that got the better of the latter on the line for a half length victory.
There was a tight finish to the feature race at a soaked Seoul Race Park but eventually 2.7 favourite Gayasanseong (Woo Chang Gu) took the honours with a half length victory over Baekpa (Park Tae Jong) and Haengunui Bit (Lee Dong Kuk). Strongly fancied Gi Ra Seong (Choi Beom Hyun) was backed into second favourite at 3.3 but despite leading for most of the race, faded in the straight to finish fourth in the 1900 metre race. Earlier in the day there was a 128.0 winner in the shape of Baramgatchi in race 2, one of the longest priced winners recently.
The much hyped Shaving Points made his racing debut in race 3 and didn’t disappoint those who had backed him into 1.3, cantering to a 6 length victory under Ikuyasu Kurakane. For the second day running Ikuyasu recorded a double, with a later victory on Somangi (8.4) in race 8 with hot favourite First Flower in second. Lee Shin Young continued her recent run of good form with victory in race 1 on Kkumcheoreom (8.6). Lee Ae Li also scored a rare place finish, coming in third on outsider Unak Tiger (78.2) in race 7, a race dominated by the impressive Vicar Love (2.4) which recorded a nine length victory under Woo Chang Gu.
Racing at both Busan and Seoul was blighted by persistant rain and there was standing water on the track making for dirty and dangerous conditions, which kept the crowds low. After winning on Gayasanseong, jockey Woo Chang Gu remarked that jockeys were racing blind most of the day and indeed the first two races on Jeju Island were scrapped altogether.
Seoul Racing Review – Bally Brae defeats Subsidy
Bally Brae comfortably defeated Subsidy in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Although Cho Kyoung Ho rode his usual aggressive race on Subsidy, taking the 8 year old into the lead on the back straight, Moon Se Young waited patiently before asking Bally Brae to quicken up in the home straight and winning far more comfortably than the one and a quarter length distance would suggest. Obaek Yechan (Jun Duck Young), which had been fancied to cause an upset by one or two of the morning tipsheets, finished in third with the three year olds Gamadongja and Baekjeonmupae, running in this kind of company for the first time, in fourth and fifth respectively. It’s now five straight wins for Bally Brae and thirteen out of twenty in total.
There was a win for Korean Derby hopeful Suseong TX, also ridden by Moon Se Young. Starting 1.5 favourite, he just managed to hold off Dunamjae for a half length victory in race 8. There was defeat, however, for the highly rated two year old Wind Rush, who was expected to pick up his maiden win in race 5, starting at 1.6. Under Cho Kyoung Ho, he was unable to catch second favourite Munsusa (Choi Beom Hyun) who started quickly in the 1000 metre dash and stayed away until the line.
Moon Se Young scored a treble, with victories on Suseong TX and Bally Brae added to by a three length win on Happy Call in race 9. It was good day too for the Japanese contingent with a double for Ikuyasu Kurakane, ending his recent winless streak on Daehwangbong (16.1) in race 3 and Juseon Jeonha in race 12. Nozomu Tomizawa also picked up a win, coming through with a late run on Win For Go (9.1) to take race 6.
It was an overcast but mild day and perfect for racing. The rain that was threatened didn’t arrive until after the racing. Tomorrow, however, the forecast is for rain. The first of eleven races is at 11:20.
Busan Racing Review – Perfect Champ dominates
Perfect Champ returned to form in the feature race at Busan Race Park this afternoon, leading from start to finish to claim a four length victory from All That Rush (5.6) with outsider Gwihon Seonmul (85.2) finishing a surprising third a further five lengths back, With Jung Si Won on board, Perfect Champ went off 3.5 second favourite and never looked like being beaten, the four year old moving on to a career record of 6 wins from 12 starts. Widaehan Bonneung went off the 3.0 favourite but, carrying nine kilos more than Perfect Champ, never threatened to challenge the leaders and finished well back in eighth place.
Seoul Racing – Subsidy and Bally Brae to battle it out again
Weekend Preview
Saturday’s highlight at Seoul Race Park sees rivals Subsidy and Bally Brae go head to head for the first time since the latter’s easy Grand Prix victory in September. The race, a 1900 metre handicap, is off at 17:20. Bally Brae will carry half a kilo more and both will be partnered by their usual jockeys, with Moon Se Young on Bally Brae (12 wins from 19 races) and Cho Kyoung Ho on Subsidy (16 from 25) . There are 12 races on Saturday with the first under orders at 11:20.
They get underway at the same time on Sunday too when the most valuable race out of the 11 being run is a handicap featuring last year’s Korean Oaks winner Baekpa and top money earner Gayasanseong, as well as old stagers Flying Cat and Haengunui Bit.
As previewed below, there’s racing at Busan on Friday and Sunday and down on Jeju there are nine races on both Saturday and Sunday with the first under orders at 12:20 on both days.
Horse Racing in Korea 