Foreigners in Korea

200-Up Kurakane Heads High Performing Visitors

Ikuyasu Kurakane reached a major milestone over the weekend, when he became the first foreign jockey to ride 200 winners in Korea.

200 winners: Ikuyasu Kurakane (Pic: Ross Holburt)

200 winners: Ikuyasu Kurakane (Pic: Ross Holburt)

His two victories across the weekend, on Big Show on Saturday and Ms. Celtic Senior on Sunday, took the Japanese rider to 201 victories from 1711 rides across two stints riding on the peninsula.

Now 38, Kurakane originally came to Korea in 2007 and spent a successful 18 months riding at Seoul and Busan. During this period he won what remains his only Stakes race to date, the 2007 Nonghyup Trophy on Pilseung Giwon.

Kurakane returned to Seoul in April last year and quickly established himself as among the track’s top riders.

An exceptionally hard-worker in the mornings, he doesn’t get the biggest rides, but unlike many foreign jockeys here before him, he does get the numbers and when on a fancied horse, he generally converts it into the win. He currently lies 3rd in the 2014 Championship

His feat is made all the more impressive in that the vast majority of his winners have come at Seoul, a track where he is the only foreign jockey to have enjoyed even moderate success. At Busan, it is a different story although still by means easy for the visitors.

Kurakane’s license has been extended by 6-months, as have those of Busan-based trio Darryll Holland, Joe Fujii and Masa Tanaka.

Royal Ascot winning rider Holland is the KRA’s marquee jockey and after overcoming a challenging first few months, he’s now reaping he benefits, taking out another feature race at Busan on Sunday and is currently in 2nd place in the Busan Championship.

Grand Prix Stakes, Korean Derby and Oaks winner Fujii is just two places back. Tanaka too is a regular visitor to the winner’s circle. The “foreign jockey quinella” is now a very popular bet among punters.

In the barn at Busan things are going well too. After his 2nd place finish last year, Peter Wolsley currently leads the 2014 Trainers’ Championship in numbers of winners – ahead of even the Kim Young Kwan machine. Meanwhile, South African Bart Rice has made an impressive start with 5 of his 23 runners to date returning victorious.

Korea is still a very difficult place for foreign jockeys to ride as the recent experiences of Jerome Lermyte and Fausto Durso show, making the achievements of the likes of Kurakane even more notable.

Overseas Jockeys in Korea All-Time Top Ten

1. Ikuyasu Kurakane (Japan) – 201*
2. Toshio Uchida (Japan) – 138
3. Kanichiro Fujii (Japan) – 116*
4. Garry Baker (Australia) – 78
5. Narazaki Kosuke (Japan) – 68
6. Eiki Nishimura (Japan) – 60
7. Hitomi Miyashita (Japan) – 56
8. Darryll Holland (United Kingdom) – 52*
9. Martin Wepner (South Africa) – 49
10. Nozomu Tomizawa (Japan) – 48

* Still riding in Korea

Lermyte Looking For Busan Success

The lot of a foreign jockey here is not an easy one. And it’s especially not easy if there are 3 other foreign jockeys ahead of you when you arrive.

Jerome Lermyte (KRA)

Jerome Lermyte (KRA)

However, one French jockey is trying to overcome those odds. Jerome Lermyte made his Korean debut at the beginning of November last year.

While on first inspection his bottom-line figures of 2 wins since then do not seem especially impressive, new light is shed on them when it is considered that those 2 wins have come from just 22 rides and that he’s found the money with 10 of those.

The 24-year-old Lermyte started his apprenticeship in France in 2006, winning the apprentice championship the following year.

In Europe, Lermyte has ridden in Germany, Spain and Switzerland as well as riding 20 winners in a 6-month stint in Macau and 15 during 3 months in Qatar.

In total he has over 300 career winners, 20 of them coming in group or listed races.

Lermyte’s first Korean winner came for Peter Wolsley at the end of December but it is his 2nd, which was last Friday at Busan that may be more significant. That win came on the first Korean runner for South African trainer Bart Rice who Lermyte is set to act as jockey for.

It was a good ride, with the French rider getting the better of Darryll Holland in a tight finish. He’s going to need plenty more of those to help the Rice stable get established. For both jockey and trainer, February is looking like an important month.

Holland & Wolsley Clean-Up At Busan

The emerging combination of Australian trainer Peter Wolsley and British jockey Darryll Holland was in top-form on Friday with the pair combining for 4 winners at Busan.

Darryll Holland weighed in a winner for Peter Wolsley 4 times on Friday

Darryll Holland weighed in a winner for Peter Wolsley 4 times on Friday

It looked for a time that South African trainer Bart Rice’s debut winner was going to be the story of the day among Busan’s foreign contingent.

However, Wolsley and Holland took over, winning race 5 with 11/1 Never Seen Before (Ecton Park), race 6 with even-money favourite Bulpae Dongja (Purge) and race 7 with 2/1 favourite Cinderella Man (Southern Image), the latter an 8-length stroll.

They weren’t finished either as they returned to take race 10, with 8/1 Gaseumeuro (Pico Central) getting the better of a very tight finish with the Masa Tanaka ridden Sea Monster.

With Wolsley’s stable jockey Jo Sung Gon in Macau for the first few months of 2014, the Wolsley, Holland partnership is one that will be watched closely – by punters and rivals.

Yesterday’s wins took Holland to the top of the 2014 Busan Jockey Chaampionship with 10. Wolsley is joint-top of the trainers’ table with 7 alongside Kim Young Kwan.

* In Friday’s feature race at Busan, there was a welcome return to the winner’s circle for Gyeongbudaero (Menifee).

The 2012 KRA Cup Mile winner was 6th in the Grand Prix Stakes on his last outing in December and out-battled US import Donggeupchoegang (Bernstein) – to who he was conceding 7 kilos – to win the 1900M class 1 event by a nose.

South African Trainer Bart Rice Debuts With Winner

Bart Rice, who arrived in Korea at the end of last autumn, finally sent out a runner at Busan Race Park on Friday afternoon and he fond immediate success as that runner, Gyeongnam Sinhwa, won race 3.

Debut winner: Bart Rice (KRA)

Debut winner: Bart Rice (KRA)

The 37-year-old, who is the 3rd foreign trainer to be licensed in Korea, has put together a string of 22 horses since his arrival although – no fault of the trainer – they appear to be in varying states of race-readiness.

US import Gyeongnam Sinhwa (Keyed Entry) was himself making his racecourse debut and after being sent off at odds of 8/1, landed victory by a length under French jockey Jerome Lermyte, who was himself scoring only his 2nd win in Korea.

Rice’s other 2 runners on Friday were unplaced but his 33.3% strike rate will stand for some time. He doesn’t have any entires on Sunday and racing takes a break next weekend for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Four-Timer Fujii Leads Magnificent Seven For Foreign Jocks At Busan

The 2014 Korean racing season got underway at Busan today and the track’s foreign jockeys were on fire as they helped themselves to 7 of the 12 races.

Smiling: Masa Tanaka (left) and Joe Fujii (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Smiling: Masa Tanaka (left) and Joe Fujii (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Masa Tanaka kicked things off with victory in race 3 on 6/1 chance Bada Gangja with Darryll Holland getting off the mark for the year in the next with a 2-length win on Thunder Ray. Race 5 saw Joe Fujii get in on the action as he guided US-bred gelding Smart Energy to a 6-length triumph.

Local jockeys Park Sung Kwang and Kim Jeong Woong grabbed the next two before Fujii completed a double with an unexpected win on 19/1 outsider Uribong in race 8.

Winning: Darryll Holland (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Winning: Darryll Holland (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Holland wrapped up a double of his own in race 10, piloting Peter Wolsley’s Vicar Sun home before Fujii took over once more and snatched the final two races of the day on Queen’s Blade and Cheonji Jeonseung to complete a remarkable four-timer.

Fujii, who turned 30 on New Year’s Eve, finished 2nd in the Busan Jockey Championship in 2013, winning both the Korean Derby and Oaks along the way. For Holland, it was a welcome return to the saddle and the winner’s circle after being forced to miss last weekend’s bumper cards through suspension. Meanwhile the ever-reliable Tanaka was continuing the good form he showed last week when he won his first Korean class 1 race.

Saturday sees opening day at Seoul where it’s not likely to quite as successful for the visitors among the capital jockey colony. Ikuyasu Kurakane is suspended leaving Fausto Durso as the only foreign jockey in action. On Sunday there is racing at both Seoul and Busan.

Masa Makes Good At Busan

Masa Tanaka landed his biggest Korean win to date as he rode Sand Hi to a comfortable victory in the class 1 feature race at Busan this afternoon.

Masa Tanaka (Pic: Busan Ilbo)

Masa Tanaka (Pic: Busan Ilbo)

It’s been a good year for foreign jockeys at Busan with the remarkable Joe Fujii notching his 100th winner last month and Darryll Holland also regularly scoring.

However, while less heralded, the 29-year-old Tanaka has performed well too and has ridden a steady stream of winners since debuting in June this year.

The Japanese jockey learned how to ride in his homeland but with few opportunities for young riders there, moved to New Zealand in 2005 and ended up staying for 7 years, riding several big winners including the Group 1 Thorndon Mile in 2011 on 16/1 shot Booming.

Not knowing a word of English when he arrived in New Zealand, Tanaka now speaks with a broad Kiwi accent and eager to settle in here, has set about learning some Korean in Busan.

From his 135 rides in Korea to date, Tanaka has 24 winners and 22 2nd places. Despite only being present for half the season, he lies in 11th place in the Busan Championship and earned trips to Seoul to ride in the Minister’s and President’s Cups.

Today, after breaking from the widest of 12 gates, Tanaka kept Sand Hi (Stormy Atlantic) close before going away in the final furlongs to win from 4 lengths. It won’t go down as one of the jockey’s toughest winners and, if he keeps going the way he is, it certainly won’t be his last.

Tanaka and fellow foreign riders Fujii and Jerome Lermyte (Holland is suspended) are back in action at Busan tomorrow in a bumper 13-race card.

Bundling up: Tanaka looked like he was off to rob a bank at Busan today (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Bundling up: Tanaka looked like he was off to rob a bank at Busan today (Pic: Hiromi Kobayashi)

Busan Foreign Jocks Help Charity Auction

Ever wanted a pair of Joe Fujii’s goggles? No? Well, you should and now you can. Busan’s foreign jockeys have teamed up with Korean racing magazine “Seoul Gyongma” for their Christmas auction.

Clockwise from top left: Darryll Holland, Joe Fujii, Jerome Lermyte and Masa Tanaka

Clockwise from top left: Darryll Holland, Joe Fujii, Jerome Lermyte and Masa Tanaka

Fujii has donated the saddle he used when riding Gamdonguibada to victory in last year’s Grand Prix Stakes as well as Road To Prince’s saddlecloth.

The other foreign jockeys currently riding at the track; Darryll Holland, Masa Tanaka and Jerome Lermyte all supplied several pairs of signed goggles.

The haul up for auction at Seoul Gyongma includes Gamdonguibada's Grand Prix saddle

The haul up for auction at Seoul Gyongma includes Gamdonguibada’s Grand Prix saddle

Details of the auction will be in this weekend’s editions of “Seoul Gyongma” with all proceeds to charity.

South African Trainer Bart Rice Set For Busan

The newest addition to the training ranks at Busan Race Park is Korea’s 3rd foreign trainer. South African Bart Rice was officially granted a license this week.

South African Bart Rice is Busan's latest foreign trainer (KRA)

South African Bart Rice is Busan’s latest foreign trainer (KRA)

37-year-old Rice grew up in Zimbabwe and began working as an assistant trainer in South Africa as soon as he left school and worked for a number of trainers before striking out on his own in 2002.

Since then, Rice has trained at a number of tracks across South Africa and also in Zimbabwe, amassing a decent number of winners.

An all-rounder, the trainer has also moonlighted in show-jumping and as a driver in harness racing.

The arrival of Rice and his wife Pam, who will be his assistant, has taken longer than expected due to the lengthy process required to secure a visa. Now that they are here, the task of getting horses into their barn begins.

Isidore Farm, always great supporters of the foreign trainers here, have sent Rice his first two with Ecton Lass and North Sky moving across from Peter Wolsley.

Wolsley is the role-model for any frougn trainer coming here although it took the Australian two years to get established. However, two years was all that American Joe Murphy, the only other overseas trainer to try his luck here, was given.

Rice has been assigned stable 31 at Busan.

Durso Debuts With Winner

Fausto Durso enjoyed a good start to his time in Korea, riding a winner, a 2nd and a 3rd at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Fausto Durso returns after winning on his first mount as a full-time jockey in Korea

Fausto Durso returns after winning on his first mount as a full-time jockey in Korea

The Brazilian Jockey was in the Winner’s Circle on his only previous visit to Seoul, when he won the YTN Cup while taking part in the International Jockey Challenge in August this year.

It didn’t take him long to get back in there as his first ride today ended in a well-timed victory on 24/1 outsider Argosseon in race 6.

One race later, Durso managed 3rd on the much-better fancied Lion Galloper and was then just beaten into 2nd in race 11 on Sufficient Evidence.

Seoul’s other foreign jockey, Ikuyasu Kurakane, had another typically successful day. The Japanese rider scored 2 wins to take him up to the 50 mark for the year.

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow when the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup, the track’s premier race for fillies and mares, will be the highlight. While Kurakane doesn’t have a ride, Durso will be reunited with Choichoro, who he won that YTN Cup on.

Brazilian Jockey Fausto Pinto Durso Set For Seoul

Fausto Durso, who rode at the International Jockey Challenge in Seoul last month, is set to return to Korea for an extended stay after being granted a short-term license at Seoul Race Park.

Back To Seoul: Fausto Durso

Back To Seoul: Fausto Durso

The 39-year-old has spent the last few years racing mostly in Macau and was representing the Macau Jockey Club on his previous visit, during which he won the feature race of the event, the YTN Cup.

A Sao Paolo native, who racked-up over 700 wins in Brazil before coming to Asia, Durso has ridden more than 600 winners in Macau and has won the Macau Derby. He has also ridden in Dubai and Malaysia.

He he is winning the YTN Cup on Choichoro, reeling in Noel Callow on Dongseo Daeryuk:

The move is one of an increasing number of interactions between Korean and Macau. Seoul’s champion jockey Moon Se Young spent 3 months riding there earlier this year and Busan champion Jo Sung Gon is set to go soon. Additionally, Korean trainer Seo Beom Seok (also known as Kenny Seo) has set up a stable in Macau with 12 horses which he runs alongside his one at Seoul.

In other foreign jockey news, Japanese rider Ikuyasu Kurakane has been granted a 6-month extension to his license beginning October 1. Down at Busan, Britain’s Darryll Holland has also been offered an extension. Meanwhile, Joe Fujii, winner of the Grand Prix Stakes, Korean Derby and Korean Oaks during his time in Korea so far, is in the process of applying to the JRA in his native Japan.