Foreigners in Korea

Seoul International Jockey Challenge: Day 1 Preview

Macao Jockey Club Cup and Horse Racing Ireland Trophy Feature on Day 1

The 2013 Seoul International jockey challenge gets underway at Seoul Race Park on Saturday. Of the 9 races on the card, two are part of the challenge; the Macao Jockey Club Cup and the Horse Racing Ireland Trophy. Here is a run down of the fields for those races:

Macao Jockey Club Cup – Seoul Race Park (Race 6) – 1300M – Aug 10, 17:40

1. Victory Dancer (18/2/3/1) – Noel Callow
2. Hayan Nuri (14/2/3/0) – Niall McCullagh
3. Sen Tank (9/2/2/4) – Jo In Kwen
4. Blue Camp (8/3/2/1) – Fausto Pinto
5. Daebagyeonchul (13/3/0/1) – Shinichiro Akiyama
6. Black Swan (15/3/2/2) – Park Tae Jong
7. Changcheon (11/2/3/2) – Moon Se Young
8. Geomtan (9/3/2/1) – Raymond Danielson
9. S-Way (11/3/1/0) – Jo Sung Gon
10. Cheolli Gisang (19/1/5/3) Seo Seung Un
11. McKenzie Boy (11/3/1/2) – Yucel Bilik
12. Last Mudae (16/2/4/2) – You Hyun Myung

No stand-outs in this competetive opener although Geomtan comes into the race with the best recent form. Black Swan beat a number of his rivals here when winning last time out, while there should also be support for Blue Camp, S-Way and Derby also-ran Last Mudae.

Horse Racing Ireland Trophy – Seoul Race Park (Race 8) – 1400M – August 10, 19:10

1. Bukdaepung (13/4/2/0) – Fausto Durso
2. Geuma Queen (17/3/2/3) – Noel Callow
3. Chongal Gongju (15/2/4/0) – You Hyun Myung
4. Onnuri Plaza (15/4/0/4) – Niall McCullagh
5. Victory Camp (37/4/1/3) – Shinichiro Akiyama
6. January Queen (18/5/1/0) – Seo Seung Un
7. Eutteum Khan (16/4/2/1) – Moon Se Young
8. Chiming Vicar (14/4/2/1) – Raymond Danielson
9. Blue Band Zet (35/3/3/3) – Jo Sung Gon
10. Suho Cheonsa (31/2/4/4) – Park Tae Jong
11. Yeoui Gold (15/5/3/1) – Jo In Kwen
12. Dangchan Miso (23/5/2/1) – Yucel Bilik

A lot of horses here who have struggled to really make an impression since reaching class 2 and many will welcome dropping back in distance to 7 furlongs. Dangchan Miso holds a recent victory over many of those who run here but finished behind probable favourite Yeoui Gold last run. Eutteum Khan, Bukdaepung and January Queen will also have backers.

There are 9 races in total at Seoul on Saturday with the first at 13:00 and the last at 19:40. There is also racing on Jeju Island. On Sunday only Seoul runs with 14 races from 13:00 to 19:40.

Seoul International Jockey Challenge 2013: The Home Team

We’ve already taken a look at the jockeys who will be visiting Korea to make up the Rest Of The World team in this weekend’s Seoul International Jockey Challenge, now it’s time to examine the home team.

Moon Se Young

Moon Se Young

Moon Se Young: The reigning champion jockey at Seoul, Moon has won just about every big race going in his 12-year career to date including the Korean Derby and Grand Prix Stakes.

Second on the all-time Korean winners’ list with nearly 900 wins. Earlier this year, Moon spent a successful 3 months riding in Macao and despite giving his rivals such a head start, is already up to 3rd in the 2013 championship at home

Park Tae Jong

Park Tae Jong

Park Tae Jong: The only jockey to have ridden more winners than Moon Se Young, Park is also perhaps the only jockey to be known by the wider Korean public.

In his 26 years in the saddle, he’s ridden nearly 2,000 winners (from just 11,000 rides) and has won pretty much all there is to win in Korea. Korean Oaks aside, if he’s not won it, no-one has.

Jo In Kwen

Jo In Kwen

Jo In Kwen: One of the new generation of jockeys who benefitted from the KRA’s improved training during the last few years, Jo In Kwen debuted in 2008 and currently leads the 2013 standing with 62 winners.

Only three Stakes wins to date but very talented and is expected to go on to become one of the dominant jockeys of the next decade in Korea.

Seo Seung Un

Seo Seung Un

Seo Seung Un: He burst onto the scene in 2011 riding 2 winners on his debut weekend. He then went to the USA for further training, riding 2 winners in the process. He participated in the Asia Young Guns Challenge in Macao last year.

Seo rode out his apprentice claim in a Korean record time and, while yet to secure the really big rides, currently lies 2nd in the 2013 championship.

Jo Sung Gon

Dangdae Bulpae and Jo Sung Gon will look for a 2nd consecutive Busan Metropolitan

Jo Sung Gon: Busan’s champion jockey will travel to Seoul for the event and when he comes to the capital, Jo Sung Gon usually wins. That’s because he’s usually partnering Dangdae Bulpae, who’s won more Stakes races than any other Korean horse.

He won’t be on him this time but Jo is considered by some observers to be the most talented local jockey at either Seoul or Busan and is currently running away with the 2013 Busan championship.

Yoo Hyun Myung

Yoo Hyun Myung

Yoo Hyun Myung: Another Busan jockey completes the home team. Yoo Hyun Myung won the Grand Prix Stakes on Mister Park at Seoul in 2010 and has been consistently among Busan’s top riders for the last few years. He comes into the event in good form.

All jockeys will compete in four races over the weekend, culminating in the YTN Cup on Sunday evening. Rides will be allocated by a draw which will take place at Declarations on Thursday afternoon at Seoul Racecourse.

Noel Callow Among 6 Riders Headed For Seoul International Jockey Challenge

While Seoul is dark this weekend, next week sees the first of two big events with an international flavour at the capital track.

On September 1, the SBS Goodwill Cup will involve 3 horses visiting from Japan – the first time foreign trained horses will have run in Korea. First up though on August 10 and 11 is the annual Seoul International Jockey Challenge when 6 visitors will take on 6 locals in the Jockey Challenge over 4 races culminating in the YTN Cup.

A strong line-up has been secured this year. Here is a run-down of the international team:

Niall McCullagh

Niall McCullagh

Niall McCullagh (Ireland) – Returning to Seoul after taking part in the 2010 event, the 44-year-old has been a consistent performer in his native Ireland for over 20 years.

Since his last trip to the Korean capital, he has secured the biggest prize of his career, guiding Royal Diamond to victory in the 2012 Irish St.Leger. Watch the race here.

Noel Callow

Noel Callow

Noel Callow (Australia – representing Malaysia) – A prolific winner whose big race victories include the 2005 Victoria Derby and the 2008 Singapore Derby, the globe-trotting Aussie Noel “King” Callow will be in Seoul to represent the Selangor Turf Club.

While successful at home, primarily on the Victorian circuit, it is in Asia where Callow is best known with a number of stints in Singapore – where he was leading Jockey in 2007 – and Malaysia. He has also ridden in Mauritius where he became something of a folk-hero among local racing fans.Here he is winning the 2008 Emirates Singapore Derby on Top Spin.

Fausto Durso

Fausto Durso

Fausto Pinto Durso (Brazil – representing Macau) – The Sao Paolo native, with nearly 700 wins in his homeland has been a long-term fixture in Macau where he has racked up over 600 winners.

His biggest triumphs came in 2010 when, among other Group 1’s, he won the Macau Derby.

He has also ridden in Dubai and Malaysia as well as the occasional weekend in Hong Kong. Here he wins the 2010 Macau Hong Kong Trophy on Viva Hong Kong.

Raymond Danielson

Raymond Danielson

Raymond Danielson (South Africa) – Qualifying in the same class as Richard Fourie and Muzi Yeni – both alumni of this event – Raymond Danielson has ridden nearly 500 winners in South Africa.

Danielson rode the winner of the Group 1 Champions Cup at Greyville in 3 consecutive years from 2009-2011.

Here he is winning the 2011 edition on The Apache.

Yucel Bilik

Yucel Bilik

Yucel Bilik (Turkey) – Turkey always sends one of its top jockeys to this event and this year is no exception.

Only last month, 29-year old Yucel Bilik landed the biggest win of his career, guiding Divine Light to victory in Turkey’s richest and most prestigious race, the G1 Gazi Derby. Watch the race here.

Shinichiro Akiyama

Shinichiro Akiyama

Shinichiro Akiyama (Japan) – This year, the JRA sends a 16-year veteran with nearly 800 winners to his name.

Lightweight jockey Shinichiro Akiyama has a number of big wins under his belt but is best known in his homeland for victories in the NHK Mile Cup and the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Here he is winning the 2012 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Robe Tissage

We’ll have more on the build-up to the event – including a look at the home team – over the next few days.

All jockeys will compete in 4 races; 2 on the Saturday and 2 on the Sunday. Mounts will be drawn on Thursday.

The same weekend will also see exchange races sponsored by racing authorities from Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, Ireland and Macau.

Japan’s Kurakane Riding High Again At Seoul

They say you should never go back, but Ikuyasu Kurakane’s second stint at Seoul Racecourse is shaping up to be just as good – and maybe even better – than his first.

Ikuyasu Kurakane is into his second successful stint at Seoul Race Park

Ikuyasu Kurakane is into his second successful stint at Seoul Race Park

Japanese jockey Kurakane first rode at Seoul in 2007 and spent nearly 18 months in Korea, riding both in the capital and at Busan, scoring 106 winners in all.

He returned at the beginning of April this year and has quickly become the hardest working man at the track, riding in 188 races since – no mean feat when there are only 2 race meetings a week.

The horses he’s been riding haven’t necessarily been the best and it is rare for Kurakane to get on a favourite, however, this past weekend the 38-year-old partnered 5 different horses to victory. It takes him up to 22 since his return and puts him in 8th place in the 2013 jockeys’ championship.

Shortly before returning to Korea, Kurakane rode his 1500th winner in Japan. Prize-money and lifestyle in Korea is such though that there is plenty of competition among Japanese jockeys to ride here and many apply to return after they leave.

It does take a certain kind of jockey to succeed in what is a harsh weighing room environment for foreign jockeys and the workaholic Kurakane, who rides a full lot of trackwork every morning and never turns down a mount, fits it exactly.

In the winner's circle: Ikuyasu has been in it more times than any other foreign rider at Seoul

In the winner’s circle: Ikuyasu has been in it more times than any other foreign rider at Seoul

While Japanese jockeys find things much easier than western riders, there have still been as many who haven’t been a success than have. At semi-foreigner friendly Busan, Toshio Uchida and Joe Fujii have, a couple of years apart, both become the track’s top rider. At Seoul, Ikuyasu has been the only one to break through to the top-tier of jockeys.

Currently there are 5 foreign jockeys licensed in Korea. Britain’s Darryll Holland – with 9 wins to his name so far – is the only non-Japanese. Another Japanese rider will start at Busan this month.

Meanwhile in foreign training terms, there really is only one Peter Wolsley. The remarkable Australian is closing in on 200 Korean winners and made it 190 on Sunday afternoon when Cheongchun Bulpae (Milwaukee Brew) took the first of Busan’s co-feature races.

Ghost Whisper Completes Wolsley’s Four-Win Weekend

Peter Wolsley is closing in on his 200th Korean winner as Ghost Whisper completed another great weekend for the Aussie trainer by winning the first of co-feature races at Busan today. Following on from his treble on Friday, Wolsley has now saddled 187 winners at the south-coast track.

Ghost Whisper (Gotham City), a 5-year-old grey gelding who had an 8-month lay-off after collapsing with heat exhaustion at the end of last Year’s Busan Metropolitan Stakes, was sent off at little over 2/1 yet, such is Wolsley’s knack at getting his horses into races they can win or place in, he wasn’t even the stable’s first choice. That was the even-money favourite Cheongchun Bulpae (Milwaukee Brew) who had retained jockey Jo Sung Gon on board.

However, Darryll Holland is not a bad jockey to be able to call on to ride your second string and once he had Ghost Whisper in front at the top of the home straight, the result was never in doubt, the grey winning by a comfortable 2 lengths and Cheongchun Bulpae coming home in third.

Ghost Whisper is owned and was bred by Jeju based Pegasus Stables. Under foreign management, Pegasus have been Wolsley’s keenest supporter since his arrival in Korea at the end of 2007 and it was their colt Rumor Has It (Lethal Instrument) that broke his maiden to give Wolsley his first of three winners on Friday. Filly Placid Angel (Menifee) and US import Long Way Baby (Werblin) completing the treble.

Just as Pegasus have supported him, so Wolsley has supported the overseas jockeys who ride at Busan. Ghost Whisper was Darryll Holland’s 9th winner at the track and a great send-off for the British rider, who will pay a flying visit to Royal Ascot this week to partner Monseiur Chevalier who takes on Animal Kingdom in the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday.

Wolsley’s win ratio is a solid 16% but his “show” ratio is a remarkable 41% – only Busan’s champion trainer Kim Young Kwan can boast a higher one. Ghost Whisper, decked out with the pacifiers that Wolsley introduced to Korean racing, was winning for the 9th time. Few would bet against his trainer finding another race for him to win soon.

Up at Seoul, the feature race of the day was the MBN Cup and it was old-stager Green Empire (Bertolini) whi took the honours. The New Zealand bred 6-year-old has always been a solid campaigner but a very rare winner. Today, he closed quickly in the final furlong to beat pre-race favourite and last year’s winner Haedongcheonwang (West Acre) to take only his 3rd career win in 34 starts.

Later at Seoul, former top-ranked Korean bred horse Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) returned to action after a three-month absence. However, he found himself comfortably beaten by Singgeureounachim (Exploit) in a class 1 handicap over 1800 metres. Ace Galloper’s trainer Seo Beom Seok, who was not happy about his horse being forced to carry 61kg, will take up a trainer’s license in Macau. He’ll be hoping the handicapper there is a little more lenient.

Stakes action returns to Seoul next week in the shape of the Sports Seoul Cup.

Four-Timer For Form Man Fujii at Busan

Joe Fujii was on top form at Busan this afternoon, taking 4 winners on a day when the entire on-track foreign contingent scored victories.

Four-timer : Joe Fujii

Four-timer : Joe Fujii

Fujii’s winners came in race 4 on Sinheung Gangpung (Yankee Victor) followed by race 6 on First Touch (Volponi).

He completed his treble in race 7 on Miss Quick (Menifee) and wrapped things up with his fourth in race 9 on Yeonseung Gangho (Simon Pure).

It was the Japanese rider’s biggest one-day haul since arriving in Busan in May last year and takes him to 54 winners in all. 24 of these have come in 2013 and he now lies in 3rd in the Jockey Championship.

Fujii’s stint in Korea has been so far – controversial 9-day ban for a slow start aside – a great success including winning the nation’s most prestigious race, the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul last December.

He studied Korean racing in detail before arriving on the peninsula and his committed approach continues to win admirers. Just the previous evening, Briton Darryll Holland, who began riding at Busan in March had been praising the 30 year-old Fujii through Twitter:

Holland himself was in the winner’s circle today although not necessarily in the manner he would have liked, dead-heating in the feature race on hot favourite Amell’s Atom (Menifee) with 2nd favourite Sand World (Star Dabbler). Amell’s Atom gave Peter Wolsley his 3rd success of the day, following up wins in race 1 with Strong Rain (Turbulent Storm) and race 8 with Heukdancer (Vicar).

To complete a good day for the foreigners on the south coast, Fujii’s countryman Ureshi Katsunori also grabbed a winner, taking race 3 on Plein Soleil (Exploit).

Weekend Preview

Two Japanese jockeys will be making their debuts this weekend as Ureshi Katsunori has his first Korean ride at Busan on Friday while Ikuyasu Kurakane, one of the most successful foreign jockeys in Korea has returned to the peninsula after a 4 year absence and will ride at Seoul on Saturday.

It’s set to be quite a low-key weekend of racing sadnwiched as it is between last week’s KRA CUp Mile and next week’s Owners’ Cup but nevertheless, there should be plenty to keep punters interested. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday April 12

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday April 13

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday April 14

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:00

Japanese Jockey Ikuyasu Kurakane Set For Seoul Return

Ikuyasu Kurakane, who rode at Seoul and Busan for 2 years between 2007 and 2009 will return to Korea. The 38-year-old jockey has been granted a 6 month license to ride at Seoul Race Park beginning from April 6.

Coming Back: Ikuyasu Kurakane

Coming Back: Ikuyasu Kurakane (KRA)

Along with countryman Nozomu Tomizawa, Ikuyasu joined the jockey ranks at Seoul in mid-2007 and quickly established himself among the top riders at the track, winning the NACF Chairman’s race on filly Pilseung Giwon (Silent Warrior), that autumn. After 18 months at Seoul, he moved to Busan in late 2008 and continued to be successful there, ultimately notching a total 106 winners from just over 1000 rides in Korea.

The jockey recently landed his 1500th career winner in Japan but had been looking for an opportunity to return to Korea for some time. He’ll join Yukio Abe at Seoul, who has had a quiet time since relocating from Busan last year but who recently extended his contract by another 4 months. At Busan, where foreign jockeys tend to have an easier time of things, Joe Fujii and Darryll Holland are the only 2 foreign riders.

Ikuyasu was one of the few foreign riders who did not struggle in the past to get rides at Seoul. His return, coming as it does at the same time that champion jockey Moon Se Young arrives back in Korea from his 3-month stint in Macau, means things could be about to get very competitive in the capital’s weighing room.

Japan’s Narazaki Kosuke Checks Out Of Korea

Narazaki Kosuke has returned to Japan. The 31-year old jockey had his last rides in Korea over the weekend, finishing 2nd on his final mount in Sunday’s feature race at Busan.

Going home: Narazaki Kosuke

Going home: Narazaki Kosuke

Kosuke is returning in order to ride at the final meeting of his former home track of Fujiyama in Hiroshima which is closing. Kosuke will then relocate full-time to Ohi Racecourse in Tokyo.

During his just over one year at Busan, Kosuke rode 68 winners from 505 rides and had a quinella strike-rate of 25%. He finished 5th in the Busan Jockey Championship last year and was lying in 2nd this.

Although he didn’t win any Stakes races, he did partner Nobel Pokpung to 2nd place in the 2012 Korean Derby at Seoul Race Park and won numerous class 1 events at Busan. Among foreign jockeys, only his fellow Japanese rider Toshio Uchida and Australian Gary Baker have ridden more winners in Korea.

Kosuke’s departure leaves Joe Fujii and Darryll Holland as the only 2 foreign jockeys at Busan although another newcomer is expected to start from April. Yukio Abe remains the only foreign jockey at Seoul although a license has been issued for another to start soon.

British Jockey Darryll Holland To Debut With Six Rides At Busan This Friday

British jockey Darryll Holland will make his Korean debut this Friday. The newest overseas recruit to Busan Race Park is the first Briton to receive a license in Korea and will have 6 mounts on his first day for a number of different trainers.

Darryll Holland learns his first Korean pose at Busan (KRA)

Darryll Holland learns his first Korean pose at Busan (KRA)

40-year-old Holland was British Champion Apprentice in 1991 and has won big races across Europe and beyond.

Best known for partnering the great Falbrav to victory in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park and the QEII Stakes at Ascot in 2003, he also has wins in the Epsom Coronation Cup, the Newmarket July Cup and the St James’ Palace Stakes among many others.

In Asia, he won the Singapore Derby on All The Way in 2000. Most recently, Holland has just completed a winter riding engagement in Barbados.

He joins Narazaki Kosuke and Joe Fujii in the foreign jockey contingent at Busan which has traditionally been more accepting of foreign jockeys than Seoul. Kosuke and Fujii are, along with local rider Jo Sung Gon, currently the top jockeys at the track.

There has been some immediate support for Holland among trainers. The pick of his 6 debut rides is Raon Boss (Pico Central) for Busan’s top trainer Kim Young Kwan. The 3-year-old colt is on a 3-race winning streak and is one of the leading contenders for the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown, in April.

Holland was presented to the Busan crowd in a welcome ceremony during racing last Sunday and will wear all-green silks.