Jockey Profiles

Seo Seung Un Represents Korea in Macau Jockey Challenge Friday

Last week it was Kim Hye Sun in Abu Dhabi, this week it’s the turn of Seo Seung Un to represent Korea. The young jockey is in Macau for the “Macao Gaming Show Invitational Jockey Challenge” which will be held at Taipa Racecourse this Friday evening.

Seo Seung Un poses with a doll and some Louis Vuitton in Macau yesterday (Pic: Macau Jockey Club)

Seo Seung Un poses in shiny suit with a doll and some Louis Vuitton in Macau yesterday (Pic: Macau Jockey Club)

Seo will join nine other visiting jockeys, plus two more representing Macau in the three-race challenge, competing for a HK$30,000 prize.

Only debuting in 2011, Seo is the star product of the KRA Jockey Academy and has broken the Korean record for quickest time to ride out an apprentice claim and quickest jockey to ride 100 career winners.

He currently lies in second place in the 2013 Seoul Jockey Championship.

This is Seo’s second visit to Macau as he took part in the 2012 Asia Young Guns Challenge. He also had a brief stint in the United States earlier that year, where he rode one winner.

He’s due back in Korea on Sunday to ride highly fancied Joy Lucky in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup at Busan on Sunday and will head to Japan in the final week of November to ride Watts Village in the 2nd-leg of the Korea vs Japan challenge.

Among others competing in the challenge is Australia’s Claire Lindop while Wayne Lordan of Ireland and Muzi Yeni of South Africa, both veterans of previous challenges in Seoul, will also be there. Here’s a full list of jockeys competing and the nations they will represent:

Macau: Luis Corrales
Macau: Wah Lun Ho
Australia: Claire Lindop
Hong Kong: Keith Ming Lun Yun
Ireland: Wayne Lordan
Japan: Daisaku Matsuda
Korea: Seo Seung Un
Malaysia: Jose Bonifacio Pereira De Souza
Mauritius: Nooresh Juglall
Singapore: Jose Verenzuela
South Africa: Muzi Yeni
Turkey: Gokhan Kocakaya

Click Here for a full preview of the event from the Macau Jockey Club

Kim Hye Sun Finishes 7th in Abu Dhabi Challenge Race

Kim Hye Sun, who last week became the first Korean woman to ride 100 career winners, was in action in the United Arab Emirates last night.

Overseas racer: Kim Hye Sun

Overseas racer: Kim Hye Sun rode in Abu Dhabi this weekend

Kim made the trip to compete in the “HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship” challenge race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

Riding 7-year-old Arabian gelding Al Mouttakel, Kim finished the race – which was won by Omani jockey Salima Al Taleei on the Jaci Wickam trained Kareem W’Rsan – in 7th place.

The race comments for Al Mouttakel were “Soon led, headed 400m out, weakened final 200m”. Kim, currently lies in 12th place in the Seoul Jockey Championship, despite spending a large portion of the year out injured.

More information at the Emirates Racing Authority

* In other overseas Korean news, Seoul trainer Seo Beom Seok, trained his first winner in Macau last week.

Kim Hae Sun Becomes First Korean Woman To Ride 100 Thoroughbred Winners

Kim Hae Sun made a little bit of Korean racing history on Saturday as she became to first woman to ride 100 thoroughbred winners here.

Ton-up: Kim Hae Sun drives another one home

Ton-up: Kim Hae Sun drives another one home

Her victory in race 2 at Seoul on 65/1 shot Dixie Bonny brought up the 100 and she quickly made it 101 by landing race 7 on Holiday Punch.

Kim Hae Sun graduated from the Jockey Academy in 2009 and quickly established herself as a competent rider with an aggressive style similar to that of Lee Shin Young – who scored 90 wins before becoming Korea’s first female trainer – but with better timing and technique.

Kim Hae Sun

That aggressive style has landed her in whip-trouble with the stewards but has helped her become popular among punters and connections alike.

She became the quickest woman to ride out her apprentice claim and then the first woman to finish in the top 10 of the jockey championship. On the sidelines for much of this year with injury, she currently lies 13th in the 2013 standings.

The history of female jockeys in Korea is surprisingly long but has too often been marred by tragedy. Down on Jeju Island, the remarkable Na Yu Na is closing in on her 250th winner, but she rides ponies, not thoroughbreds.

All weather winner: Kim Hae Sun

All weather winner: Kim Hae Sun

Things are looking good at Seoul now though with Lee Ah Na and Ahn Hyo Ri 2 and 3 years behind Kim respectively.

Both are riding plenty of winners and looking as though they have what it takes to make a successful career in the top rank of jockeys here.

As for Kim hae Sun, she’s riding freelance, which is a brave move for all but the very top jockeys. She’s yet to win a Stakes race and still rarely gets the top rides but keeps on bringing the winners home. It’s unlikely this milestone will be her last.

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.

Ikuyasu Kurakane & Lee Chan Ho Ride High At Seoul

Lee Chan Ho shot to the top of his graduating class with a remarkable display of riding at Seoul Race Park this past weekend.

Winning: Lee Chan Ho

Winning: Lee Chan Ho

The 21-year-old apprentice, who debuted in June rode 4 winners on Saturday and added another on Sunday for a total of 5 wins from 11 rides.

He also managed 2 third-place finishes on Sunday.

Lee’s exploits take him to 10 winners from 79 rides in his short career so far and see him lose one of the 4-kilos of weight allowance that brand new apprentices are able to claim.

Still claiming the full amount are the three others who qualified with Lee. However, Kim Tea Hun, Song Jae Chul and Jo Han Beol are all also off the mark and it looks like we are seeing another good crop of young jockeys as the Seoul Jockey Academy continues to excel.

Another, altogether more experienced jockey, is also in a rich vein of form. Japan’s Ikuyasu Kurakane returned to Korea for a second spell earlier this year and a Sunday afternoon treble sees the 37-year old rise to 6th in the Jockey Championship with 37 winners.

Fellow Japanese rider Joe Fujii may be winning the big ones at Busan, but the workaholic Ikuyasu is bringing in the numbers at Seoul

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.

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.

Jo Chan Hoon Represents Korea In Malaysia

Busan based jockey Jo Chan Hoon is in Kuala Lumpur to represent Korea in this weekend’s Selangor Turf Club Australasian Racing Bloodstock International Jockeys Championship.

Jo Chan Hoon, who rides at the Selangor Turf Club this weekend, winning the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance

Jo Chan Hoon, who rides at the Selangor Turf Club this weekend, winning the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance

The contest, which coincides with the Selangor club hosting an International Racing Carnival, features 13 jockeys competing over 6 races.

Joao Moreira, currently far and away the top jockey in Singapore, heads the line-up of international invites while well-known Australian jockeys Stephan Baster and Noel Callow are also taking part. Greg Cheyne, who raced in the Seoul International Jockey Challenge a few years ago, will represent South Africa.

35-year old Jo qualified as a jockey in 2003 at Seoul Race Park and moved to Busan upon its opening. He has 276 career wins, the highlight of which was the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance, as he gamely tells Selangor Turf Club TV in English here:

More information, including racecards, at the Selangor Turf Club website.

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.