Racing Previews

Weekend Preview

After last week’s break for the Korean Thanksgiving Weekend, racing returns to the peninsula on Friday as a busy three days get underway.

It’s always interesting to see how things are after a blank weekend – especially after Thanksgiving, or “Chuseok” as it is called in Korean. More so than Christmas here, it is the time of year when there is a tendency to over-indulge in both food, drink and carousing.

There may still be some heads when they reconvene at Busan tomorrow. Gyongmaman of course is always sure to steer clear of wine, woman and song and has spent the intervening time carefully studying form. Even so, he’s still got a clue who’s going to win the Ilgan Sports Stakes on Sunday.

The Ilgan Sports is the highlight of the weekend and brings together a full field of fourteen runners over the Derby distance of 1800 metres. There’s a mixture of three-year olds who remain on the Classic trail, such as Geuma Champ, Magnifique and Beongaegangho. They’re joined by ones from last year such as Super Rich and Full Step in what makes for a cracking contest.

There’s plenty else going on too with big handicaps – a sprint on Saturday and a long distance test on Sunday – on both days at Seoul, while Busan also hosts competitive cards on Friday and Sunday. Australian jockey Nathan Stanley will get to put his 100% win record on the line at Busan with five rides across the weekend.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday September 16

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

Saturday September 17

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:30 to 17:30

Sunday September 18

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:05
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:05

Weekend Preview

Owners’ Cup At Busan / Kkakjaengi Meets Tough Win at Seoul

It’s Busan Owners’ Cup Weekend and Dangdae Bulpae will be at the head of a field of seven racing for one of Busan Race Park’s biggest prizes of the year on Sunday afternoon. However, that’s just the highlight of a busy weekend of racing in Korea.

Tough Test: Kkakjaengi

And up at Seoul on Saturday we have an absolute belter of a feature race as the star three-year old filly Kkaekjaengi (Put It Back), winner of the Segye Ilbo Cup and Seoul Owners’ Trophy, faces the toughest test of her short career so far taking on eleven older male horses over seven furlongs. And not just any old males. Alongside her will be Tough Win (Yonaguska), who is making his first start since he and Dangdae Bulpae thwarted each other in the Busan Metropolitan in July.

Tough Win is still the top rated horse at Seoul with eleven wins from his fifteen starts. Then there’s Larrycat (Fantasticat), second only to Mister Park in the Grand Prix Stakes last year, he’s making only his fourth appearance of the year and is dropping down to seven furlongs for the first time since he was a two-year old. Then there is Bally Brae (Yarrow Brae). The former Grand Prix Stakes winner will have Moon Se Young back in the saddle for the first time this year and is still capable of pulling off an upset. The big race is race 11 of 12 on Saturday.

It is set to be a beautiful – if ever so slightly humid weekend. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday September 2

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

Saturday September 3

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:30 to 17:55

Sunday September 4

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:10 including the Owners’ Cup at 16:15 and the Gold Circle Trophy at 17:10

Classic Winners To Clash In Busan Owners’ Cup

The World Athletics Championships may be coming to an end in Daegu this weekend, but 90 kilometers down the Gyeongbu Expressway, two of the nation’s biggest track stars will face off in the Group 3 Busan Owners’ Trophy.

Dangdae Bulpae

Dangdae Bulpae has been the stand-out Stakes winning star of the past year with five Stakes victories including the Minister’s and Ttukseom Cups at Seoul. He’ll go into Sunday’s race as hot favourite but will face the two horses that finished ahead of him in last year’s Korean Derby, Cheonnyeon Daero and Triple Sinhwa.

In his last outing, in the Busan Metropolitan in July, Dangdae Bulpae got suckered into a speed duel with favourite Tough Win which left both horses exhausted and out of contention in the home straight. Jockey Jo SUng Gon will be under pressure not to allow that to happen again. Coincidentally, Cheonnyeon Daero benefitted in his Derby by favourite on the day Money Car suffering exactly the same fate as he took on sprint king Seonbongbulpae in the early stages of the race and wilted close to the line. Cheonnyeon Daero took the win and his gone on to become a top performer.

Cheonnyeon Daero wins the 2010 Derby (Pic: Ross Holburt)

However, he was second to Dangdae Bulpae in both the Ttukseom Cup and KNN Cup and few would bet against the same happening again.

Mupae Star, Khaosan, Isidae Gangja and Super Chocolate complete a field that is short on numbers but not on talent. If Khaosan can pull off the upset, it would be a first Stakes winner in Korea for trainer Peter Wolsley. Here’s a full list of runners (Name [Pedigree] Age, Sex, Weight to Carry (Starts/wins/2nds/3rds) – Jockey):

Busan Owners’ Cup (KOR.GIII) -Busan Race Park – 2000M – Sunday September 4, 16:15

1. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki-Indeed My Deed (Alydeed)] 4,C,60Kg (18/12/1/1) – Jo Sung Gon
2. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending-Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] 4,C,57Kg (17/6/6/0) – You Hyun Myung
3. Isidae Gangja (KOR) [Lost Mountain-Angel (Land Rush)] 5,G,55Kg (30/5/8/4) – Choi Si Dae
4. Mupae Star (KOR) [Didyme-Sun Glow (Cryptoclearance)] 5,H,60Kg (41/7/6/6) – Kim Dong Young
5. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat-Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] 4,C,60Kg (24/7/11/3) – Park Geum Man
6. Khaosan (KOR) [Sunday Well-Mogaung (Jade Hunter)] 6,G,55Kg (29/6/7/7) – Kim Nam Sung
7. Super Chocolate (KOR) [Silent Warrior-Many Sweet Rewards (Snow Chief)] 4,G,54Kg (27/4/2/3) – Kim Tae Kyung

Weekend Preview

Following on from last weekend’s beautiful weather, it’s been an even more beautiful week. Alas it’s predicted to be an unsettled weekend but we have at last been getting something resembling a summer. Racing is getting underway around about now at Busan so here’s what’s happening when and where this weekend:

Friday August 26

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

Saturday August 27

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:30

Sunday August 28

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:00

Weekend Preview: Korean Oaks Weekend

Evening racing has finished for another year and we’re back to daytime starts and finishes as Busan hosts its biggest race of the season in the shape of the 2011 Korean Oaks on Sunday afternoon. The Oaks – full preview here – is the highlight of a busy weekend of racing at all three tracks with the Gold Circle Turf Club Trophy playing a supporting role also on Sunday. Here’s what’s happening where and when:

Friday August 19

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

Saturday August 20

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday August 21

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:10 including the Korean Oaks at 16:15 and the Gold Circle Turf Club Trophy at 17:10.

It’s Busan vs Seoul In 2011 Korean Oaks

Full Field For Fillies Classic

Eight fillies will travel down from Seoul to take on six of the Busan’s finest in the 2011 Korean Oaks at Busan Racecourse this Sunday.

Kim Ok Sung and Sen Girl won the Sports Seoul and will head Seoul's Oaks challenge this Sunday in Busan

After three years of failure, Seoul regained the Derby this year and will be confident about finding a winner to make it a double in the Ladies’ Classic.

Sen Girl won the Sports Seoul Oaks trial in June and is joined on the trip South by the three fillies who finished immediately behind her in that race: Mustang Queen, Allegrissimo and Seungniuihamseong. The fact that all four of the fillies have their regular jockeys travelling down with them, suggests that they are confident.

Useung Touch heads the field on her home track. A surprise third place in the Breeders’ Cup at Seoul last November, she returned to the capital to score another shock when she ran second to Gwangyajeil in the Korean Derby in May.

Useung Touch trails Gwangyajeil to the line in the Korean Derby

Areumdaun Party and Amass are also among the six strong contingent hoping to regain the Oaks for Busan which last year was won by 50/1 outsider Euro Fighter from Seoul.

It’s an open race, with a case to be made for almost all of the full-field of fourteen who will line up at Busan at 4:15pm on Sunday. The Oaks is race 5 of a 6 race card which begins at 12:30pm. The big race will also be screened live at Seoul Race Park where there is also a full program of racing.

Here is a full run down of the runners – Name, Pedigree, race records (Starts/1st,2nd,3rd), Jockey – All entrants are Korean-bred three-year old fillies and all will carry 55Kg:

Korean Oaks (KOR.GII) – Busan Race Park – 1800M – Sunday August 21, 2011 – 15:35

1. Nicole Windsor [Yehudi-Miss Windsor (Sanction)] (14/3/2/1) – Lee Joon Chel
Beat Sen Girl over 1700m in May and has gone close in useful company since. Chance of a place or even better if things go her way.

2. Allegrissimo [Bon Vivant-Corporate Romance-Corporate Report)] (8/2/3/1) – Moon Se Young
Third behind Sen Girl and Mustang Queen in the Sports Seoul Oaks trial at Seoul, the extra 100 metres could be in her favour. With Moon Se Young on board, she can’t be ignored.

3. Haengunui Mannam [Creek Cat-Clever Lil (Lil’s Lad)] (9/3/4/0) – Lim Sung Sil
Her wins have come at sprint distances-she’s never travelled further than a mile and didn’t impress at that distance. On form, she’s an outsider.

4. Choichoro [Concept Win-Eunbiryeong (Mujaazif)] (6/3/1/0) – Kim Dong Chul
Bang in form, winning her last three races at 1000m, 1200m and most recently 1700m, moving up in class each time. A wildcard who could cause problems.

5. Amass [Jamine Langfuhr-Jideokjang (Didyme)] (9/3/2/2) – Jo Sung Gon
Another who has recently come into form, Amass is one of the few fillies in the race who has won at the 1800m distance. Has twice been beaten by Areumdaun Party in the past, those were at lesser distances. Jockey Jo Sung Gon is also not to be taken lightly in any Stakes race.

6. Gyeonghuimanse [Creek Cat-Tamna Jeilbong (Lost Mountain)] (8/3/0/1) – Kim Cheol Ho
Won exceptionally smartly over the distance last time out, albeit at Seoul. A good place chance.

7. Seungniuihamseong [Vicar-Hug And Kiss (Commander In Chief)] (8/3/2/0) – Shin Hyoung Chul
Beat Allegrissimo when wining over the distance in May but was fourth in the Sports Seoul. Will need to improve if she is to reverse that result.

8. Mustang Queen [Concept Win-Arouser (Golden Missile)] (7/3/3/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
Narrowly beaten in the Sports Seoul, she tries her luck at 1800m for the first time and, with Seoul’s Jockey Championship leader Cho Kyoung Ho in the saddle, she’ll be one of the favourites.

9. Beauty Icheon [Capital Spending-Painted Mountain (Mountain Cat)] (11/2/5/0) – Jo In Kwen
Coming into form at the right time with her two wins coming in her last three outings. Was a solid second in a tough race over the distance at Seoul last time out. May offer some place value.

10. Flower [Menifee-Fancy Cheeks (Jade Robbery)] (10/2/4/1) – Kim Dong Young
Untried at the distance she is therefore, despite her ten runs to date, still something of an unknown quantity. She ran second to Useung Touch last time out though and, unlike most fillies in the race, has already made it as far as class 2 and therefore deserves some respect.

11. Cyclone [Concept Win-Bakuachi (Debonair Roger)] (9/2/4/0) – Akane Yamamoto
Akane is in form but it would be a surprise if she picked up her first Korean Stakes win here. Cyclone has never gone further than a mile and disappointed on both her attempts at that distance. Nevertheless, if you bet jockeys, Akane is the one to be on at the moment.

12. Areumdaun Party [Menifee-Riverbrook (Montbrook)] (7/3/2/2) – Toshio Uchida
Toshio Uchida has already won one Classic this year on Soseuldaemun in the KRA Cup Mile and Mr Pink could grab a second here. Areumdaun Party won smartly over a mile last time out and showed enough to suggest the extra furlong won’t be a problem. One of the favourites.

13. Sen Girl [Strodes Creek-Badgering Shari (Badger Land)] (11/3/2/3) – Kim Ok Sung
Winning the Sports Seoul Oaks trial at Seoul automatically puts Sen Girl among the top picks here. Seemingly getting better with each run, she’ll be attempting 1800m for the first time and will have plenty of support in the betting.

14. Useung Touch [Menifee-Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] (8/4/2/1) – Choi Si Dae
Was a shock 90/1 third place in last year’s Breeders’ Cup and then ran Gwangyajeil close in the Korean Derby, also at long-odds. This time she’ll get the respect in the betting that she deserves and one her home track, could be favourite to walk off with the biggest prize.

Baekgwang And Jockey Challenge Headline Big Weekend At Seoul

Six foreign jockeys are in town for The 7th KRA International Jockey Invitational which takes place at Seoul Race Park this weekend.

All twelve competitors in this weekend's International Jockey Challenge pose for pictures at Thursday's draw

However, for the first time in the event’s history, it’s only going to be contested over two races. As recently as Monday this week, the KRA was putting out promotional literature with four races advertised but by the time of Thursday’s draw it was down to just two, one on Saturday and the YTN Cup on Sunday.

Lst week, the International Jockey Challenge was promoted as being 4races - all of a sudden, it's just 2

We’ll look at the “circumstances” cited for this after the event, in the meantime let’s just look forward to the weekend’s racing.

Here are the handicaps for the two international races – only 11 are entered for the first race so Shin Hyoung Chul misses out. In the YTN Cup there is a full field of 14 so Kim Hae Sun and Moon Jung Kyun pick up rides even though they are not part of the challenge (Name, age, sex, weight carried (Runs/1st/2nd/3rd) Jockey):

Saturday August 13 – Race 9 – Domestic bred Class 2 Handicap – 1900 Metres – 19:20

1. Sagunyakin – 5,H,54Kg (34/3/4/3) – Ahmet Celik (Turkey)
2. Bichui Adeul – 5,G,56Kg (37/1/7/2) – Park Tae Jong (Korea)
3. Pyeongchangjeil – 5,G,55Kg (16/3/3/2) – Rory Cleary (Ireland)
4. Photo Stone – 6,M,54Kg (24/3/2/4) – Cho Kyoung Ho (Korea)
5. Isanghwa – 5,M,54Kg (18/4/2/0) – Oh Kyoung Hoan (Korea)
6. Oregon – 5,H,54Kg (23/2/3/6) – Jo In Kwen (Korea)
7. Yosulgongju – 6,M,54 (44/3/4/4) – Dwayne Dunn (Australia)
8. Forest Wind – 4,C,57.5Kg (14/4/0/2) – Moon Se Young
9. Choedayeonseung – 4,F,54.5Kg (18/4/0/4) – Yoshihiro Furukawa (Japan)
10. Mannamui Chubok – 5,H,54Kg (27/4/2/5) – Ronald Woodworth (Malaysia)
11. Helmitonia – 5,G,54.5Kg (32/2/3/6) – Aldo Domeyer (South Africa)

Verdict: This is a pretty poor Class 2 handicap. Ahmet Celik and Rory Cleary look to have the best draws of the visitors as both Sagunyakin and Pyeongchangjeil have strong claims. Moon Se Young on Forest Wind and Oh Kyoung Hoan on Isanghwa look set to be the main dangers from the home team.

Sunday August 14 – Race 9 – YTN Cup Stakes Listed Foreign bred Class 2 Handicap – 1900M – 19.25

1. Fortunata (USA) – 4,F,54.5Kg (17/2/1/3) – Shin Hyoung Chul (Korea)
2. Chongalcheoreom (NZ) – 5,M,54Kg (32/1/2/5) – Dwayne Dunn (Australia)
3. Burning Sky (JPN) – 4,F,54Kg (21/2/3/1) – Cho Kyoung Ho (Korea)
4. Alpha Lady (AUS) – 5,M,54Kg (24/2/2/0) – Ronald Woodworth (Malaysia)
5. Sky Center (USA) – 6,M,54.5Kg (35/1/6/4) – Rory Cleary
6. A Wanted Affair (USA) – 3,F,54Kg (9/2/2/2) – Yoshihiro Furukawa (Japan)
7. Blueband Mama (USA) – 4,F,56Kg (10/2/4/0) – Park Tae Jong (Korea)
8. Silent Dashing (USA) – 4,F,55.5Kg (9/3/3/0) – Jo In Kwen (Korea)
9. Kkochyeoul (USA) – 3,F,55Kg (10/1/6/1) – Kim Hae Sun
10. Imperial Girl (USA) – 3,F,56Kg (12/2/0/4) – Oh Kyoung Hoan (Korea)
11. Pilseung Korea (JPN) – 4,F,54Kg (26/0/1/3) – Moon Jung Kyun
12. Uigiyangyang (USA) – 4,F,54Kg (24/2/3/3) – Moon Se Young (Korea)
13. Tango Step (KOR) – 4,F,55.5Kg (14/5/1/2) – Also Domeyer (South Africa)
14. Hwansanguimulgyeol (KOR) – 6,M,54Kg (31/4/2/5) – Ahmet Celik (Turkey)

Verdict: The YTN is arguably the weakest Stakes race of the year so it is tempting to go for one of the three-year olds who is potentially an improver. A Wanted Affair and Blueband Mama fit this criteria but in terms of form, Imperial Girl, Silent Dashing and Kkochyeol (not part of the challenge) have claims. Korean bred Tango Step hasn’t been entered for the fun of it either. It will be a very competitive betting race.

In addition to prize money (just over 5% goes to the jockey in Korea), the jockeys are competing for an overall prize of $20,000 for the rider who scores the most points ver the two races. A win gives 20 points, second 10 and third 6.

Once the Jockey Challenge is done with, something special is set to happen at Seoul on Sunday evening. In the late feature handicap Baekgwang [The Groom Is Red – Grey Crest (Gold Crest)] is set to make his return after 18 months out.

Baekgwang and Park Tae Jong will be reunited on Sunday

The grey, winner of the 2006 Minister’s Cup is now eight years old and due to injuries has only ever raced 23 times. He’s won 11 of those and his battling come-from-behind style has won him legions of fans. His sister Baekpa won the 2007 Korean Oaks and 2008 SBS Cup and together they are perhaps the most popular Korean horses of the past decade.

We don’t know what kind of form Baekgwang will be in though he looked good in his qualifying trial last month. If he’s at his best, he will have every chance. It is a rare event in Korea that punters cheer for the name of a horse rather than its number, however, that is what will happen under the lights at Seoul at 8:30pm on Sunday

* Also on Sunday, the last evening meeting of the year, will be the 3rd Jockey Memorial race. We’ll have a preview of that race along with the story behind it on the site tomorrow.

Here’s what’s happening for the rest of this weekend:

Saturday August 13

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 20:50
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21L10

Sunday August 14

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:00 inclusing the YTN Cup at 19.25
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:30 to 20:35

Seventh International Jockey Challenge Set For This Weekend In Seoul

Riders from Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Turkey, Japan and Malaysia in town to take on home team

It’s that time of year again! The KRA mobilises its fleet of interpreters, punters look on in bemusement, and the local Jockey Union grits its teeth and stamps its feet at those foreigners taking our money! Yes, it’s the 7th International Jockey Invitational Challenge.

The International Jockey Challenge promoted on the Big Screen at Seoul last week

Six overseas riders will take on six Koreans for a $20,000 individual prize plus an overall team prize in four races over the weekend, culminating in Sunday night’s YTN Stakes. Home jockeys have dominated over the past two years, mainly die to luck of the draw for rides. This year’s draw takes place on Thursday and we’ll have a full run-down on respective riders’ chances over the next couple of days. In the meantime, here’s who’s in town:

International

As usual its a mixture of veterans and up and comers. The KRA has close links with all the national racing associations who are sending jockeys, however, for the first time in the event’s seven-year hstory, there will be no competitor from the USA. Here is a rundown of the international team (Name (age) – Country – Experience – Rides/wins/seconds/thirds):

Ahmet Celik (24) – Turkey – 7 years – 4661/510/522/503

Has recent experience in these kinds of challenges being part of the Turkish team that saw off the likes of Johnny Murtagh and Olivier Peslier in a Jockey Challenge at Veliefendi Racecourse in Istanbul last month.

Rory Cleary (24) – Ireland – 7 years – 3012/161/155/186

From a racing family, Cleary has ridden winners in multiple Listed races in ultra-competitive Irish racing, Cleary follows the likes of Wayne Lordan and Pat Shanahan in representing Ireland in Korea. See here for a detailed biography from Horse Racing Ireland.

Aldo Domeyer (24) – South Africa – 4 years – 2288/194/204/193

A Champion apprentice in South Africa, Domeyer is nicknamed “The Candy Kid” after his Champion Jockey father “The Candyman” Andrew Fortune, Here is an interview with TAB Online from last year in which he cites Muzi Yeni, who competed in last year’s challenge, as one of his role-models.

Dwayne Dunn (38) – Australia – 22 years – 6656/876/2-3 1454

Now considered a veteran, Dunn has won many top class races including the Caulfield Cup and four consecutive victories in the Blue Diamond Stakes. Dunn has also ridden in Hong Kong.

Yoshihiro Furakawa (34) – Japan – 15 years – 5093/267/329/351

The experienced Furukawa’s biggest wins in his homeland have come in the 2009 Queen’s Stakes and the 1997 Hanshin Sansai Himba Stakes. Last year’s Japanese entrant, Syu Ishibashi won the final leg of the challenge, the YTN Cup, which again provides the Stakes finale on SUnday evening.

Ronald Woodworth (38) – Malaysia – 17 years – 5266/546/524/528

The only visitor to have ridden in Korea before, Woodworth came to Seoul in 2008 to ride in the Selangor Turf Club Trophy. During his career in Malaysia and Singapore, Woodworth has ridden 24 Stakes winners.

Korea

The home side sends out pretty much its “A-Team”. As usual, Park Tae Jong heads the list of usual suspects. Jo In Kwen, currently enjoying a breakthrough season in fourth place in the title race, joins the team for the first time.

Park Tae Jong (45) – 24 years – 10800/1696/1541/1289
Shin Hyoung Chul (44) – 23 years – 5494/583/602/547
Cho Kyoung Ho (35) – 10 years – 3804/648/534/411
Moon Se Young (30) – 10 years – 3526/608/478/410
Oh Kyoung Hoan (31) – 12 years – 2541/251/235/226
Jo In Kwen (24) – 3 years – 916/115/97/77

The challenge consists of four races – two each on Saturday and Sunday – culminating in the YTN Cup Stakes on Sunday evening. They are:

Saturday August 13: Race 6 – 16:50 – 1400M
Saturday August 13: Race 9 – 19:20 – 1900M
Sunday August 14: Race 6 – 16:35 – 1400M
Sunday August 14: Race 9 – 19:10 – 1900M (YTN Cup Stakes)

Jockerys receive 20 points for a win, 15 for second and then it decreases in increments of three down to sixth place.

* UPDATE (Aug 11) – Race cards have been published for this weekend and, contrary to the original schedule released by the KRA, the international jockeys will only take part in one race on each day – race 9 on both Saturday and Sunday.

Weekend Preview

So many things that could have been done with a blank weekend – it seems last year I had a great time. This year it just rained. And rained and rained. Anyway, after its very short summer vacation, racing returns to the peninsula this weekend with a busy three days of action.

Rain: Looks like we could be seeing more this weekend as a typhoon brushes the peninsula

Hopes were high that the great grey Baekgwang (The Groom Is Red), Minister’s Cup winner in 2006 and at eight years old one of Korea’s most popular horses, would make his return after nearly a year and a half out with injury. He was entered for Saturday’s feature race at Seoul but hasn’t made the final declarations.

Baekgwang misses what is the only class 1 event of the weekend and it is real stick-a-pin-in-it stuff as any one of a number could take it with Real Victor, Taewangseong, Hwangnyongsaji and Khanui Jeguk being the best known names in the field.

Busan’s main events are on Sunday with co-feature races. 2010 Korean Derby winner Cheonnyeon Daero (Creek Cat) takes on foriegn-bred opposition in the first of them while in the second, another four-year old Trade Mark (War Zone) is looking to make a quick double success after winning a similar race two weeks ago. His jockey that day was Toshio Uchida but Mr Pink will have to sit things out this time, having earned himself a two-day ban.

While things seem set fair for Friday at Busan and Jeju, the rain is expected to return by Saturday. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday August 5

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 15:00 to 21:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:30 to 21:00

Saturday August 6

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 20:50
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21:10

Sunday August 7

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:30 to 20:30

Weekend Preview: The SBS Cup

Wangson Returns To Defend Title

Next weekend is a blank one so as all three Korean tracks take their one weekend of the summer off at the same time. This week, however, sees a full program of action and the SBS Cup is set to send us into the short break as Wangson returns to defend the title he won on a hot night a year ago.

Wangson in the SBS Cup Winner's Circle last year

Six-year old Wangson is lightly raced, with only nineteen starts to his name but he’s won eight of those and will be among the most fancied to take victory on Sunday evening. Baengnyeonbong, second last year, returns for another crack, as does 2010 Ttukseom Cup winner Triple Seven while Cheonun, second in last year’s Oaks, takes her chance against the colts. See below for a full list of runners and riders.

There’s plenty more besides the SBS Cup this weekend. Saturday at Seoul sees three-year old filly Kkakjaengi (Put It Back), winner of two big filly and mare Stakes races this year – The Segye Ilbo Cup and the Owners’ Trophy – take on older males in the feature handicap. The field isn’t too intimidating and the US import could very well record her sixth victory on her ninth start.

Busan meanwhile has a pair of class 1 feature races on Sunday as well as a rare class 1 sprint headlining Friday. The monsoon season has finished and the really hot weather of the past few days is set to abate – Come Racing!

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday July 22

Busan Race Park: 9 races from 15:00 to 21:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:30 to 21:00

Saturday July 23

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 21:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21:15

Sunday July 24

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:00 (including the SBS Cup at 18:20)
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:30 to 20:30

And here is the full list of runners for the SBS Cup with pedigree info, Age, Sex, Race Records and Jockey. Fillies and mares get a 2Kg allowance, all others will carry 59Kg. All are Korean bred:

SBS Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1900M – July 24, 2011 – 18:20

1. High Point [Silent Warrior – Fran’s Express (Expressman)] 5 H (22/6/2/5) – Cho Kyoung Ho
2. Suseong TX (Concept Win – Oktong-I (Kyoei Blossom)] 6 H (24/7/5/4) – Moon Se Young
3. Wangson [Distilled – Eastern Tide (Far Out East)] 6 H (19/8/3/2) – Shin Hyoung Chul
4. Hongji [Concept Win – Oksana Bayou (Regal And Royal)] 8 H (42/12/13/5) – Jung Ki Yong
5. Triple Seven [The Groom Is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] 6 H (36/12/4/8) – Choi Bum Hyun
6. Winner Prince [Fortitude – Happy Flower (Priceless Prince)] 5 H (36/6/5/3) – Park Eul Woon
7. Money Teukgeup [Ft. Stockton – Headwork (Silveyville)] 5 H (26/6/5/3) – Park Tae Jong
8. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] 5 G (27/7/2/7) – Kim Dong Kyun
9. Natural Nine [Revere C. Bop (Aly Dark)] 7 H (39/7/6/7) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
10. Cheonun [Ft. Stockton – Restless Patricia (Born Restless)] 4 F (15/5/5/2) – Jang Chu Youl
11. Special Volpony [Volponi – Marc’s Girl (River Special)] 4 F (18/5/6/2) – Jo In Kwen
12. Pop’s Slew [Archer City Slew – Pop’s Glory (Navarone)] 6 G (34/5/4/6) – Kim Ok Sung
13. Cheot Insang [Psychobabble – Soma (Far Out East)] 5 G (24/5/3/4) – Kim Young Jin

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