Racing Previews

Weekend Preview

Racing is back and Busan hosts arguably the most interesting race of the weekend on Friday afternoon as Hangang Ruby, Ebony Storm, Night Moves and Mulbora are among a full field of fourteen class 1 horses getting a rare opportunity to compete for a big prize over the sprint distance of six furlongs.

As usual, Busan hosts cards on Friday and Sunday while Seoul has its most valuable race of the weekend on Saturday. It’s a relatively uninspiring line-up for the ten furlong handicap, however, with Taesanbukdu slated to be top weight by some 5 kilos. Nevertheless, there’s plenty to get stuck into in the rest of the card on both days.

Suspended - Moon Se Young

Three of Seoul’s top jockeys will be on the sidelines this weekend. Choi Bum Hyun remains injured while Moon Se Young and Kim Ok Sung both begin bans which will last for four meetings. It will be an opportunity for the chasing pack to close some of the gap between themselves and Moon, who is looking to regain the title that he won in 2008.

Here’s what’s happening:

Friday May 28

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

Saturday May 29

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20-18:00
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:10-17:30

Sunday May 30

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40-16:30

It’s Wide Open In The Sports Chosun

Full field for Cup / Tough Win goes for 7 / Namdo Jeap, Sangseung Ilro go at Busan

Just a week after the Derby, Stakes racing is back at Seoul Race Park on Sunday in the shape of the 21st Sports Chosun Cup. For Korean bred horses aged four and up, but who haven’t made it to class 1 yet, it offers an opportunity for those horses who’ve been at the fringes of the top-tier of Korean racing to break into the big time.

Luxury Jewang

A full field of fourteen will contest the nine furlong race and it really is “stick a pin in it” time as any one of a number have good claims. Two horses have won at the class and distance before. Of these Seon San is well favoured while Pop’s Slew will be carrying significantly more weight than when he triumphed.

Luxury Jewang was the first horse to defeat Seonbongbulpae – one of this year’s star three-year olds while Khanui Huye also has notable scalps and was a creditable fourth in January’s Herald Business. Blooming has five wins from just eight starts and while Gamdongui Sungan hasn’t had a good year, a third place last time out suggests he is returning to form. Neither Daesahyoung and Golden Rose should be overlooked while Top Seed is the improver of the race.

Punters, take this one on at your peril but the rewards are potentially big. Here’s the full list of runners and riders with race records:

Sports Chosun Cup (Stakes) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 23, 2010 – 17:00

1. Dansimga (KOR) 4 G (20/2/4/4) – Park Byeong Yun
2. Centum (KOR) 5 M (26/5/1/5) – Yoo Sang Wan
3. Luxury Jewang (KOR) 5 G (19/4/2/2) – Boo Min Ho
4. Mr. Swing (KOR) 5 H (30/3/4/1) – Park Eul Woon
5. Khanui Huye (KOR) 4 C (17/5/3/1) – Ham Wan Sik
6. Free Bird (KOR) 5 M (27/3/3/3) – Lee Gi Hweoi
7. Gamdongui Sungan (KOR) 7 H (40/3/3/5) – Moon Se Young
8. Top Seed (KOR) 4 C (19/2/5/4) – Park Tae Jong
9. Blooming (KOR) 4 C (8/5/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
10. Golden Rose (KOR) 4 F (14/4/3/3) – Han Sung Youl
11. Daesanhyeong (KOR) 5 G (23/5/3/1) – Lee San Hyeok
12. Uri Manse (KOR) 5 M (20/3/3/3) – Yoon Tae Hyoug
13. Seon San (KOR) 5 G (18/4/4/4) – Shin Hyoung Chul
14. Pop’s Slew (KOR) 5 G (22/3/4/5) – Kim Ok Sung

Gyongmaman will be losing his money on: 1. Khanui Huye; 2. Seon San; 3. Luxury Jewang; Wildcard bet: Top Seed

Tough Win

Once the Sports Chosun is out-of-the-way, one of the hottest properties in Korean racing will take to the track. Tough Win has six wins from six starts and has Dongbanui Gangja firmly in his sights as they head towards a potential clash in the Owners’ Cup next month. Tough Win will be long odds-on to dispose of a class 1 field.

It’s not just at Seoul where there’s action. Down at Busan, Namdo Jeap, winner of last year’s Minister’s Cup once more faces overseas-bred horses while Sangseung Ilro, last year’s KRA Cup Mile and Derby winner will go in the second of the double feature races.

Overall it’s set to be a great day’s sport. There’s just one problem: It looks set to rain all day!

Sunday May 23

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 – 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 – 16:30

Triple Seven Heads Saturday Card

Tough Win, Sangseung Ilro, Namdo Jeap set for Sunday outings

The holiday weekend – Happy Birthday Buddha! – got underway at Busan today. There were wins for highly thought of three-year old filly Money Tree, and the improving colt God’s Word. See Full Results.

Triple Seven

On Saturday, attention moves north to the capital as Seoul hosts its first racing since last weekend’s Derby. Triple Seven makes his first start since winning the Ttukseom Cup last month. Currently ranked the top Korean bred horse in training, the five-year old goes in race 11 and will carry top-weight against a competitive field which includes Baengnyeonbong, Lucky Seven and Mighty Runner.

On Sunday, Tough Win puts his 100% record on the line in the feature at Seoul while down at Busan last year’s Cup Mile and Derby winner and runner-up, Sangseung Ilro and Namdo Jeap will be in action at Busan on Sunday

Saturday May 22

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:10 to 17:30

Sunday May 23

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Markets and currencies are going haywire so it seems a good time for a little punting. Here are Gyongmaman’s “investments” for Saturday at Seoul:

Race 1: Gangho Tansaeng
Race 2: Branton
Race 3: Haeranjanggun
Race 4: Call Me Tiger
Race 5: Storm Victor
Race 6: Hwajin
Race 7: Horman
Race 8: Silver Way
Race 9: Gippeun Sesang
Race 10: Dosiro
Race 11: Triple Seven
Race 12: Fierfield

Can Northern Ace Stall Money Car’s Triple Crown?

Derby day has dawned bright and sunny and racing is set to get underway at Seoul. At 5pm this afternoon, Money Car will attempt to land the second jewel of the Triple Crown as he goes in the 2010 Korean Derby.

He’s going to need to run better and faster than he ever has before if he is to win. Facing him for the first time is the undefeated Northern Ace who has won all his four races by impressive margins without ever being asked for an effort. This duel is one of the most hotly anticipated in Korean racing for years.

Also there will be Seonbongbulpae and although he will be less-fancied than the other two, he may play a big role in deciding the outcome. He will take on Money Car early and how the KRA Cup Mile winner responds to the unfamiliar challenge will be crucial. If he leaves his race on the first corner, Northern Ace could well be the beneficiary.

Then there are the Busan horses. Four colts are seeking to make it three straight derbies for the south. Cheonnyeondaero is better than his Cup Mile performance suggests while Triple Sinhwa was relatively unknown before being the horse that got closest to Money Car a month ago. “Closest”, however, was still eleven lengths away.

Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – Sunday May 16, 2010 – 17:00

1. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] (5/2/1/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
2. Gayabobae (KOR) [War Zone – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] (7/2/2/0) – Yang Hee Jin
3. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (6/4/0/0) – Kim Eu Soo
4. Seonbongbulpae (KOR) [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] (8/6/1/0) – Jo In Kwen
5. Forest Wind (KOR) [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (4/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik
6. Full Step (KOR) [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] (7/3/1/2) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
7. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (10/2/5/2) – Park Geum Man
8. Northern Ace (KOR) [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] (4/4/0/0) – Moon Se Young
9. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (7/6/1/0) – Park Tae Jong
10. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (5/1/4/0) – Chae Gyu Jun
11. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (5/2/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
12. Donghae Gangho (KOR) [Psychobabble – Nae Myeon (Somalia)] (14/2/1/3) – Kim Yong Geun

Gyongmaman’s Money: 1. Northern Ace, 2. Money Car 3. Cheonnyeondaero, Wildcard bet: Donghae Gangho

* Thanks to Fallight and Roar for the video uploads.

Seoul Set For Derby Weekend

AJC & HRI Trophies on Saturday – JRA Trophy and the Derby on Sunday

The Derby is now less than two days away and it is, along with the Grand Prix, Korean racing’s biggest weekend of the year. See below for a full list of the Derby runners and riders and we’ll have a final preview on Saturday evening.

However, it’s not just the Derby this weekend. For the second consecutive year, the KRA has decided to combine its showpiece event with its traditional “International Exchange Races”. Saturday sees the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Trophies, while on Sunday the Japan Racing Association (JRA) Trophy precedes the Derby. These three races are some of the longest-establshed Stakes contests in Korea. Let’s take a look at this year’s editions:

AJC Trophy (Stakes) – Seoul, Race 9 – Saturday May 15 – 1400M

Restricted to Korean bred fillies and mares at class three and below, the cream of Korean racing isn’t exactly on show here but it should be an entertaining contest nonetheless. A full field of fourteen is entered and Isanghwa is favoured to get the better of fellow four-year old Ruby. Beomtti, Victor Hunter, Sangju Miin and White Dreamer should also come into consideration.

HRI Trophy (Stakes) – Seoul, Race 10 – Saturday May 15 – 1800M

Still for Korean bred class three and below, its open to colts too and Mr. Calgary could get the weekend off to a great start for jockey Jo In Kwen who rides Seonbongbulpae in Sunday’s Derby. He’ll have plenty of competition in a very open race. Cheotinsang is in good form, as is the improving Saebyeogi. A good case could be made for three-quarters of the fourteen strong field.

With Mr. Calgary & Seonbongbulpae, Jo In Kwen has a big weekend in store

We’ll have a preview of Sunday’s JRA Trophy tomorrow. Here’s what’s happening and where:

Saturday May 15

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:10 to 17:50

Sunday May 16

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Here are the runners and riders in Sunday’s Derby – we’ll have a final preview on the blog on Saturday evening:

Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – Sunday May 16, 2010 – 17:00

1. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] (5/2/1/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
2. Gayabobae (KOR) [War Zone – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] (7/2/2/0) – Yang Hee Jin
3. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (6/4/0/0) – Kim Eu Soo
4. Seonbongbulpae (KOR) [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] (8/6/1/0) – Jo In Kwen
5. Forest Wind (KOR) [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (4/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik
6. Full Step (KOR) [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] (7/3/1/2) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
7. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (10/2/5/2) – Park Geum Man
8. Northern Ace (KOR) [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] (4/4/0/0) – Moon Se Young
9. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (7/6/1/0) – Park Tae Jong
10. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (5/1/4/0) – Chae Gyu Jun
11. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (5/2/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
12. Donghae Gangho (KOR) [Psychobabble – Nae Myeon (Somalia)] (14/2/1/3) – Kim Yong Geun

* Thanks to Fallight and Roar for the video uploads.

Weekend Preview

It’s almost the weekend and racing is back! Cards are mostly low-key with the Derby just a week away but a Classic winner will be in action at Busan on Friday in the shape of Namdo Jeap, while at Seoul Angus Empire and Lucky Mountain will be on show. Here’s what’s happening:

Friday May 7

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

Saturday May 8

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:35

Sunday May 9

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Weekend Preview

Sangseung Ilro goes for the Gukje Sinmun

There’s a big weekend of racing in store on the peninsula with the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan providing the highlight. Two weeks before this year’s edition, the winner of last year’s Korean Derby, Sangseung Ilro, will take on foreign-bred opposition for the first time as she heads up an extremely competitive field for the seven furlong race.

Also flying the flag for Korea will be Yeongung Manse and New World Record as they go up against some of the track’s best performers including Crafty Louis and Jilju Hara as well as Busan Ilbo Cup winner Smart As Me and up-and-comers Useung Geotap and Captain Sir. The big race is off at 3:40pm on Sunday afternoon and will be simulcast live to Seoul Race Park. See below for a full list of runners, records and riders, but first, here are the details of all the weekend’s action:

Friday April 30

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

Saturday May 1

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:35

Sunday May 2

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Gukje Sinmun Stakes – Busan Race Park – 1400M – May 2, 2010 – 15.40

1. Sangseung Ilro (KOR) F(11/6/2/2) – Yang Young Nam
2. Smart As Me (USA) M (11/5/2/0) – Hwang Jong Woo
3. Useung Geotap (USA) F (7/5/0/0) – Jo Sung Gon
4. New World Record (KOR) C (17/3/4/2) – Kim Dong Young
5. Yeongung Manse (KOR) G (21/10/4/2) – Chae Gyu Jun
6. Jilju Hara (JPN) M (17/5/3/1) – Choi Si Dae
7. Captain Sir (USA) C (8/5/3/0) – Kim Eu Soo
8. Jungwon Jepae (AUS) C (14/4/4/0) – Martin Wepner
9. Rolling On Strong (USA) F (14/4/1/3) – Song Keong Yun
10. Angle Slam (USA) H (47/8/7/8) – Gu Min Sung
11. Cheogo Beoltong C (AUS) (11/4/1/0) – Lee Sung Jae
12. Crafty Louis (USA) 8 (37/14/4/3) – Jo Chang Wook

Seoul Sunday Selections

From a sporting perspective, Gyongmaman is finding it hard to get excited about the racing this weekend. It’s just three weeks until the Derby and all that entails, while even next weekend has Sangseung Ilro, last year’s Derby winner, going for the Gukje Sinmun Stakes at Busan.

But this week it’s distinctly low-key. Luckily it’s by far the most beautiful weekend so far this year weather-wise so Gyongmaman will be at Seoul Race Park again tomorrow and he’s in a punting mood. These are what he will be losing his money on:

Race 1: Open contest in that most runners are equally bad. Hwa Jin (Number 7) should offer value as well as a decent each-way chance.
Race 2: Legal Lady (8) will be heavy odds-on.
Race 3: Any of five or six could win, one of whom is Ilson (6).
Race 4: Capture Enemy (5) can win at last.
Race 5: Competitive race in which a number can be expected to improve. One of them is Chicken Game (1) but he’ll have to beat Bada Olle (4).
Race 6: Fortunata (2) should be winning this all fillies race.
Race 7: Big things were expected of Bonsol (10) and Oh My Sun (11). Both have better chances than Choegang Combi (6) but that is who Gyongmaman will be on.
Race 8: Dream Heart (4) can break his maiden at the twenty-fourth attempt. Old favourite To The Champ is there too but won’t feature at the finish.
Race 9: Hushtilled (2) needs to win to get back in the Oaks picture.
Race 10: Difficult to call between Money Teukgeup (2) and Daesahyeong (1) so let’s go for an outsider in the shape of Cheongnyeongsaji (9).
Race 11: A thirteen runner conundrum to end with. Suseong Equus (5) is the logical answer.

* On Saturday at Seoul Race Park, Free Woody was the surprise winner of the feature handicap. The five-year old just beat-out Machine Gun and Hwangnyongsaji by a neck on the line.

Weekend Preview

It’s almost the weekend and that means racing is back. Busan kicks things off on the peninsula on Friday with ten races and Miss Ecton, Golding, Nuri Choegang, Hardride and Dandi will be among those looking to get back among the winners in a competitive feature race.

Busan also sees the pick of Sunday’s action with Derby hopeful Cheonnyeon Daero getting his last prep-race in before the big day at Seoul next month. He’ll be tested over the Derby distance in class 1 company.

Like last week, it’s a reasonably low-key weekend at Seoul. The feature race is on Saturday when Gi Ra Seong heads the weights in a handicap also featuring regular winners Good Day and Machine Gun.

Friday April 23

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

Saturday April 24

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:20

Sunday April 25

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Weekend Preview

Bally Brae at Seoul / Ponies go for the Halla Ilbo on Jeju

After the excitement of the Ttukseom Cup a week ago, there’s a slightly lower-key weekend of racing on the peninsula ahead. Nevertheless, there’s still plenty to maintain the interest.

Bally Brae heads the field in the feature race of the weekend, which takes place at Seoul on Saturday. The former horse-of-the-year once more faces regular rivals, Vicar Love, Baekjeonmupae, and Dankee’s Pal among a thirteen strong field.

Down at Busan, Friday sees the track’s 2009 champion juvenile Night Moves make her first attempt at class 1 – she’ll carry top weight over seven furlongs against a field which includes a pair of horses from last year’s Derby trail, Impeccable and Sandeomi. In terms of this year’s Classic hunt, Saeroun Taeyang makes his first appearance since finishing fifth in the KRA Cup Mile two weeks ago when he goes in race 5 on Sunday over the Derby distance of nine furlongs.

On Jeju Island, the Jeju ponies will run for the Halla Ilbo Cup, one of the biggest races of the year. Topping the weights with a whopping 75 kilos to carry are the two four-year olds Hwanghaemyengsan and Hanramyyeongseng.

Friday April 16

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

Saturday April 17

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:20

Sunday April 18

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30