Tough Win, Money Car, Ace Galloper all starters

Three year-olds are very much to the fore at Seoul Race Park this Holiday Weekend as several Classic hopefuls – and others who can’t run for the Triple Crown but will be in line for other big prizes – take to the track.

Money Car will aim to take a fifth straight win on Sunday while Bonsol, Kkonnam and Full Step all go in the last on Saturday. Ace Galloper, while not Classic bound, will be going for six straight wins when he goes in race 9 on Sunday.

They could all be upstaged by potentially the best of the lot, US import Tough Win, who is yet to break into a gallop in his four wins to date. He is unlikely to be troubled by any of thirteen rivals in race 10 on Saturday.

Although upstaged by the younger horses, the likes of Bulpae Gisang, Symphony Sonata and Love Cat will all be running in valuable handicaps over the weekend.

At Busan, where if recent history is anything to go by, the Classic winners are likely to come from, promising three-year olds Baekjeom Manjeom and Saeroun Taeyang will face each other on Friday.

Friday February 26

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park (Pony racing): 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday February 27

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40
Jeju Race Park (Pony racing): first post 12:10, last 17:10

Sunday February 28:

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30

Segye Ilbo Stakes / Bally Brae

Seoul Race Park sees its first Stakes action of the year this coming Sunday in the form of the Segye Ilbo Cup, a seven furlong test for foreign bred fillies and mares. Three-year olds Florida Sox, Gwacheon Geojang and Gippeumnuri look among the most exciting entrants and we’ll have a full run down of the runners and riders over the next couple of days.

Bally Brae has a chance on Saturday

On Saturday, Bally Brae takes centre stage as the much-loved gelding who returned to form with a third placed finish behind Dongbanui Gangja last month, looks to have a winning chance in the feature handicap. Baekjeonmupae could provide the biggest danger. On the Classic trail, Korean bred three-year old fillies Secret Woman, Hushtilled and Manjeomhwanhui are in action.

Friday February 19

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday February 20

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:10

Sunday February 21

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30

Baekgwang is the feature attraction of another big weekend of racing on the peninsula. The former Horse of the Year goes in Saturday’s feature at Seoul Race Park where he’ll face stiff competition from the likes of Secret Weapon and Triple Seven and Lucky Mountain.

Also in action over the weekend will be the fast improving US import Jumong, while Seoul Teukgeup, Yodongseong and Galsaem go in Sunday’s feature.

Down at Busan, Namdo Jeap heads up Friday’s card, giving at least five kilos to field of thirteen.

Friday February 5

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday February 6

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:10

Sunday February 7

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30

Yeonseung Daero, Bally Brae, Dongbanui Gangja in action

Dongbanui Gangja, Korea’s best horse, will make his first appearance of 2010 at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon. The double Grand Prix winner will face the horse he took that title off when Bally Brae lines up alongside him in the ten furlong test. Despite carrying 62 kilos – the largest handicap weight awarded for some time, Dongbanui Gangja will likely be heavy favourite to get the better of a full field of fourteen.

Down at Busan, Yeonseung Daero makes his highly anticipated four-year old debut. The nearly horse of 2009, great things are expected of him in 2010. He’ll take on foreign bred horses in Sunday’s feature including such luminaries as King Kephalos and track stalwart Golding over nine furlongs.

Friday at Busan and Saturday at Seoul are relatively low-key affairs although Japanese rider Kunihisa Hirase will debut at Busan on Friday. Of interest, however, will be the appearance of three-year olds Money Car and Great True at Seoul. The former is a Derby contender, the latter an import that we could see running for big prizes later in the year.

Friday January 29

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday January 30

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:30, last 17:10

Sunday January 31

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15

Dongbanui Gangja wins the 2009 Grand Prix:

Sangseung Ilro, Nice Choice, Bulpae Gisang, Tough Win

It’s set to be a star-studded weekend as some of the peninsula’s hottest properties take to the track at both Seoul and Busan.

Busan and Jeju get things underway on Friday and the Gyeongnam Province track hosts two class 1 contests to finish the day. The first gives the track’s top horses a rare chance to compete for a big prize over just seven furlongs and Sinjin Gangja and Top Grade will be among those looking to claim it. That race is immediately followed by a nine furlong test for overseas bred runners. Crafty Louis tops the weights but faces interesting competition from the likes of lightly raced four-year old Dandi and from the Korean bred Impeccable.

On Saturday the focus moves up to Seoul and Bulpae Gisang, winner of last year’s Busan Metropolitan and second in the Grand Prix, makes his first appearance of 2010. Regular rider Choi Beom Hyun is suspended so Champion jockey Park Tae Jong gets the mount for what should be a straightforward win although Bulpae Gisang will be giving weight to both Angus Empire and Baekjeonmupae, both horses with plenty of wins to their name.

Sunday is set to be a treat at both Seoul and Busan. Down South, last year’s Derby winner Sangseung Ilro faces Pangpang, the filly who beat her in the Oaks, in the feature. Don’t be surprised if neither of them win, however, as also going is Yeongung Manse, winner of the Governer’s Cup in 2009.

Up in the Capital meanwhile, President’s Cup winner Nice Choice makes his début as a four-year old. He should have the beating of a field including Machine Gun and the still slightly unknown quantity of Holy Dreamer. Sunday’s race 9 also sees the seasonal début of the current highest rated three-year old on the peninsula in the shape of Tough Win. The American import in three for three and will attempt two turns for the first time.

Friday January 22

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park (Pony Racing): 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday January 23

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:30, last 17:10

Sunday January 24

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15

It’s cold. The temperature is yet to rise above zero in Seoul in 2010 and it’s getting tiresome. The snow from a fortnight ago is still on the ground and riding out these past few mornings must have been horrific. Nevertheless, there’s a full set of race-cards to look forward to this weekend.

While hopes have been dashed that last year’s champion three-year old Nice Choice would make his season debut, we have an even more intriguing entry at Seoul Race Park this weekend. Seonbongbulpae, Champion Juvenile in 2009 steps up to nine furlongs in race 7 on Sunday afternoon as he launches his three-year old campaign.

The colt is unbeaten in four races but laboured in winning the Herald Business Cup back in December. He’ll face an array of older horses in the class 3 test.

The big race of the weekend at Seoul is on Saturday. As mentioned above, there’s no Nice Choice but Gi Ra Seong will be there and the six-year old will be fancied to overcome a field that includes the likes of Symphony Sonata and Hwangnyongsaji.

Busan Race Park

Friday January 15: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Sunday January 17: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15

Seoul Race Park

Saturday January 16: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Sunday January 17: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45

Jeju Race Park (Pony Racing)

Friday January 15: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30
Saturday Janaury 16: 9 races, first post 12:30, last 17:10

Seoul is getting back to normal after the heaviest snowfall in the city’s hitory was recorded earlier this week. Normal being that it’s still plenty of degrees below zero and that snow remains on the ground, turning progressively uglier by the day.

As of now though, the 2010 season at Seoul Race Park is expected to get underway as planned on Saturday. Today they raced at a chilly Busan, with Jo Sung Gon winning the year’s first race on Widaehan Dojeon, while Jeju also ran its first regular Friday pony card. The rest of the weekend looks like this:

Saturday:
Seoul: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 18:05
Jeju: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:25

Sunday:
Seoul: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:45
Busan: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15

As always, the feature event of the opening day of the year at Seoul is the New Year’s Commemorative Race. A full field of fourteen will contest the nine furlong event, among them Winner Prince, Guard Blue and Wangsan. The top horse on show on the day, however will be Vicar Love who lines up in race 11.

Gyongmaman is in the mood for some punting so here is what he will be losing his money on tomorrow:

Race 1: Pretty dreadful stuff to get us underway, Bon Rising might be the least slow.
Race 2: Mr Lucky will be odds-on to do just that.
Race 3: Kkonnuri has been third and fourth in his two outings to date and could score
Race 4: A lot of unknown quanities as a lot of young three year olds go for the first time. Of those who have raced before, Defcon and Golden Impact look the most likely to break their maidens.
Race 5: A tough one, Little Dreamer won last time out but Pilseung Korea may be the better option.
Race 6: Haengbokhan Party should not be beaten under Cho Kyoung Ho. His odds will reflect that.
Race 7: Gippeumnuri has won at this level and distance and could well do so again, Jangta under Moon Se Young might be worth a chance though.
Race 8: Anything could win this as the whole field steps up to eight and a half furlongs for the the first time. Bichui Adeul won’t be favourite, but could win.
Race 9: Jangbi Sarang could be another winner for Moon Se Young.
Race 10: The New Year’s race features a lot of improving young four-year olds. Wangsan and Fundahigh could provide the value.
Race 11: Vicar Love won’t be worth a bet to win. He should but he’s had off days in the past. All nine of his challengers though have dismal recent form.
Race 12: Champion jockey Park Tae Jong should be winning this comfortably on Grand Money.

Baekgwang / Sangseung Ilro / Jockey Title Race
If the story of the first half of the Korean racing year was Sangseung Ilro, the filly who claimed the first two legs of the Triple Crown, the story of the second half was Baekgwang. With the help of stem-cell therapy, the six-year old grey overcame two years of injuries to make an unlikely return to the top-tier of racing and gave Nice Choice a run for his money in the President’s Cup.

It is fitting then that both Sangseung Ilro and Baekgwang should run on the day that brings the 2009 season to a close. Sangseung Ilro will be the main draw of a short four race card at Busan on Sunday while Baekgwang will tackle one of the co-feature races at Seoul on the same day.

Also at Seoul, the Leading Jockey Title is on the line. With last year’s Champion Moon Se Young missing three months of the season due to injury, the race opened up. Cho Kyoung Ho looked to have victory secured until he was hit with a suspension last week which allowed veteran Park Tae Jong to swoop in and take the lead. Park leads Cho by one wins with Choi Beom Hyun a further victory behind. All three have nearly full books of rides and it could go any way.

Busan Race Park
Friday December 25: 8 races, first post 11:30, last 16:00
Sunday December 27: 4 races, first post 12:30, last 16:20

Seoul Race Park
Saturday December 26: 10 races, first post 11:10, last 17:40
Sunday December 27: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:50

Jeju Race Park (Pony Racing)
Friday December 25: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:00
Saturday December 26: 9 races, first post 13:35, last 17:30

Jeju moves this week to racing on Friday and Saturday – this will be its regular schedule in 2010. After a few warmer days, the cold snap is likely to be back over the weekend. Wrap up warm!

Gyongmaman is currently in the UK for Christmas but will have his spies at the track over the weekend and wishes all punters a very Merry Christmas!