Wepner debuts with nine rides / Dongbanui Gangja goes Sunday
It’s almost the weekend once again and Busan Race Park will get racing underway on Friday afternoon. South African jockey Martin Wepner will make his Korean debut in race 1 with the first of nine rides. Wepner will follow this on Sunday with a further three mounts on the six race card. In Friday’s feature race, Pick Me Up starts for the second time since returning from the US. On Sunday, Hwanggeumbit Taeyang will carry top weight in the feature handicap.

Grand Prix winner Dongbanui Gangja headlines Seoul’s Sunday card and should be able to see off a field including K J Khan, Serendipper and Haengun Daewang. One race earlier, Love Cat will make a remarkably early step up to class 2 company. The three year old filly has won her last four and will go over the Derby distance of nine furlongs.

Saturday’s card at Seoul will see Secret Weapon look to get back into the Winner’s Circle. The six year old followed up his bad run in the Grand Prix with a second placed finish behind Top Point but ahead of Myeongmun Gamun last month and will give at least five kilos to field of twelve.

Busan Race Park

Friday February 27: Ten races, first post 13:00
Sunday March 1: Six races, first post 12:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday February 28:Twelve races, first post 11:10
Sunday March 1: Eleven races, first post 11:10

Jeju Race Park will host nine races on Saturday and ten races on Sunday with the first going to post at 12:30 on both days and racegoers on the island will be hoping for better weather following last week’s abandonment for fog. Busan could have some rain on Friday but the forecast for Seoul is dry, bright and relatively warm all weekend.

Segye Ilbo Cup / Subsidy, Playing Politics, Noubeau Riche
This weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan Race Park on Friday but it’s Seoul where the main action will be with the Segye Ilbo Cup headlining Sunday’s card. The seven furlong race, which in recent times has been for three year old fillies is this year open to older foreign bred filles and mares. A full field of fourteen will line up. Among them there will be only two three year olds, one of them being the well thought of Jangjagang. Also going and likely to be in contention are Meni Cherry, Mexicali Blues, U Seung Man Se and Angel Pegasus. The race is off at 16:45 (see below for full list of runners, form and riders).

Next up on Sunday, Good Day will head a class 1 field over 2000 metres in search of his fourteenth win. Out to stop him will be Tu Won, stepping up to the highest level for the first time and looking to bounce back from his third place in the New Year Commemorative race last month, which ended his six race winning streak.

Saturday also sees a summit meeting at Seoul as Subsidy will attempt to reach the billion won prize money mark for the third time. He’ll be up against it again as Playing Politics steps up to 2000 metres having been beaten only once in his six races to date. Also going is the New Zealand bred gelding Baekjeonmupae as well as Noubeau Riche who beat a number of this field, including Subsidy and Seongpacheonha last time out.

Busan Race Park hosts cards on Friday and Sunday and Jeju Race Park on Saturday and Sunday. Weather at Seoul is likely to be cold but just on the right side of freezing with a chance of snow. Busan will be a few degrees warmer with a chance of snow.

Busan Race Park

Friday February 20: 10 races, first post 13:00
Sunday February 22: 6 races, first post 12:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday February 21: 12 races, first post 11:10
Sunday February 22: 11 races, first post 11:10

Segye Ilbo Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Feb 22, 2009, 16:45

1. Hwanggeum Dwaeji (AUS) (18/1/5/3) – Cho Kyoung Ho
2. Mexicali Blues (USA) (15/4/2/1) – Kim Ok Sung
3. Rising Winner (AUS) (21/2/2/2) – Yoo Sang Wan
4. Extreme Girl (USA) (28/0/4/2) – Lee Sang Hyuk
5. Ginny’s Delight (USA) (21/1/2/5) – Lee Joon Chel
6. Why A Duck (USA) (41/3/4/3) – Lee Shin Young
7. Jangjagang (USA) (7/2/1/2) – Park Tae Jong
8. Cheonsangcheonha (USA) (30/2/3/3) – Moon Jung Kyun
9. Beautiful Sky (AUS) (14/2/3/2) – Kim Young Jin
10. Angel Pegasus (USA) (10/3/2/0) – Ham Wan Sik
11. Exclusive Offer (USA) (17/3/2/0) – Park Eul Woon
12. Meni Cherry (USA) (9/3/0/2) – Kim Hyo Seob
13. U Seung Man Se (USA) (11/2/4/0) – Moon Se Young
14. Passage To Glory (USA) (16/3/2/1) – Jun Duk Young

Gaeseon Janggun / Namchonuijijon return
Three class 1 races headline the weekend’s action which will get underway at Busan Race Park tomorrow afternoon. Busan will host two of those big handicaps and Friday’s feature will see a host of big names including Crafty Louis, Florida Native, Hardride, Dangdae Star and Bugyeong Choegang. Racing will return to Busan on Sunday when 2008 Minister’s Cup winner Gaeseon Janggun makes his first appearance as a four year old.

Namchonuijijon will headline Seoul’s big race of the weekend which comes on Saturday afternoon. The five year old will be up against Natural Nine, Saebyeok Dongja, Best Condition and Hwangnyongsaji amongst a field of eleven.

Busan Race Park

Friday February 13: 10 races, post time 13:00
Sunday February 15: 6 races, post time 12:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday February 14: 12 races, post time 11:10
Sunday February 15: 11 races, post time 11:10

Jeju Race Park hosts eight races on Saturday and ten on Sunday with first post at 12:30 on both days. It is forecast to be remarkably warm for the time of year in Busan Friday with temperatures as high as 17, however, this is likely to be accompanied by rain. Seoul is forecast to be cool and dry.

Areumdaun Jilju, Golding, Bally Brae in action / Chavez debuts

Areumdaun Jilju makes his 2009 debut in Busan’s feature on Sunday giving a full six kilos to a field of ten including Procyon, Boryeong Bulbit and Luna. Aremundaun Jilju has won 12 of his 18 career starts. Heading Friday’s card will be Golding, the now seven year old gelding going over 1600M. Meanwhile, up at Seoul, 2007 Grand Prix winner Bally Brae will be the biggest name appearing, in a compeitive field with Vicar Love, Seoul Teukgeup and Saerounbisul in race 11 on Saturday.

American jockey Santos Chavez will make his Seoul debut on Saturday. The 47 year old will be the oldest jockey at Seoul and has a six month license. Chavez has career figures of 7623 rides, with 894 wins and 910 seconds. Despite a career which has taken him to the UK, Belgium, France, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Peru as well as the US, he appears to have been relatively inactive in recent years. Chavez, who will be known as “Santos” on the race card will have two rides on Saturday.

Busan Race Park

Friday February 6: 10 races with the first at 13:00
Sunday February 8: 6 races, first post at 12:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday February 7: 12 races, first off at 11:10
Sunday February 8: 11 races, first off at 11:10

Jeju Race Park hosts cards on both Saturday and Sunday with nine races on each day. Weather conditions in both Seoul and Busan are forecast to be mild and dry all weekend.

Season Debuts for Dongbanui Gangja, Myeongmun Gamun, Pick Me Up
A host of big name horses will take to the track this weekend as racing returns after the Lunar New Year break. Grand Prix winner Dongbanui Gangja makes his first appearance of 2009 at Seoul Race Park on Sunday and will be giving four kilos to Brilliant Knight, the gelding with five wins from his first six starts stepping up in class. On Saturday, Myeongmun Gamun, the top Korean bred horse at Seoul also makes his season debut, going head to head with Secret Weapon who’ll be looking to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Grand Prix.

Down at Busan, Pick Me Up will run for the first time since returning from the US. The seven year old will carry top weight in the feature handicap on Friday, a race that also features last year’s Derby winner Ebony Storm.

Busan Race Park
Friday January 30: 10 races, first post time 13:00
Sunday February 1: 6 races, first post time 12:30

Seoul Race Park:
Saturday January 31: 12 races, first post time 11:10
Sunday February 1: 11 races, first post time 11:10

Jeju Race Park will host 9 races on both Saturday and Sunday.

Subsidy will take his second crack at breaking the Billion Won career prize money mark when he goes in Saturday’s feature at Seoul Race Park. The nine year old Subsidy [Mr. Prospector – Foreign Aid (Danzig)] needs only to finish in the first five to reach the landmark figure. In his thirty two race career, the gelding has only been out of the money twice, with eighteen wins to his name. Champion jockey Moon Se Young gets the ride in the 2000 metre handicap, which comes under orders at 17:15. Out to stop him is a field of nine including Noubeau Riche (12runs/6 wins) and Haengun Daewang (27/9).

Sunday’s big race at Seoul features Good Day (19/13) heading the weights and giving at least three kilos to the rest of a twelve strong field featuring Nujindo and old stager Flying Cat. Busan puts on cards on Friday and Sunday. Friday’s feature will see Yongdu Baram face off against Boryeong Bulbit while Sunday’s card has four of its six races open to overseas bred horses.

Busan Race Park

Friday January 16: 10 races, first post time 13:00
Sunday January 18: 6 races, first post time 12:30

Seoul Race Park

Saturday January 17: 12 races, first post time 11:10
Sunday January 18: 11 races, first post time 11:10

Jeju Race Park will hold pony racing on Saturday and Sunday with nine races and a first post time of 12:30 on both days. While temperatures in Seoul have been below freezing for exactly a week now, the weekend should see things getting better with temperatures between 5-9C. Busan will be even warmer but both tracks could see rain on Sunday.

New Year Commemorative Race / Iku debuts at Busan
The 2009 Korean Horse Racing season will get underway Friday with a ten race card at Busan Race Park. Seoul and Jeju are up on Saturday and then all three tracks will host a card on Sunday:

Busan Race Park

Friday January 9: Ten races, first post time 13:00.

Sunday January 11: Six races with the first at 12:30. Feature race sees Metropolitan winner Hardride up against Crafty Louis and Bugyeong Choegang over 2000 metres.

Seoul Race Park

Saturday January 10: Twelve races, first post at 11:10. Seoul kicks off its 2009 with the annual “New Year Commemorative” race. The class 2 handicap attracts a full field of 14 headed by Tu Won. On a remarkable run of six straight victories, the youngest horse in the race will face a stiff challenge from Triple Seven, third in the President’s Cup last time out and arguably the best of Seoul’s three year olds last year. Also going are Best Fusion, winner of the HRI Trophy and unbeaten in his last three as well as the always dangerous Free Woody and Indiana Dream. Right after the New Year race, Vicar Love will return looking to make amends for his disappointing showing in the Grand Prix last month. Dropping back to 2000 metres, he’s among a field of nine including Baekjeonmupae, Saerounbisul and Seoul Teukgeup.

Sunday January 11: Eleven races with the first under orders at 11:10. Last year’s New Year’s race winner Hwangnyonsaji makes an appearance in the day’s main race. He’ll have his work cut out against a host of old-stagers including Dashing Champ, Machine Gunand Best Condition. In an earlier race, New Zealand import Coleraine, who won his first three outings but disappointed stepping up in class and distance last time, will get another chance over 1900 metres.

Jeju Race Park hosts pony racing on both Saturday and Sunday. On both days the first of nine comes under orders at 12:30. Jeju hosts its own New Year race on Saturday where the remarkable Baengnokgunji will carry 67kg for a 900 metre dash.

It’s going to be a cold weekend with temperatures in Seoul unlikely to get above freezing all weekend. If it gets warm enough, there’s a chance of snow on Sunday. Busan will be chilly but nowhere near as cold and accordingly the risk for Sunday is that of rain.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Boxing Day hangovers will need to be quickly overcome as the weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday. Busan also returns on Sunday with six races while Seoul runs on Saturday and Sunday. Playing Politics will make an appearance in race 10 at Seoul on Saturday.

Busan Race Park
Friday December 26: 10 races, first post time 13:00
Sunday December 28: 6 races, first post time 12:20

Seoul Race Park
Saturday December 27: 12 races. first post time 11:00
Sunday December 28: 12 races, first post time 11:00

It’s been a dry and bright but bitterly cold Christmas Day in Seoul but things should warm up to the right side of freezing by the weekend with a risk of snow showers on Saturday and rain on Sunday. Busan should see similar temperatures and a similar chance of rain on Sunday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS!