Racing Reviews

Minister’s Cup – Full Preview

Rafale struck first in the KRA Cup Mile. Yeongcheon Ace romped home in the Derby. They both line up, alongside just five others, for the final leg of the 2015 Korean Triple Crown – the Minister’s Cup – at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Yeongcheon Ace led Triple Nine home in the Derby (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Yeongcheon Ace led Triple Nine home in the Derby (Pic: Ross Holburt)

There have been two scratchings since declarations were made on Thursday mornings. Daegunhwang, 4th in the Korean Derby and Bulpae Line, who was set to take part in his first Triple Crown race, have both been ruled out. That means there won’t be a number 2 or number 7. Only one of the seven is from Seoul with the rest having travelled up from Busan. Here’s who’s left in:

Minister’s Cup (KOR G2) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – July 19, 2015 – 16:55

1. Triple Nine [Ecton Park – A Little Poke (Pleasant Tap)] (7/5/2/0) – Lim Sung Sil
He will be either favourite or second-favourite. He didnt make it to the Cup Mile but finished 2nd in the Derby and won a quick race over 1800M last month to keep him ticking over. Didn’t finish that strongly in the Derby which may be a concern but trainer Kim Young Kwan will surely have him spot-on here. He probably wont lead but he should be handy.

3. Yuseong Fighting [Didyme – Maggie’s Prayer (Songandaprayer)] (9/5/0/1) – Yang Young Nam
Credit to connections for entering their horse in all three legs of the Triple Crown but Yuseong Fighting is a sprinter. He will go out quick but he won’t get the trip with 1400M so far being his limit against decent opposition. Expect to see him win plenty of races over six furlongs but don’t expect him to win this.

4. Rock Band [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] (5/4/1/0) – Kim Yong Geun
The wildcard. Unraced as a 2-year-old, he sauntered to victory without really being tested in his first four starts this year. He then had a chance to show what he was made of over 1800M last month but in a small field he got a dreadful trip, managing to get stuck behind slow-moving horses twice. Rock Band flew home but it was too late. Kim Young Kwan could have entered others and Kim Yong Geun gives up a weekend of rides at Busan to partner him. He can’t be ruled out.

5. Doraon Hyeonpyo [Colors Flying – Kilcoe Castle (Gone West)] (8/5/2/0) – Kim Dong Young
Second in the Cup Mile and fifth in the Derby, this is another for who the distance may be an issue. Doraon Hyeonpyo was last year’s Champion Juvenile but the Derby was his first attempt at a mile and while he should beat plenty there are a few who may be too quick at the business end of the race.

6. Rafale [Colors Flying – Dongbang Choego (Al Naba)] (9/5/3/1) – You Hyun Myung
The KRA Cup Mile winner and then 3rd in the Derby, less than three lengths behind Yeongcheon Ace. He is quick and the distance shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for him. Expect him to settle in the middle of the pack and improve around the home turn. Rafale is most likely to start 3rd favourite and he should be looking for at least a place.

8. Seonbong [Duality – Megabuck Gal (Montbrook)] (9/3/3/0) – Lee Joon Chel
A very creditable 6th in the Korean Derby but there is no strong reason to believe he can finihs much higher here. Seongbong has raced once since the Derby, dropping all the way down to five furlongs and coming 2nd. Following Daegunhwang’s scratching, he is the home-track’s sole representative. This is a small field so anything can happen but he is up against it here.

9. Yeongcheon Ace [Menifee-Dixie Avenger (Dixie Union)] (9/4/3/2) – Choi Si Dae
The Korean Derby winner and the likely favourite here. He is a closer and sat right in the middle of the pack in the Derby. Given the small field today, he may even go right to the back early on. Others have show more speed but he will get the distance and has every chance of grinding out another win. Choi Si Dae is the current big race jockey.

Watts Village & New York Blue Claim Asia Challenge Cup Trials

Seoul and Busan Racecourses both held trials this past Sunday for the Asia Challenge Cup, the international invitational which will be run in the Korean capital at the end of August. And it was familiar names coming out on top as Watts Village and New York Blue ran out the respective winners.

Watts Village and Moon Se Young in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup winner's circle (Pic: KRA)

Watts Village and Moon Se Young in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup winner’s circle (Pic: KRA)

In the Munhwa Ilbo Cup at Seoul, there was just a nose in it as Watts Village, 2nd in the Korea/Japan Goodwill race – the forerunner of the Asia Challenge Cup – in 2013 and winner of the Interaction Cup at Ohi in Tokyo later the same year, beat out Choegang Schiller in a back and forth stretch duel that went all the way to the line. Under Moon Se Young, Watts Village had his nose in front just at the right time as the pair came home just one tenth of a second outside the track record for 1200M.

Munhwa Ilbo Cup – Seoul Racecourse – 1200M – July 12, 2015

1. Watts Village (USA) [Forestry – Edey’s Village (Silver Deputy)] – Moon Se Young – 2.2, 1.2
2. Choegang Schiller (USA) [Artie Schiller – Changeable (Misawaki)] – Lee Chan Ho – 1.3
3. Bichui Jeongsang (USA) [Wildcat Heir – Persimmon Honey (Colonial Affair)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 1.4
Distances: Nose/2.5 lengths
Also ran: 4. Joy Lucky (KOR) 5. Full Moon Party (KOR) 6. Parang Juibo (USA) 7. Cheonma (USA) 8. Seoul Jeongsang (KOR) 9. Mirae Yeongung (KOR) 10. Nolbu Manse (KOR) 11. Stan The Cameraman (USA)

At Busan, the Gukje Sinmun Cup attracted just six entrants and after a late scratching, only five took their place in the starting gate. It was another quick race and it was the filly New York Blue, 3rd in last year’s Asia Challenge Cup, who would get the better of Success Story by just under a length on the line.

Gukje Sinmun Cup – Busan Racecourse – 1200M – July 12, 2015

1. New York Blue (USA) [Candy Ride – Aim For The Moon (Deputy Minister)] – You Hyun Myung – 1.8, 1.1
2. Success Story (KOR) [Peace Rules – Power Pack (Lil’s Lad)] – Jo Sung Gon – 1.5
3. Super Gangja (USA) [Simon Pure – Honey Fritters (Helmsman)] – Choi Si Dae
Distances: 0.75 lengths/6 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Gyeongnam Sinhwa (USA) 5. Fly Top Queen (USA) SCR: Jeoldae Gunju (USA)

Both winners – and indeed the runners-up – will be expected in Seoul to take their chance against the visitors from Singapore, Japan and – with a quarantine protocol almost complete – potentially the UAE as well for the Asia Challenge Cup on August 30.

There is more Stakes action at Seoul this coming Sunday in the shape of the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the 2015 Korean Triple Crown.

Gamdonguibada Glory At Busan

There was talk she was to be retired after winning the Queens’ Tour last year. Some retirement. Gamdonguibda, a six-year-old mare, romped home ahead of a whole host of big names and reputations to take the glory in the Busan City Mayor’s Cup this afternoon.

Beolmaui Kkum was out of the gate the quickest – no surprises there – and was quickly joined up front by Oreuse and Cowboy Son. However, today would not be a day for the front-runners. Gamdonguibada, under jockey Lim Sung Sil was away well and settled just behind the leaders.

She improved into 5th entering the home straight and as the early leaders fell away, took advantage and sprinted away to win by four lengths on the line. Spring Gnarly, closed from the back to take 2nd while outsider Heba put in a tremendous performace to grab 3rd. Cowboy Son clung on for 4th while pre-race favourite Gyeongbudaero got the final prize money in 5th.

Gamdonguibada was a $31,000 purchase from Ocala in 2011. Today marked her 14th career victory and took her to over US$2Million in prize money at the current exchange rate. She’s won the Grand Prix Stakes and Ttukseom Cup at Seoul as well as the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup (twice) and the KNN Cup at her home track of Busan.

Gamdonguibada’s next engagement is scheduled to be at Kranji in Singapore on July 26. Should she go, she will be up against it, dropping down to 1200M and facing a quality of horse she hasn’t before. Tonight though, in terms of prizes and longevity, she is quite simply the most successful filly or mare to have ever run in Korea.

Busan Mayor’s Cup (KOR G2) – Busan Racecourse – 1600M – July 5, 2015

1. Gamdonguibada (USA) [Werblin – Radyla (Country Pine)] – Lim Sung Sil – 6.7, 2.3
2. Spring Gnarly (USA) [Master Command – Spring Tide (Unbridled’s Song)] – Kim Yong Geun – 3.7
3. Heba (USA) [Peace Rules – Sue’s Temper (Temperence Hill)] – Song Keong Yun – 3.7

Distances: 4 lengths / 0.75 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Cowboy Son (USA) 5. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) 6. Gumpo Sky (KOR) 7. Oreuse (USA) 8. Cinderella Man (USA) 9. Eongmandori (USA) 10. Gumpo Daeseung (AUS) 11. Beolmaui Kkum (USA) 12. Chogwang (AUS) 13. Baksuchyeo (USA) 14. Magic Light (KOR) 15. Hwanggeumjijon (USA)

As for the others, Spring Gnarly made it a one-two for trainer Kim Young Kwan while Gyeongbudaero was late arriving on the scene and is now three races without a win as is Beolmaui Kkum. Oreuse showed at the front early and will surely win plenty of races at shorter distances with the Asia Challenge Cup at Seoul in August the logical target. Cinderella Man was disappointing but will surely be back better.

On the subject of the Asia Challenge Cup, next week we have two trials for it; the Munhwa Ilbo Cup at Seoul and the Gukje Sinmun at Busan which is likely to feature Success Story and, making her first start since relocating to Busan, Fly Top Queen. Twilight racing also begins next weekend with the first race at Seoul being 13:00.

Areumdaundonghaeng On Song In YTN Cup

Areumdaundonghaeng closed in style to win the YTN Cup at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon.

Areumdaundonghaeng and Song Jae Chul win the YTN Cup (Pic: KRA)

Areumdaundonghaeng and Song Jae Chul win the YTN Cup (Pic: KRA)

Jangmi Eondeok was sent off as the favourite but it was Real Ten who would set the early pace. He faded as Mani Income hit the front with a furlong left to run but it was Areumdaundonghaeng, the 3/1 second favourite and carrying the lightest weight in the field who was the stronger, coming through under Song Jae Chul and winning going away.

19/1 chance Cheonjeok got the best of a three-way photograph for 2nd beating out Mani Income and K Ascending by a neck with Jangmi Eondeok a further nose back in 5th.

Areumdaundonghaeng was a $33,000 purchase from the Fasig Tipton 2014 Mid-Atlantic Two-Year-Olds sale last May. Today was her 4th win on her 8th career start.

For jockey Song Jae Chul it was a first big race win since he gained his appremtice license two years ago and he celebrated as such as he crossed the line, perhaps mindful that the YTN TV cameras were on him.

YTN Cup – Seoul Racecourse 2000M – June 28, 2015

1. Areumdaundonghaeng (USA) [A.P.Warrior – Legacy’s Silver (Robyn Dancer)] – Song Jae Chul  4.2, 1.7
2. Cheonjeok (USA) [Shakespeare – Celtic Song (Giant’s Causeway)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 4.5
3. Mani Income (USA) [Irish Road – Lemon Zest (Lemon Drop Kid)] – Seo Seung Un – 3.3
Distances: 1 length/neck
Also Ran: 4. K Ascending (USA) 5. Jangmi Eondeok (USA) 6. Seungbu Sinhwa (USA) 7. Dangsan Daehyeop (USA) 8. Real Ten (USA) 9. Last Mudae (KOR) 10. Chowon Yeoje (KOR) 11. No Secret More (USA)

* In other news at Seoul the long awaited return of Wonder Bolt, 2nd in both the Asia Challenge Cup and the Grand Prix Stakes last year was an anti-climax. He was sent off as the favourite for the class 1 race 10 ahead of Magic Dancer, who was making his first appearance in the capital since permanently relocating from Busan.

Neither shined though and instead it was Persia Wangja (Ghostzapper) who took the honours, beating out Ganghae by a neck. Gumanseok was in 3rd with Wonder Bolt trailing home in 4th.

Next week the focus shifts to Busan and one of the highlights of the summer schedule, The Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Cup.

Jangpung Parang Makes All To Dominate Korean Oaks

Jangpung Parang led out of the gate and all the way around to dominate the 16th running of the Korean Oaks at Busan Racecourse this afternoon.

As expected there were plenty who were looking to get towards the front early but Kim Yong Geun got Jangpung Parang, who was sent off as fourth-favourite, away well to lead into the first turn with Queen Two Hearts and Dangdae Cheonha in close attendance.

That is how it would remain until the field turned for home. Dangdae Cheonha faded away while favourite Meni Money came through with her expected late run. It was to no avail though as Jangpung Parang had already kicked on to an unassailable lead, giving jockey Kim the luxury of easing slightly as they approached the line. Meni Money would get to within five lengths with Queen Two Hearts a further couple behind.

Hot Commend closed strongly to claim 4th place with Smart Time claiming the final prize-money spot in 5th. Outsider Purple Ocean was 6th while the well-fancied Jibong Sarang was the disappointment of the race in 7th.

It was a third consecutive Oaks win for trainer Kim Young Kwan following Speedy First in 2013 and Queen’s Blade last year. Jockey Kim Yong Geun also partnered Queen’s Blade and was winning his second Oaks.

Jangpung Parang is by Creek Cat, who passed away in 2012. It broke Menifee’s four-year winning streak in the event. She is out of the Canadian-bred mare Ascend The Throne (Silver Charm) who was unraced and was purchased for $30,000 at Keeneland in November 2007.

As for Seoul, while Sports Seoul Trophy winner Meni Money was sent off the slight favorite, her 2nd place was creditable while Smart Time also ran well for 5th. The capital desperately needs to get a big race win over Busan but today once more, it was not to be.

It wasn’t quite the fairytale ending to his Korean-career for Joe Fujii. Dangdae Cheonha showed towards the front early but faded to last in the home-straight. Masa Tanaka and Nobuyuki Oyama though guided the unfancied pair of Hot Commend and Purple Ocean to 4th and 6th respectively.

The Oaks was run two months earlier this year in order to fit in to a new compressed Triple Crown schedule. That means the final leg, with the colts involved once more, is less than a month away. Janpung Parang will almost certainly stay the 2000M should connections choose to bring her up to Seoul for the Minister’s Cup next month.

Korean Oaks (KOR G2) – Busan Racecourse – 1800M – June 21, 2015

1. Jangpung Parang (KOR) [Creek Cat – Ascend The Throne (Silver Charm)] – Kim Yong Geun – 5.9, 2.0
2. Meni Money (KOR) [Menifee – Pocketful Of Money (Running Stag)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.3
3. Queen Two Hearts (KOR) [Menifee – Ghostly Gal (Silver Ghost)] – Jo Sung Gon – 1.5
Distances: 5 lengths / 2.5 lengths. Winning Time: 1:56.5

Also Ran: 4. Hot Commend (Masa Tanaka) 5. Smart Time (Ham Wan Sik) 6. Purple Ocean (Nobuyuki Oyama) 7. Jibong Sarang (You Hyun Myung) 8. Queen Creek Cat (Kim Hye Sun) 9. Grace (Kim Dong Young) 10. Dia Girl (Kim Cheol Ho) 11. Dangdae Cheonha (Joe Fujii)

Winning Owner: Lim Chong Jae
Winning Breeder: Jang Kyoung Ae
Winning Traner: Kim Young Kwan

Rock Band Out Of Tune At Busan

Rock Band saw his unbeaten record wither away in the Busan twilight on Friday as the much-vaunted three-year-old crashed to his first defeat on his first try at 1800M.

Rock Band [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] is the full-brother of the 2013 President’s Cup and Grand Prix Stakes winner Indie Band. Unraced as a two-year-old, he debuted in March and before Friday had won each of his four races with ease.

Stepped up to 1800M and also up to class 3, the main danger on Friday was expected to be Yeonggwanguitaepung, who had been so disappointing in the Korean Derby last month. However, with Rock Band sent off the long-odds on favourite, the one they all overlooked was Cheonji Hero (Volponi).

Under You Hyun Myung, 30/1 chance Cheonji Hero made the early running and remarkably would go on to make all. Rock Band on the other hand, found himself caught up first behind the erratically racing Choegang Bulpae and then behind a wall of Yeonggwanguitaepung, Lucky and Sinheung Menifee, the latter two travelling slowly.

By the time jockey Kim Yong Geun had managed to extricate himself, Cheonji Hero – no superstar but no mug – was long gone. Rock Band finished like the KTX to Cheonji Hero’s Mugunghwa but came up three lengths short. He will surely win next time.

Other reputations did emerge intact yesterday. Rock Band’s stable-mate Triple Nine (Ecton Park – A Little Poke) was 2nd in the Korean Derby at Seoul last month and back at his home track he came out in the feature race to record his 5th win from 7 starts. Racing well within himself under jockey Lim Sung Sil, the colt secured a very comfortable three-length victory.

Like Rock Band, Triple Nine is also not one to hit the front too early. Unlike Rock Band he safely managed to navigate a 13-strong field rather than getting lost in traffic among just 6 rivals. Both will be back and both could be present in some of the big Autumn Stakes races.

Classy Perovic Doubles At Seoul

Fresh from his first victory in Korean racing last Sunday, it didn’t take Djordje Perovic very long to strike again, with the Serbian rider landing a double at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

His first victory came in race 1 when he got 8/1 Horuragi home in a final furlong tussle with second-favourite Ison. The two horses were evenly matched but Perovic’s superior skill got his mount to the line in front.

Perovic would show that skill again later on when guiding 40/1 shot My William to an unexpectedly comfortable win in race 7. Connections will be starting to take note.

It is notoriously difficult for foreign riders to get a foot in the door at Seoul, regardless of talent or ability. It takes steely resolve, a thick skin, an open-mind and a lot of perseverance. Perovic got a toe in the door when getting on a spare ride on his first weekend and guiding it to second place. The foot followed last week. Today he started to kick the door down.

It’s still early days and plenty can still go wrong but owners want winners. They wanted Ikuyasu Kurakane in the past and it seems many are going to start to want Djordje Perovic.

* Despite his earlier successes, Perovic was unable to complete a treble in the afternoon’s feature race. That was won by Seoul’s leading jockey Moon Se Young who booted Brig (Menifee) to a comfortable win in the 1800M Class 1 Handicap.

Weekend Race Times

Sandwiched between last week’s Ttukseom Cup and next week’s Korean Oaks, it’s a bit of a low-key weekend but there’s still plenty going on.

March 2 2014

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday June 12
Busan Racecourse: 10 races from 12:50 to 19:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 13:15 to 17:35

Saturday June 13
Seoul Racecourse: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:10

Sunday June 14
Seoul Racecourse:11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Racecourse: 12:45 to 17:00

Weekend Round-Up: Tanaka Takes Busan Feature / Singgeureounachim Evergreen At Seoul / MERS Hits Legal Betting

Esmeraldina’s Ttukseom Cup win was the top story of the weekend, but there was plenty of other action going on too.

Down at Busan, the feature race of the weekend was somewhat overshadowed by events at Seoul 30 minutes previously but it ended in another Japanese success as Masa Tanaka rode 8/1 shot Ildeung Hanghaesa to victory.

4-year-old Ildeung Hanghaesa (Ecton Park), who beat second-favourite Dynamic Dash by 4-lengths, was winning for the 5th time in total and the first time at class 1. As for Tanaka, the Japanese rider has started a countdown to his 100th Korean winner and is now on 72.

In addition to the Ttukseom Cup, there was class 1 action at Seoul too and it was a return to the winner’s circle for the first time in over a year for one of the stalwarts of the track, Singgeureounachim. The 7-year-old was sent off at odds of 35/1 but under apprentice Kim Dong Soo (which got him a 2kg weight allowance) he ran on for victory by just under a length from joint-favourite Best Run. It was a 10th career win for Singgeureounachim (Exploit) on his 50th career start.

Earlier on Sunday at Seoul, jockey Djordje Perovic, who has impressed a number of observers in his short time here so far, got his first Korean winner.

On a weekend which saw attendance at both KBO baseball and K-League football matches drop by 40% due to public fears over the MERS virus (or as Yonhap News ever so slightly melodramatically put it, South Korea is currently “an ailing nation in the grip of a deadly virus”), it was inevitable that racing was going to suffer too.

As it was, while the infield family park was nearly deserted, betting turnover was also down on Sunday to an average KRW 4.1 Billion per race from KRW 4.4 Billion per race last week. It was the lowest of the year so far. Online betting is illegal in Korea and the legal telephone betting service that was previously offered was forcibly shut down by the government a few years ago.

You have to physically go to the track or an OTB if you want a legal punt. The MERS panic is a demonstration of one of the deficiencies of that policy and no doubt the illegal bookies were cheering it all the way to the bank.

Japan’s Esmeraldina Just Too Good In Ttukseom Cup

Esmeraldina was dominant in winning the 27th Ttukseom Cup for Japan at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon. Under jockey Joe Fujii, the 4-year-old swept to a 3-length in the first leg of the 2015 Queens’ Tour.

Esmeraldina and Joe Fujii return to scale

Esmeraldina and Joe Fujii return to scale

Korean punters sent the sole Japanese raider off as the odds-on favourite. She was the quickest out of the gate to such an extent that it drew admiring gasps from the huge crowd but it would be Fly Top Queen who would quickly come across to take things up.

In the end, this set things up perfectly for Esmeraldina who when Fly Top Queen inevitably faded in the home straight, was left with a clear run for home. A burst of acceleration gave her an unassailable lead by the time they hit the furlong pole and while New York Blue valiantly tried to chase her down, she won by three lengths on the line, pulling ever further clear.

The winning time was just one tenth of a second outside El Padrino’s track record in the Asia Challenge Cup. New York Blue was 3rd that day last August, today once more chasing a visitor, she showed her sprinting class by running 2nd. Bichui Jeongsang got the best of a tight finish for 3rd.

The 27th Ttukseom Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – June 7, 2014

1. Esmeraldina (USA) [Harlan’s Holiday – Tasha’s Star (Spanish Steps)] – Kanichiro Fujii – 1.4, 1.1
2. New York Blue (USA) [Candy Ride – Aim For The Moon (Deputy Minister)] – You Hyun Myung – 2.4
3. Bichui Jeongsang (USA) [Wildcat Heir – Persimmon Honey (Colonial Affair)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 2.0
Distances: 3 lengths/5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. My Day (KOR) 5. Heba (USA) 6. Ms. Margaux (USA) 7. Halla Chukje (USA) 8. Cheonnyeon Dongan (KOR) 9. Fly Top Queen (USA) 10. Ua Deungseon (KOR) 11. Golden Lass (KOR) 12. Joy Lucky (KOR)

Esmeraldina is owned by Ms. Kazumi Yoshida, who also owned Testa Matta, who now stands at Nokwon Farm on Jeju Island. She is trained by Makoto Saito out of the Miho Training Centre.

For jockey Joe Fujii, a man who has won the Grand Prix Stakes, the Korean Derby, the Korean Oaks and the Jeju Governor’s Cup this victory today – riding a horse for a Japanese owner and Japanese trainer in Seoul – may well be one of the most significant of his career to date. After the race, he played down his role, putting all the credit on the horse. He still had to do the job though.

Fujii will leave Korea at the end of June to return to Japan and hopefully this win today will go someway to burnishing his reputation in his home country – a place he has never ridden professionally before. Fujii will ride initially in the NAR and will take the JRA exam to try to enter Japan’s elite racing circuit. He has been a true ambassador and has bounced back from both injury and accidental controversy in fine style. Today was a fitting reward.

Esmeraldina and smartly dressed travelling head lad in the winner's circle

Esmeraldina and smartly dressed travelling head lad in the winner’s circle

It was an important day. The Ttukseom Cup race was an international open race, not an invitational meaning that Esmeraldina’s connections paid their way here. There were no gala dinners (although by all accounts, the bars and restaurants of Anyang have been on high alert the past few days) and they didn’t come for the fresh air. They came for business and they came for sport. Their courage paid off.

Where does this leave Korea? Our sprinters are supposed to be our strong point and although there were no stars in the line-up today, being outclassed by a talented but by no means superstar Japanese horse is less a wake-up call than a cacophony of alarm bells.

The next big international weekend in Korea is the final weekend of August. Seoul Racecourse will host the Asia Young Guns Apprentice Jockey Challenge, the Asia Challenge Cup, which will remain an invitational race, plus two more Open races, the KRA Cup Classic and the Singapore Turf Club Trophy. Before that, Korean horses are expected at Kranji in Singapore for the Korea Cup on July 26.