Racing Reviews

Gyeongbudaero Swoops To Claim Grand Prix Glory

Gyeongbudaero became the second horse in as many years to complete a President’s Cup / Grand Prix Stakes double as he swooped late to win Korea’s most prestigious race this afternoon.

The view from above as Gyeongbudaero wins the Grand Prix Stakes

The view from above as Gyeongbudaero wins the Grand Prix Stakes

The 5-year-old, who won the KRA Cup Mile (Korean Guineas) two years ago, was sent off at 13/1 for the season-ending showpiece with Beolmaui Kkum the favourite for the second year running.

And as a light snow fell over Seoul Racecourse, it was Beolmaui Kkum who, as expected, set the early pace with Magic Dancer and the outsider Rush Force in close attendance. Gyeongbudaero was leading only three as they began the long turn for home.

As the field entered the home straight there was a nasty incident as Nobody Catch Me slightly interfered with Samjeong Jewang. The latter and Ikuyasu Kurakane tumbled to the ground although thankfully both would get up and walk away. Nobody Catch Me was disqualified.

None of that affected the result. Gyeongbudaero had improved around the turn and went wide in the straight, hitting the front with just over a furlong to go as Beolmaui Kkum and Magic Dancer began to tire. Wonder Bolt came up to challenge but Gyeongbudaero was gone, winning by three lengths on the line.

For Gyeongbudaero, it was an 11th win on his 28th start and takes him to over $2Million in prize money won. He follows Indie Band in winning the President’s Cup and Grand Prix Stakes in the same year. Crucially too, he is another Korean bred winner of Korea’s best race.

Wonder Bolt was game in second and Beolmaui Kkum will be back. Clean Up Joy was a revelation in 4th although Magic Dancer would have been expected to go better than 5th.

The doubt about Gyeongbudaero had been whether he would stay the trip. The way he ran today, he could have stayed all the way down the “Gyeongbudaero” Highway back home to Busan. Gyeongbudaero is an emphatic Grand Prix Stakes Champion of 2014.

Grand Prix Stakes (KOR G1) – Seoul Racecourse – 2300M – December 14, 2014

1. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) [Menifee – Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – Choi Si Dae –
2. Wonder Bolt (USA) [Desert Warrior – Little Champ (Great Gladiator)] – Lee Chan Ho –
3. Beolmaui Kkum (USA) [Put It Back – Wild Dixie Gal (Wild Event)] – Lee Hee Cheon –

Distances: 3 lengths / 4 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Clean Up Joy (USA) 5. Magic Dancer (KOR) 6. Cheonji Bulpae (AUS) 7. Unbeatable (USA) 8. Ghost Whisper (KOR) 9. Jangmi Eondeok (USA) 10. Rush Forth (USA) 11. Major King (KOR) DQ: Nobody Catch Me DNF: Samjeong Jewang

Fly Top Queen Back Among The Winners

After a disappointing second half of the year, Fly Top Queen was back in the winner’s circle under the floodlights on a cold winter’s afternoon in Seoul on Saturday.

Having endured the ignominy of finishing last in the Asia Challenge Cup in August and following it up with a lacklustre 11th of 12 behind old foes Wonder Bolt and Watts Village a month ago, Korea’s most expensive imported racehorse was sent off at just 4th in the betting for Saturday’s class 1 feature.

However, this time she put in the kind of run that we came to expect from her earlier in her career. Bounding out of gate 12 under Park Tae Jong, Fly Top Queen was taken into the lead early in the 1400M race and never looked like getting caught, winning by 4-lengths on the line with Bichui Jeongsang and Here He Comes chasing her home not terribly effectively.

It was her 6th win in 12 career starts (including one start in Japan). While not an especially quick time – on what was a day of rather slow times – but the manner of her victory suggests that she still has plenty more to offer in the likely event that connections opt to run her as a 5-year-old in 2015.

As for other imports, fellow US bred Eye Say Who Dey, who won his first two races so impressively before suffering two setbacks, was also back among the winners at Seoul yesterday. The 2-year-old Bluegrass Cat colt took the honours in a very competitive race 8 which featured a number of up-and-coming overseas-bred horses.

Racing returns to Seoul and Busan today, with class 1 events and plenty of good betting races at both tracks.

Class 1 Handicap – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – Dec 6, 2014

1. Fly Top Queen (USA) [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Johannesburg)] – Park Tae Jong – 5.5, 2.0
2. Bichui Jeongsang (USA) [Wildcat Heir – Persimmon Honey (Colonial Affair)] – Ikuyasu Kurakane – 1.7
3. Here He Comes (USA) [Divine Park – Migygian (Ogygian)] – Moon Se Young – 2.6

Distances: 4 lengths / 3 lengths – 13 ran

Fujii Returns With A Winner While Wolsley Trains A Four-Timer

Joe Fujii marked his return to the saddle with a winner but it was Peter Wolsley who stole the show among the foreign ranks at Busan on Friday, sending out four winners on the day.

Joe Fujii was back with a winner today (KRA)

Joe Fujii was back with a winner today (KRA)

Fujii, returning after a five-month layoff, started well when guiding Wonderful Star to a creditable 3rd place in race 1 and was then 2nd on Sky Sun in race 4.

He had to wait until race 8 to find the winner’s circle though, riding favourite Vicar Gold to a comfortable 5-length victory.

By that time, Australian trainer Wolsley had already saddled two winners. Debutant Cheonji Park was impressive, making all to claim race 2 before Choedae Gangja triumphed with a similarly front-running victory in race 7.

Next up for Wolsley was Baksuchyeo, who in landing his 5th win in 8 starts, handed the highly-rated filly Top Admiral her first ever defeat in race 9. Cinderella Man completed the four-timer in race 10.

Feature race of the afternoon went to 8/1 chance Grand Teukgeup. This afternoon’s winners essentially assure Wolsley of 2nd place in the Trainers’ Championship behind the Kim Young Kwan stable. As for Fujii, despite missing almost half the season, he still lies in 7th in the Jockeys’ Championship.

Both Fujii and Wolsley will be back at Busan for more on Sunday.

Doraon Hyeonpyo Leads Busan 1,2,3 in Breeders’ Cup

Doraon Hyeonpyo claimed the Korean Breeders’ Cup at Seoul this afternoon to become the nation’s Champion Juvenile of 2014.

Doraon Hyeonpyo and Choi Si Dae win the Breeders' Cup at Seoul (Pic: KRA)

Doraon Hyeonpyo and Choi Si Dae win the Breeders’ Cup at Seoul (Pic: KRA)

And it was a clean sweep of the placings for Busan horses as he led home Rafale and Summit Myeongun at the end of the 1400M race.

Doraon Hyeonpyo was sent off as the slight favourite ahead of Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup winner Rafale and these two would fight out the finishing with Choi Si Dae guiding Doraon Hyeonpyo to victory by just under two lengths with Summit Myeongun a further five legnths back in third.

Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup winner Cosmos King confirmed his status as Seoul’s top two-year-old, coming home in 4th with Yesuri Myeongun taking the final money position under Masa Tanaka. The only filly in the race, Dream Queen, was 6th.

Both the winner and runner-up were sired by young stallion Colors Flying (A.P. Indy) who was imported in late 2010. Doraon Hyeonpyo and Rafale are among his first crop to hit the track in Korea.

Breeders’ Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – November 30, 2014

1. Doraon Hyeonpyo (KOR) [Colors Flying – Kilcoe Castle (Gone West)] – Choi Si Dae – 2.5, 1.4
2. Rafale (KOR) [Colors Flying – Dongbang Choego (Al Naba)] – You Hyun Myung – 1.2
3. Summit Myeongun (KOR) [Menifee – Summit Party (Ecton Park)] – Kim Yong Geun – 2.0

Distances: 1.75 lengths / 5 lengths – 10 ran

Ua Deungseon Takes Nonghyup Chairman’s Cup

Ua Deungseon added to her Donga-Ilbo Trophy victory by claiming the Nonghyup Chairman’s Cup, the last big Stakes race of the year for fillies, at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon.

Ua Deungseon was 7th in the Korean Oaks at Busan in August but returned to Seoul to win the Donga Ilbo Trophy in Sepember. Sent off as slight favourite today, she just held on in a tight finish from Geumbit Hwanhui and outsider Cupid Girl.

Nonghyup Chairman’s Cup 2014 – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – Nov 23, 2014

1. Ua Deungseon (KOR) [Menifee-Singgereoun (Mr. Adorable)] – Ham Wan Sik – 3.4, 1.5
2. Geumbut Hwanhui (KOR) [Peace Rules – Sincheongchun (Silent Warrior)] – Jang Chuyoul – 2.8
3. Cupid Girl (KOR) [Vicar – Sheza Hot Dish (Rubiano)] – Park Hyun Woo – 8.6
Distances: Neck/Nose – 14 ran

Gamdonguibada Completes The Queen Sweep

Gamdonguibada was back to her dominant best at Busan on Sunday as she crushed her opposition to win the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup and in doing so, complete the full Queens’ Tour set, having won the Ttukseom Cup and KNN Cups earlier in the season.

Gamdonguibdada wins the Gyeongnam Governor's Cup (Pic: KRA)

Gamdonguibdada wins the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup (Pic: KRA)

She was sent off as the slight odds-on favourite for the 2000 metre, with New York Blue, who had beaten her over the same distance last month – albeit carrying less weight – second in the market.

In the end, it wasn’t even close. While outsider Silver Classic set the pace for much of the race, Gamdonguibada was always on her shoulder and pounced as they entered the home straight.

A slight drift over to the stands side barely registered as the 5-year-old sprinted away for a 4-length win. New York Blue was 2nd while prolific placer Ms. Margaux was 3rd.

It was a 6th Stakes win for Gamdonguibada and the $31,000 purchase from Ocala in 2011 has now earned almost $2Million in prize money. He biggest win came in the 2012 Grand Prix Stakes and her name is on the ballot for this year’s event too.

New York Blue in 2nd showed that she too is of high quality at any distance while it was another superb training performance from Peter Wolsley to send out Ms. Margaux into 3rd. Yereobunuiyeowang, under Japanese jockey Nozomu Tomizawa was 4th while Dragon Hill led home the Seoul contingent in 5th.

Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup (KOR G3) – Busan Racecourse – 2000M – Nov 16, 2014

1. Gamdonguibada (USA) [Werblin – Radyla (Country Pine)] – Kim Yong Geun – 1.7, 1.1
2. New York Blue (USA) [Candy Ride – Aim For the Moon (Deputy Minister)] – You Hyun Myung – 1.2
3. Ms. Margaux (USA) [Midnight Lute – Sixtyone Margaux (Cozzene)] – Park Geum Man – 3.1

Distances: 4 lengths / Neck
Also Ran: 4. Yeoreobunuiyeowang (JPN) 5. Dragon Hill (USA) 6. Jangmi Eondeok (USA) 7. SIlver Classic (USA) 8. Shining Future (KOR) 9. Big Power (USA) 10. Heba (USA) 11. Seungbu Sinhwa (USA) 12. Winner’s Marine (USA) 13. Changiparang (USA)

Dubai On Cards For Wonder Bolt After Seoul Cruise

Wonder Bolt continued to add to his burgeoning reputation with an easy win at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday in a class 1 contest that many observers regarded as being of superior quality to many recent Stakes races.

Watts Village, Nolbu Manse, Sing Sing Cat and Fly Top Queen were among those left behind as Wonder Bolt bided his time under jockey Seo Seung Un before bounding away in the home straight for an eased-down 4-length victory, just outside the track record time for 1700M.

The grey Wonder Bolt first came to mainstream attention by finishing 5th in the season ending Grand Prix last year but it is in his 4-year-old season where he has really started to shine. A couple of smart wins at both sprint and route distances established him as one of the most versatile horses at the track before he finished 2nd to El Padrino in the Asia Challenge Cup in August

That 2nd place – for which he was awarded an official rating of 106 by the Singapore handicapper – meant that he qualifies to run at the Dubai Carnival in the Spring and his win at the weekend suggests that he has every chance of putting in a decent performance if he goes.

Connections may take some persuading. That’s understandable as despite a likely hike in his handicap mark again, if he stays at home, Wonder Bolt will no doubt mop up some lucrative handicaps in the New Year.

Watts Village, victorious in Tokyo last year and 3rd in the race on Sunday was eligible to go to Dubai last year. Connections spurned the opportunity to make even more Korean racing history. Hopefully Wonder Bolt will give it a go this time around.

Class 1 Handicap – Seoul Racecourse – 1700M – November 2, 2014

1. Wonder Bolt (USA) [Desert Warrior – Little Champ (Great Gladiator)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.9, 1.2
2. Clean Up Cheonha (USA) [El Correador – Loh Collado (More Than Ready)] – Lee Sang Hyeok – 5.4
3. Watts Village (USA) [Forestry – Edey’s Village (Silver Deputy)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 1.9
Distances: 4 lengths/2.5 lengths – 12 ran

Jo Sung Gon Rides 6 Winners For 6 Different Trainers At Busan

Jo Sung Gon pulled off a remarkable feat at Busan Racecourse this afternoon, winning 6 of the 11 races – including 5 in a row – all for 6 different trainers and with only one slight odds-on chance among them.

Jo-nly me! Jo Sung Gon rode 6 winners at Busan today

Jo-nly me! Jo Sung Gon rode 6 winners at Busan today

Jo won Race 1 on Namdoui Yeowang, but didn’t strike at all between races 2 and 6, during which time Kim Yong Geun rode a treble of his own. From race 7 on, however, there was no stopping him as he won all of the remaining 5 races on the card.

Pick of the winners was in the class 1 feature where he guided the Peter Wolsley trained Ghost Whisper to a comfortable victory. It was the 14th win of the 6-year-old gelding’s career.

Busan’s reigning champion jockey, the 32-year-old Jo Sung Gon isn’t going to win the title this year. The main reason for this was that he gave his rivals a head start by spending the first three months of the season riding in Macau. Since his return, he has ridden 58 winners and lies 4th in the standings.

Best known among casual racing fans as being the regular jockey for Dangdae Bulpae (seen in the picture above) on whom he won an unprecedented 9 stakes races, he also has a Korean Derby and Oaks to his name and alongside Moon Se Young at Seoul, is widely considered as one of the top two jockeys in Korea.

Jo Sung Gon’s Six-Timer (with trainer name, margin and tote return):

Race 1: Namdoui Yeowang (Creek Cat), Jang Se Han – 4 lengths – 4.1
Race 7: Morning Hwiparam (Everydayissaturday), Lee Jung Pyo – 4 lengths – 3.9
Race 8: Yankee Dream (Yankee Victor), Han Sang Bok – 1.5 lengths – 3.0
Race 9: Forty Cure (Field Asuka), Choi Ki Hong – 1.25 lengths – 3.6
Race 10: Useung Radar (Student Council), Min Jang Gi – Head – 4.4
Race 11: Ghost Whisper (Gotham City), Peter Wolsley – 4 lengths – 1.9

Pinot Noir The Toast Of Ladies’ Day At Seoul

Pinot Noir produced a late run to upset hot favourite Cheonnyeon Dongan to win the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday and in doing so, be crowned the capital’s Champion filly or mare of 2014.

Pinot Noir gets up to beat Cheonnyeon Dongan to win the Gyeonggi Governor's Cup (Pic: KRA)

Pinot Noir gets up to beat Cheonnyeon Dongan to win the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (Pic: KRA)

Cheonnyeon Dongan was a proven winner at class and distance against colts. Pinot Noir on the other hand, was running in class 1 company for the first time after winning the Horse Racing Ireland Trophy in August and then running a creditable third in the Donga Ilbo Trophy last month.

And it was the favourite, always travelling well under Seo Seung Un, who looked to be in the box seat she hit the front as the field entered the home straight at the end of the 10 furlong race. However, Park Hyun Woo on Pinot Noir had other ideas, shifting his filly to the rail and making up ground rapidly.

The two would battle it out in the final furlong and it was the 12/1 chance Pinot Noir who just had her neck in front as they hit the line. Choichoro, a 10/1 chance ridden by Moon Se Young came home in third place, 4 lengths behind the leading pair.

It was a 5th win in 15 starts for the 4-year-old Pinot Noir and the first really big win for jockey Park Hyun Woo.

Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – Oct 26, 3014

1. Pinot Noir (KOR) [Capital Spending – Neungnyeokchungman (Pacific Bounty)] – Park Hyun Woo – 12.4, 2.1
2. Cheonnyeon Dongan (KOR) [Ecton Park – Honeycakes (Hennessy)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.1
3. Choichoro (KOR) [Concept Win – Eunbiryeong (Mujaazif)] – Moon Se Young – 2.1
Distances: Neck/4 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Chiming VIcar 5. Full Moon Party 6. Dangchan Miso 7. X File 8. Chongal Gongju 9. Bongamsa 10. Chowon Yeoje 11. Mighty Forever 12. Bukdaepung

* Cheonnyeon Dongan wasn’t the only favourite to go down at the weekend. Saturday at Seoul saw a number of odds-on shots turned over, principal among them the highly rated Power City (Archer City Slew) who was beaten in the final strides of race 10 by Jeil Jal Naga (Dice Dancer), a horse he had beaten by 9-lengths just a month ago.

Also losing (again) was Call Me Rocket (Colonel John) who finished last in Saturday’s race 11 which was won by 25/1 Wahaha under a very good ride by Lee Ah Na. And in Saturday’s final race 12, Foolish Scip (Scipion) finished 2nd for the 5th consecutive race, this time losing out to up-and-coming import Clean Up Joy (Purge).

Favourites had a slightly better time of things at Busan where the feature race was, unusually, on Friday. Nobody Catch Me (With Distinction), the shock winner of July’s Busan Metropolitan City Stakes made his first start since his victory that day and indeed, nobody could catch him as he cruised to a 5-length win over veteran Viva Ace (Macho Uno) in the 1900M class 1 event.

There’s no Stakes action next weekend but we are now less than two weeks away from Korea’s richest race, the President’s Cup, which will be run at Seoul on Sunday November 9.

Ikuyasu Kurakane Wins KRA Cup Classic on Samjeong Jewang

The year just keeps on getting better for Ikuyasu Kurakane. The Japanese rider, who is 2nd in the Jockey Championship, got his first Group win or his second stint in Korea by riding Samjeong Jewang to the narrowest of victories in the KRA Cup Classic at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday.

Samjeong Jewang just gets up to beat Rush Forth (obscured) in the KRA Cup Classic (Pic: KRA)

Samjeong Jewang just gets up to beat Rush Forth (obscured) in the KRA Cup Classic (Pic: KRA)

Indian Blue, who Kurakane has had success on in the past, was sent off as the odds on favourite, but despite a change in tactics from jockey Moon Se Young, the filly still found herself left with too much ground to make up in the final furlong.

Instead, it was Samjeong Jewang who beat out a determined challenge by outsider Rush Forth and filly My Day to win by a nse on the line. Indian Blue came hom in 4th but last year’s winner Mari Daemul could only manage 10th.

Samjeong Jewang moves on to six wins from nine career starts and a possible run for the Grand Prix Stakes in December.

KRA Cup Classic (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – October 19, 2014

1. Samjeong Jewang (USA) [Patriot Act – Ms.Sadira (Dixieland Heat)] – Ikuyasu Kurakane 3/5, 1.6
2. Rush Forth (USA) [Rush Bay – Fourth Quest (Norquestor)] – Kim Ok Sung – 6.0
3. My Day (KOR) [Touch Gold – Smart Advice (Smart Strike)] – Jang Chuyoul – 3.6
Distances: Nose/0.5 lengths
Also ran: 4. Indian Blue (USA) 5. Unbeatable (USA) 6. Cheonma (USA) 7. Sun Speed (USA) 8. Him Jjang (USA) 9. Hwanggeumbiyul (USA) 10. Mari Daemul (USA) 11. Mani Income (USA) 12. Daehan Janggun (USA)