Racing Reviews

Beolmaui Kkum Blasts Back At Busan

With Seoul having taken its annual summer vacation this past weekend, all eyes were on Busan as the only venue for thoroughbred racing on the peninsula. And for Beolmaui Kkum, it was a welcome return to form after a long absence.

Beolmaui Kkum, seen here at the Grand Prix in Seoul, returned to form at Busan on Saturday (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Beolmaui Kkum, seen here at the Grand Prix in Seoul, returned to form at Busan on Saturday (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Touted as a potential star at the end of last season having won 7 of his 10 starts, Beolmaui Kkum (Put It Back) led the way in the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul in December before fading in the home straight to end up near the back. This would be repeated on two starts at the beginning of this year before he was given close to six months off.

Returning to the track in Saturday’s feature race, punters clearly hadn’t forgotton about him, sending him off as 3rd favourite in the 1900M class 1 handicap.

As he tends to do, Beolmaui Kkum went straight to the front but this time had plenty left when jockey Lee Hee Cheon asked him for an effort in the home straight and he cruised away from his rivals to record a 5-length victory.

Beolmaui Kkum’s return to form was welcome in what had been looking a rather stale group of class 1 horses at both Seoul and Busan. Over the weekend, however, enough up-and-coming imports put in solid enough performances to suggest that we have plenty to look forward to over the coming months.

On Saturday, there were two such stand-out performances. First, Australian colt Gumpo Daeseung (Shaft) made it 4 wins from 5 starts in a class 2 race over 1400M. He had to work for it though. Late to the gate after being re-shoed, Gumpo Daeseung was tracked all the way to the line by 2nd-favourite Uregachi, just holding on to win by a nose.

At a lower class, there was far less stress for US gelding Spring Gnarly (Master Command), who was guided to a 3-length win by apprentice rider Chae Sang Hyun and now moves onto 3 wins from 5 starts.

Sunday’s marathon 15-race card saw another import put in an impressive performance as Mujinjang (Silver Train) strolled to his 6th win in 7 career starts, claiming the class 2 race 14 by two lengths.

On the domestic fron there were encouraging performances too. Derby also-ran Gumpo Sky (Vicar) offered further proof that his disappoiting run in the Classic at Seoul was an aberration, by strolling to a 7-length victory in Saturday’s class 2 race 6. One race earlier, Peter Wolsley’s Never Seen Before (Ecton Park), who didn’t even make it to the Derby, was similarly impressive in deconstructing a similar class 2 field by the same 7-length margin.

Both are now likely to be pointed towards the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Minister’s Cup at Seoul in October.

Next week, action returns to Seoul and it is International Exchange race weekend. Although there is no International Jockey Challenge this year (due to the Asia Challenge Cup being run later in the month which will include 6 visiting jockeys), there will still be plenty to look forward to. Full previews up soon.

Wonder Bolt Crushes Fly Top Queen, Watts Village in Asia Challenge Cup Trial

Wonder Bolt shook up the sprint division with an emphatic win over Fly Top Queen and the returning Watts Village in a trial for August’s Asia Cup Challenge race at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday night.

While Watts Village, who memorably won the Japan/Korea Interaction Cup at Tokyo Ohi last year, was returning form a 6-month lay-off and was not expected to be at 100%, Fly Top Queen, Korea’s most expensive imported racehorse, had looked in imperious form when dominating over the same 1400M distance a month ago.

Fly Top Queen was duly sent off as the odds-on favourite but Wonder Bolt, who had sat in the middle of the pack during the early stages, surged to the front with just over a furlong to go and then produced an unanswerable sprint to win by a full 9-lengths. To compound the disappointment for Fly Top Queen backers, Watts Village got up to edge her into third place.

Wonder Bolt and Lee Chan Ho, seen here winning a previous race in May (Pic: Elan959*)

Wonder Bolt and Lee Chan Ho, seen here winning a previous race in May (Pic: Elan959*)

The Asia Challenge Cup is scheduled to be run at Seoul Racecourse on August 31 and is set to involve 3 horses from Singapore and 3 horses from Japan. An encouragingly large number of nominations from Singapore have been received, all of them for horses with ratings in excess of 100. Japan – chastened perhaps after Watts Village’s 100/1 triumph in Tokyo – has also indicated that they plan to send stronger horses than last time, when they won the Seoul leg of the race with Tosen Archer.

This means that Korea needs all its A-listers on their game if they are to compete. With Busan horses currently still not eligible to run, the focus has been on Fly Top Queen – and Yeongsan II if connections can be persuaded to take a sporting chance. Wonder Bolt may just have shot to the top of the list.

Class 1 – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – July 20, 2014

1. Wonder Bolt (USA) [Desert Warrior – Little Champ (Great Gladiator)] – Lee Chan Ho – 4.4, 1.4
2. Watts Village (USA) [Forestry – Edey’s Village (Silver Deputy)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.7
3. Fly Top Queen (USA) [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Cape Town)] – Moon Se Young – 1.0

Distances: 9 lengths/1 length – 10 ran.

*Picture from the very excellent Elan959 blog

Nobody Catches 50/1 Outsider in Busan Metropolitan

Nobody Catch Me, a 50/1 shot, landed the Stakes race upset of the year to date with a comprehensive 4-length victory in the Busan Metropolitan City Stakes this afternoon.

Nobody Catch Me and Yang Young Nam win the Busan Metropolitan (Newsis)

Nobody Catch Me and Yang Young Nam win the Busan Metropolitan (Newsis)

In a race run on wet track after an earlier downpour, Gamdonguibada, the 2012 Grand Prix winner and victor of two big Stakes races already this year was sent off the odds-on favourite.

And she looked to be every inch value for that as she set off just behind the early pace-setter, the sprinter Cowboy Son. However, when they arrived in the home-straight, Gamdonguibada, just like when trying to defend her Grand Prix in Seoul last December, had nothing to give, turning her head towards the stands and seemingly going backwards.

That left the way free for Nobody Catch Me, Gamdonguibada’s stablemate in the formidable Kim Young Kwan operation, to make a move. Having been just behind the leaders all the way around, jockey Yang Young Nam was now able to take him to the lead. With a furlong to go, it was clear that indeed, nobody was going to catch him.

The one that came closest was Peter Wolsley’s Cheonji Bulpae. Dead-last as they entered the home straight, jockey Kim Yong Geun weaved his way between horses until he found a clear run and then flew home down the outside of the field. It was a fine run but trainer Wolsley was left to reflect on yet another case of what might have been, just three weeks after his My Winner was also 2nd in the Jeju Governor’s Cup.

Cowboy Son stayed on impressively for 3rd, silencing those who had him down as a pure sprinter who wouldn’t be able to last the distance. Heba came in 4th, with Dynamic Jilju picking up the final bit of prize money in 5th.

It was another miserable race for Seoul-based runners. Sangnyu led home the visitors from the capital in an inglorious 6th place, one ahead of Indian Blue whose formidable closing speed never materialised.

Nobody Catch Me was a $20,000 purchase at the OBS June sale in Ocala in 2012. Now a 4-year-old gelding, this was his 5th win in 16 starts to date. He’s now won nearly half a million dollars in prize money.

For jockey Yang Young Nam, it was a first Stakes win since 2005. For trainer Kim Young Kwan, it was yet another in a seemingly never-ending – or even broken – streak of big race winners. On the backstretch, nobody catches him.

Busan Metropolitan City Stakes (KOR G3) – Busan Racecourse – 2000M – July 20, 2014

1. Nobody Catch Me (USA) [With Distinction – Nana’s Babe (Allen’s Prospect)] – Yang Young Nam – 57.2, 5.6
2. Cheonji Bulpae (AUS) [Bernardini – Purrfection (Tale Of The Cat)] – Kim Yong Geun – 3.5
3. Cowboy Son (USA) [Cowboy Cal – Nosmallacheivement (Smart Strike)] – You Hyun Myung – 2.7

Distances: 4 lengths / 1.25 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Heba (USA) 5. Dynamic Jilju (USA) 6. Sangnyu (USA) 7. Indian Blue (USA) 8. Cheongchun Bulpae (KOR) 9. Mari Daemul (USA) 10. Russian To Win (USA) 11. Chogwang (AUS) 12. Gamdonguibada (USA) 13. Bichui Wangja (USA) 14. Hwanggeum Jijon (USA) 15. Star Bolt (USA)

Yeongsan Too Good In Munhwa Ilbo

Yeongsan made it five wins from five Korean starts, claiming the Munhwa Ilbo Cup in emphatic fashion at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday.

Yeongsan II

Yeongsan II

The gelding, who was sold to Malaysia as a 2-year-old, only to be re-imported at the end of last year, was sent off as the long odds-on favourite for the 7 furlong race.

Under champion jockey Moon Se Young for the first time, Yeongsan was taken to the lead early on and, with minimal promoting from his jockey, accelerated away from the field in the home straight to record one of the easiest Stakes race victories seen at Seoul for a long time. At least since Magic Dancer last month. Or Queen’s Blade the month before.

In the entirely separate race for second place, Sun Gear got the better of Clean Up Speed, a full 12-lengths behind the winner.

Yeongsan is yet to be tested in Korea. He didn’t especially impress on the turf in Malaysia where he scored one 2nd place from two total starts, but has taken to the Seoul sand exceptionally well and is, at least until this year’s 2-year-old crop start proving their worth, currently the most exciting horse on the peninsula.

Yeongsan II [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celebre)] (he has to officially be named “II” due to a previous “Yeongsan”), has now won 5 races at distances between 1200 metres and 1700 metres all by wide margins and without facing any challenge. Still officially at class 2, at least for one more race, it may still be a while before we see what he is capable of.

It’s wise not to be carried away as we’ve been here before with the likes of Feel So Good and Fly Top Queen. While the latter has turn out to be a very good horse, she hasn’t been quite the international class race she looked early on.

Where Yeongsan goes next is the big question. In an ideal world, he would be taking on the visitors from Japan and Singapore in the SBS Asia Challenge Cup at the end of August over the same distance.

Munhwa Ilbo Stakes – Seoul Racecourse – 1400M – July 13, 2014

1. Yeongsan II (KOR) [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celebre)] – Moon Se Young – 1.2, 1.2
2. Sun Gear (KOR) [Vicar – Arabian Jewel (Fraar)] – Lee Chan Ho – 1.8
3. Clean Up Speed (KOR) [Pico Central – Rich Emotions (Rizzi)] – Ikuyasu Kurakane – 2.8

Distances: 12 lengths/0.75 lengths – 13 ran

Fujii Sidelined After Fall While Hangangui Gijeok Takes DoMin Ilbo

The life of a jockey certainly isn’t a dull one but it has its ups and downs. A week ago, Joe Fujii was able to wake up on Monday morning reflecting on one of his biggest winners after steering Magic Dancer to victory in the Jeju Governor’s Cup. This Monday, he starts recovering from a broken shoulder suffered at Busan yesterday.

Joe Fujii and Magic Dancer last weekend at Seoul

Joe Fujii and Magic Dancer last weekend at Seoul

He suffered the injury when he was violently dislodged from 14/1 chance Hybrid just after they exited the gate at the start of race 4. Eventual winner Bada Gangja was deemed to have been culpable in the incident to the extent that the colt was stripped of the race after an Inquiry.

Fujii, who has won 130 races – including 6 Stakes races – in Korea, now faces around two months on the sidelines, missing the ride of Gamdonguibada in the Busan Metropolitan – the “Summer Grand Prix” – in two weeks’ time. With Darryll Holland having finished his successful stint in Korea last week, Busan is now two star-jockeys short for the time being.

That fall meant Fujii missed the ride on Namdo Trio in the weekend’s feature race, the Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo Stakes.

The race came down to a final furlong battle that went all the way to the line with favourite Hangangui Gijeok just getting the better of Gumpo Sky by the narrowest of noses. The Peter Wolsley trained pair of Never Seen Before and Jungle Jim came home 3rd and 4th.

Hanganui Gijeok didn’t run in either of the first two legs of the Korean Triple Crown due to his being a gelding and therefore ineligible but was recording his 6th straight victory on his 8th career starts. Bigger races await.

Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo Cup – Busan Racecourse – 1800M – July 6, 2014

1. Hangangui Gijeok (KOR) [Didyme – Legendary Destiny (Giant’s Causeway)] – You Hyun Myung – 1.7, 1.0
2. Gumpo Sky (KOR) [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme)] – Kim Yong Geun – 1.7
3. Never Seen Before (KOR) [Ecton Park – Gwangyeolhan (Stormin Fever)] – 2.0
Distances: Nose / 4 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Jungle Jim 5. Jokwang 6. Namdo Trio 7. Hwanggeumbitjijung 8. Mega Bolt 9. Lady Medal 10. Challenger Dream

Next week the Stakes action is at Seoul. All eyes will be on Yeongsan II as he aims to get his first big race victory in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup.

Magic Dancer Too Good In Jeju Governor’s Cup

There’s no point lamenting what wasn’t there. Instead today was about celebrating what was and Magic Dancer put in the best performance of his career to date to win the Jeju Governor’s Cup at Seoul Racecourse today.

Joe Fujii and Magic Dancer in the Jeju Governor's Cup winner's circle

Joe Fujii and Magic Dancer in the Jeju Governor’s Cup winner’s circle

Sent of as the odds-on favourite, it was a point-and-steer job for jockey Joe Fujii who kept Magic Dancer just off the shoulder of the early leader before taking over as they rounded the home turn. The pair then accelerated away from the field in the home straight before easing down to a 2.5 lengths win.

Chasing them home was Peter Wolsley’s My Winner, a fine performance from a gelding getting better as a 5-year-old. He was the only other one really in the race, with third placed Impetus a full 7 lengths behind.

Magic Dancer, a 4-year-old colt from the formidable Kim Young Kwan training machine has long been thought of as one of the best of his year-group, yet today was his first trip to Seoul and his first victory in a Stakes race. His overall record though moves onto 10 wins from 15 starts and, with Indie Band out of the picture, he should play a big role in the big Stakes races to come.

Magic Dancer leads My Winner to the line in the Jeju Governor's Cup

Magic Dancer leads My Winner to the line in the Jeju Governor’s Cup

As for his jockey, Joe Fujii cemented his reputation as the most popular Japanese man in South Korea. Today was his 5th Korean Group race victory among 6 Stakes wins in all. He didn’t have to do a whole lot today, but as always, he got it done, wife and son joining him in the winner’s circle afterwards.

That celebration wasn’t before Fujii and Magic Dancer somehow managed to get lost on the way back to scale after they inexplicably found themselves on the inner track and had to double back all the way to the backstretch to get across and then trot back to a warm reception from punters.

So another piece of silverware disappears down the Gyeongbu Expressway. Seoul shows no sign of upping its game and the next big clash of the tracks is the Busan Metropolitan City Cup on the South Coast next month,

Jeju Governor’s Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – June 29, 2014

1. Magic Dancer (KOR) [Forest Camp – Wildly Magic (Peterhof)] – Kanichiro Fujii – 1.4, 1.1
2. My Winner (KOR) [Vicar – Bridlingbride (Unbridled’s Song)] – 2.7
3. Impetus (KOR) [Exploit – Miss Stravinsky (Stravinsky)] – 2.9

Distances: 2.5 lengths/7 lengths
Also ran: 4. Singgeureounachim 5. Cheonnyeon Dongan 6. Chowon Yeoje 7. Last Mudae 8. New And Best 9. Road To Prince

Outsider Geumbit Hwanhui Wins Seoul Oaks Trial

Geumbit Hwanhui overcame odds of 27/1 to convincingly win the Sports Seoul Cup – the capital’s primary trial race for the Korean Oaks – at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon.

Geumbit Hwanhui and Shinichi Terachi - with a scared looking Tiny G in the background

Geumbit Hwanhui and Shinichi Terachi – with a scared looking Tiny G in the background

On board Geumbit Hwanhui was Japanese jockey Shinichi Terachi, who was landing his first big race win in Korea. In second place was Clean Up Speed, ridden by another Japanese rider, Ikuyasu Kurakane.

Geumbit Hwanhui stalked the leaders throughout before creeping up the rail in the home straight, overcoming long-time pace-setter Clean Up Speed in the final furlong and then stretching away to record a 3-length win. Another outsider, Rhapsody, was 3rd.

The time wasn’t a quick one but Geumbit Hwanhui is now likely to take her chance down at Busan for the Korean Oaks this coming August. She’s likely to face a tall order though as Derby winning filly Queen’s Blade will be the heavy favourite.

Sports Seoul Cup – Seoul Racecourse – June 22, 2014

1. Geumbit Hwanhui (KOR) [Peace Rules – Sincheongchun (Silent Warrior)] – Shinichi Terachi – 27/1, 3.9
2. Clean Up Speed (KOR) [Pico Central – Rich Emotions (Rizzi)] – Ikuyasu Kurakane – 1.9
3. Rhapsody (KOR) [Peace Rules – Cheulgeoun Party (Big Sur)] – Ham Wan Sik – 5.9

Distances: 3 lengths/Neck – 9 ran

While it was Shinichi Terachi’s turn to get the headlines, Ikuyasu had another successful day too, taking two wins (including one dead-heat). Meanwhile at Busan, Masakazu Tananka was also among the winners.

Next week, there is big Stakes race action at Seoul in the shape of the Jeju Governor’s Cup. President’s Cup and Grand Prix Stakes winner Indie Band will be making the trip up from Busan and he’ll be partnered by Darryll Holland for what will be the British jockey’s last ride in Korea for the time being. We’ll have all the build up to the big race later in the week.

Yeongsan II, Fly Top Queen Win Big At Seoul

Two of Seoul’s most talked about horses both scored dismissively easy victories as they tuned up for bigger things to come at Seoul Racecourse on Saturday.

Yeongsan II prowls the Seoul paddock

Yeongsan II prowls the Seoul paddock

Yeongsan II [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celebre)] was sold to Malaysia as a 2-year-old but was brought back home last year. Now 4-years-old, he was making his 4th Korean start on Saturday, having won all his previous ones.

Sent off at odds of 1/9, he cruised around the track without breaking into a serious gallop, to crush a sub-par field by 10 lengths. Known as “Yeongsan II” because an Australian import in the late 1990’s was also called “Yeongsan”, he’s now just a couple of races away from class 1.

Fly Top Queen meanwhile landed her first class 1 victory with a similarly easy win in race 11. Billed as an “Asia Challenge Cup Qualifier” the race was intended as preparation for the International Sprint Invitational race at Seoul at the end of August. Fly Top Queen will most likely be among those representing in Korea in the race which will feature runners from Japan and possibly Singapore.

Korea’s most expensive ever racehorse, Fly Top Queen [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Cape Town)] moves on to 6 wins from 8 domestic starts.

Gamdonguibada Crushes KNN Cup Field

Gamdonguibada, New York Blue and Star Bolt were the quickest out of the gate – Joy Lucky was the slowest. And over the course of a mile nothing changed as Gamdonguibada proved a class apart from the rest, cruising to the 2nd leg of the Queens’ Tour at Busan this afternoon.

Gamdonguibada leads New York Blue in the home straight (screengrab - better picture to follow)

Gamdonguibada leads New York Blue in the home straight (screengrab – better picture to follow)

Sent off the odds-on favourite after her dominant display in the Ttukseom Cup and with Joe Fujii back in the saddle, 2012 Grand Prix Stakes winner Gamdonguibada didn’t for a single stride look like getting beaten.

She traded 1st place a couple of times with the young up-and-comer New York Blue but once they were in the home straight, 15 fillies and mares appeared to go backwards while Gamdonguibada strode away from them. The margin on the line was 11 lengths. It could have been 111.

Behind her New York Blue stayed on well for second under Masa Tanaka to make it a Japanese jockey 1-2. Star Bolt also stayed on for 3rd, a place ahead of 170/1 outsider Silver Classic.

Indian Blue was the best of the visitors from Seoul, picking up the last money spot of 5th on another dismal day for the capital contingent. Joy Lucky, so impressive two weeks ago at Seoul, could manage ni better than 15th in running and eventually finished last.

Gamdonguibada moves onto 11 wins from 19 starts, 5 of those wins coming in Stakes races. The Queens’ Tour reconvenes at Busan in October. She is likely to be heavy favourite to add the final leg to her collection too.

It’s yet another Stakes win for the remarkable Kim Young Kwan, fresh from training another filly, Queen’s Blade to win the Derby last month. For Joe Fujii meanwhile, it’s a 5th Korean Stakes win and his 128th overall in the country.

KNN Cup – Busan Race Park – 1600M – June 8, 2014

1. Gamdonguibada (USA) [Werblin – Radyla (Country Pine)] – Kanichiro Fujii – 1.6, 1.2
2. New York Blue (USA) [Candy Ride – Aim For The Moon (Deputy Minister)] – Masakazu Tanaka – 2.5
3. Star Bolt (USA) [Fusaichi Pegaus – Do’Oro Doll (Touch Gold)] – Kim Dong Young – 3.3

Distances: 11 lengths/3 lengths
Also ran: 4. Silver Classic (USA) 5. Indian Blue (USA) 6. Heba (USA) 7. Shining Future (KOR) 8. Black Dia (KOR) 9. Sangnyu (USA) 10 Nulpurunchongnyong (KOR) 11. Seungni Laser (KOR) 12. Chiming Vicar (KOR) 13. Kalma (USA) 14. Baedari Yeongung (KOR) 15. Seungbu Sinhwa (USA) 16. Joy Lucky (KOR)

Feel So Good Fades As Geumseongi Takes Sports Chosun

Feel So Good was sent off as long odds-on favourite but couldn’t stay the distance as Geumseongi swept to victory in the Sports Chosun CUp at Seoul on Sunday.

Feel So Good has been inconsistent since returning from Florida where he spent his two-year-old season and became the first Korean bred horse to win a race in the USA. However, a storming 9-length win last month over the Sports Chosun distance on 9 furlongs had punters convinced once more that he was back at his best.

It was not to be. Feel So Good led for much of the way but disintegrated in the final furlong to finish a disappointing 6th. It was left to Geumseongi to overhaul Citius to take the win with the fast finishing closers My Energy and El Campeon taking 3rd and 4th.

A 4-year-old colt, Geumseongi was winning for just the 4th time from 18 starts but has a further 6 2nd places to his name. He’ll be competing in class 1 from now on.

Too lazy to head down to take a picture pf the ceremony...but trust me, this was the start of the Sports Chosun Cup

Too lazy to head down to take a picture pf the ceremony…but trust me, this was the start of the Sports Chosun Cup

Sports Chosun Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – June 1, 2014

1. Geumseongi (KOR) [Pico Central – Cat Beluga (Hennessy)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 7.5, 1.9
2. Citius (KOR) [Revere – Daecheonpung (Fiercely)] – Lee Sang Hyeok – 4.4
3. My Energy (KOR) [Vicar – Ich Bien (Jade Hunter)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 3.2

Distances: 1 length/3 lengths – 13 ran

Next week, the focus shifts to Busan and the KNN Cup, the 2nd leg of the 2014 Queens’ Tour.