Champion jockey Cho Kyoung Ho took a dramatic fall in front of the grandstand at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Odds-on favourite Raon Speed rears up to throw champion jockey Cho Kyoung Ho to the ground

Cho was due to partner Raon Speed in race 7, but as soon as they appeared on the track to canter to the start, the odds-on favourite decided he didn’t fancy a race today and threw the Champion to the ground twice.

Cho was able to stagger across to the unsaddling enclosure

The second time, Cho took a heavy fall and was treated on the side of the track for some minutes but eventually, and fortunately, was able to make it into the ambulance unassisted.

Despite taking a very heavy fall, Cho was able to make his own way into the ambulance

Up until then, Cho had been having a good weekend with a treble on Saturday and another winner today helping him increase his lead over Moon Se Young at the top of the Jockey championship. Moon took advantage late on today to score victory on Grand First [Salt Lake – Grand Meeting] in the second of co-feature races. The first of the co-features was won by Kim Hae Sun on Special Day [Congaree- – Mon Cherie]. It was the second leg of a double for Kim who is now looking set to become the first Korean female to establish herself among the elite thoroughbred jockeys on the peninsula.

Beaten: Cheonnyeon Daero

It was down at Busan where the main headline on the track was made. 2010 Korean Derby winner Cheonnyeon Daero [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway] was taking on a field full of imported horses but nevertheless was still sent off as the long-odds on favourite. It wasn’t to be, however, as second favourite Viva Ace [Macho Uno – Dancing Lake], who was always handy throughout, ground down the former Classic winner in the final furlong and raced away to record a two and a half-length victory.

Cheonnyeon Daero remains stuck with a less than impressive win record – only 7 from 24 starts – this was his 11th second place. As for Viva Ace, it was his first win at class 1 and his 6th in total from 10 career starts.

Next week sees the final weekend of evening racing and a big one it is too. The YTN Cup is the highlight and will be the final race of the International Jockey Challenge which takes place over four races on Saturday and Sunday. Australia’s Dwayne Dunn, Ireland’s Rory Cleary and South Africa’s Aldo Domeyer are among the six jockeys set to make up the international team. We’ll have a full preview later in the week.

Lights On: The field mills around under the lights at the 1700 metre start

Japanese Jockey Rides Winner for Wolsley & Takes Co-Feature

Akane Yamamoto landed a double to record her second and third winners in Korea as racing returned to Busan this evening after the short mid-summer break.

Double: Akane Yamamoto

The Japanese jockey did what was expected in race 2 as she partnered the Peter Wolsley trained odds-on favourite Ghost Whisper to a four-length win.

Ghost Whisper [Gotham City – Emmy’s Lullaby (Unbridled’s Song)] a three-year old grey gelding, was returning from a six month lay-off and now has a record of two wins from three starts. With Akane in the saddle, Wolsley training and the gelding being owned by foreign-run Pegasus Farm, it was a win all round for the foreign contingent at Busan.

Less expected was Akane’s victory in race 10, one of two co-features on the night, as she rode 5/1 shot Choego Yeongung [Lost Mountain – Share The Lot (Gaius)] to a battling half-length victory. Choego Yeongung had only one once before in his nineteen race career and on that day was partnered by another Japanese rider, Hitomi Miyashita. Hitomi impressed during her 18 months at Busan, riding 55 winners before heading home to Japan earlier this year. It’s early days, but Akane Yamamoto seems to have every chance of emulating her achievements.

Racing returns to Busan on Sunday as attention switches to Seoul tomorrow. Here’s what’s happening when and where over the rest of the weekend:

Saturday August 6

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 20:50
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21:10

Sunday August 7

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:30 to 20:30

High Point cruised to victory in the SBS Cup at Seoul Race Park this evening in a remarkable return to form for the trainer/jockey combination of Shin Woo Cheol and Cho Kyoung Ho.

High Poitn and Cho Kyoung Ho in the SBS Winner's Circle

Champion jockey Cho had faced much criticism from punters for his ride on Tough Win in the Busan Metropolitan last week after he allowed the Shin trained defending champion to get sucked into a speed duel with Dangdae Bulpae right from the start. The pair wore each other out and played no part in the finish as Yeonseung Daero scored a narrow victory over Dongbanui Gangja.

Today on High Point, a completely different kind of horse, it was completely different. Cho dropped the five-year old, who was sent off as third favourite in the betting behind last year’s winner Wangson and former Ttukseom Cup winner Triple Seven, right to the back of the field as they approached the first corner, leaving it to outsider Pop’s Slew and old-stager Hongji to set the pace.

However, as soon as they got into the back straight, Cho made his move, bringing High Point right around the outside of the field to take him to the front. He didn’t stop there though and another burst of acceleration took the pair clear of the field as they rounded the hometurn. Into the home straight and the challenge from the favourites never materialised. The race was won with a furlong to go and Cho had the luxury of being able to showboat his way through the last 100 metres.

Behind them, Cheonun, second in the Oaks last year, got the closest – six lengths adrift, with Pop’s Slew gamely hanging on for third in a photograph with Special Volpony.

High Point (Silent Warrior) moves onto seven wins from his twenty-three starts. For Cho Kyoung Ho it’s a first Stakes success of 2011 and his second SBS Cup following his win on Neocheon in 2007. The champion jockey has had his critics in the past week, but today he was back to his best.

SBS Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1900M – July 24, 2011 – 18:20

1. High Point (KOR)[Silent Warrior – Fran’s Express (Expressman)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 4.8, 1.6
2. Cheonun (KOR) [Ft. Stockton – Restless Patricia (Born Restless)] – Jang Chu Youl – 4.2
3. Pop’s Slew [Archer City Slew – Pop’s Glory (Navarone)] – Kim Ok Sung – 15.1

Distances: 6 lengths/1 length – 13 ran
Also Ran: 4. Special Volpony 5. Money Teukgeup 6. Baengnyeonbong 7. Natural nine 8. Suseong TX 9. Cheot Insang 10. Hongji 11. Triple Seven 12. Winner Prince 13. Wangson

Racing takes its annual summer break next weekend with all three tracks dark. It returns the following week on August 5, 6, 7. Between now and then, there is plenty of news to catch up on from the first seven months of the season which we’ll start doing tomorrow.

NIght racing brings bumper crowds to Seoul Race Park

Tough Win, Dangdae Bulpae Beat Themselves / Legal Lady Wins Munhwa Ilbo

Yeonseung Daero sensationally grabbed victory in a thrilling finish to the Busan Metropolitan Stakes this evening, grabbing a home victory for Busan and a striking a blow for Korean bred horses against their imprted rivals. The five-year old beat double Grand Prix champion Dongbanui Gangja by the narrowest of margins after the two had given everything in a duel down the stretch.

Pre-race favourites Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) and Tough Win (Yonaguska) set off out of the gate at a ferocious gallop and started racing each other for the first corner. By the time they entered the back straight, the pair had opened up a lead of ten lengths on the field. It was a risky game for jockeys Jo Sung Gon and Cho Kyoung Ho to play given the kind of quality behind them and slowly but surely as they turned for home, Dongbanui Gangja (Broken Vow) hove into view with Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) right there with him.

Yeonseung Daero (Pic: KRA)

The favourites had given too much and the stage was swept clear for the stretch battle. It ebbed and flowed with both horses looking at one point as if they would go on to take a clear victory. But both kept on fighting back. In the end it was Yeonseung Daero who had his head down at the right time to land the biggest prize of the summer.

Six lengths behind them, Baekjeonmupae (Traditionally)led the field home with Cheonjidolpung and Mai Beppu landing a creditable money finish in fourth. As for the favorites, Dangdae Bulpae trailed home in sixth with Tough Win in eighth. Both left their races on the first corner.

Yeonseung Daero has had a remarkable career. So often the nearly horse – first behind Sangseung Ilro in 2009 and then Dangdae Bulpae in 2010 and the early part of this year, he has still managed to notch fifteen wins from thirty-four starts. Never taking the easy option, his owners have entered him for everything, more often than not taking on the imports instead of hoovering up weak domestic handicaps. Today, finally, they got their reward.

Would it have been different had Mister Park been there? As one who also likes to hit the first corner in first place, he may well have got sucked into the early battle between Dangdae Bulpae and Tough Win. Or, given a good ride by Yoo Hyun Myung, he may have joined Dongbanui Gangja and Yeonseung Daero in being perfectly placed to pick them off in the straight. But who cares? There will be plenty of days to talk about Mister Park. Today, Yeonseung Daero is the Champion.

Legal Lady and Oh Kyoung Hoan in the Munhwa Ilbo Winner's Circle

Thirty minutes before they saw their best horses get downed once again by Busan, punters at Seoul were also treated to s spectacular finish to a Stakes race as Legal Lady (Lethal Instrument) held off a valiant late charge by second favourite Yeongtap (Sunday Well) to win the Munhwa Ilbo Cup. One of only two fillies in the race, Legal Lady was winning her sixth race from ten starts and seems destined to end up in class 1 racing sooner or later.

Legal Lady’s win saw a welcome return to the Stakes winner’s circle for former jockey Chun Chang Ki. Now a trainer, it was his first big race win.

Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Cup – Busan Race Park – 2000M – July 17, 2011

1. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – Choi Si Dae – 10.5, 1.9
2. Dongbanui Gangja (USA) [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 1.7
3. Baekjeonmupae (NZ) [Traditinally – Star Sixty Seven (Phone Trick)] – Jung Ki Yong – 3.2

Distances: Head/6 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Cheonjidolpung 5. Mr. Loving Life 6. Dangdae Bulpae 7. Saseong 8. Tough Win 9. Yaho TS 10. Necromancer 11. Gippeun Sesang

Munhwa Ilbo Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – July 17, 2011

1. Legal Lady (KOR) [Lethal Instrument – Sister (Houston)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 6.9, 2.2
2. Yeongtap (KOR) [Sunday Well – Full Time (Fiercely)] – Moon Jung Kyun – 2.2
3. Prime Galloper (KOR) [Strodes Creek – Apple G (Carson City)] – Won Jung Il – 7.9

Distances: Neck/1.25 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Super Rich 5. Saebyeogi 6. Absolute 7. Kakamega 8. Gayabobae 9. Dan Land 10. The Almighty 11. Yodongjewang 12. Medlin Speed 13. D. Day Plus 14. Yuseongjeil

The big summer of racing continues next week with the SBS Cup at Seoul.

Seoul Racecourse - July 17, 2011

Soseuldaemun Third As Meisei Opera’s Gamun Daejangun Wins Do-Min Ilbo

We knew it was going to be a tough ask for KRA Cup Mile winner Soseuldaemun to recover from his Derby drubbing and so it was to prove. However, his conqueror in today’s Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo Stakes at Busan Race Park came from an unlikely source in the shape of Gamun Daejangun, with whom Soseuldaemun shares a sire, Meisei Opera.

Beaten: Soseuldaemun

Dongseo Jeongbeol was sent off as a warm favourite ahead of Heukdujangun with Soseuldaemun, looking much fitter than he did at the Derby, third in most punters’ minds. The top two, however, never got involved as Gangho Gullim led the cavalry charge to the first corner of the 1800 metre race. He almost stayed there until the end. Toshio Uchida brought Soseuldaemun into contention in the back straight and he, along with Heukdujanggun was well placed as the field entered the home straight.

Gangho Gullim didn’t stop going, however, and the only one who could match him in the straight was 44/1 shot Gamun Daejangun. Under Chae Gyu Jun the outsider hit the front with a furlong to go and kept it up until the line, finishing a length and a half ahead of Gangho Gullim with Soseuldaemun a full seven lengths behind in third.

Gyeongnam Do-Min Ilbo Stakes – Busan Race Park – 1800M – Sunday July 10, 2011

1. Gamun Daejangun (KOR) [Meisei Opera – Wild Triple (Military)] – Chae Gyu Jun – 44.6, 10.3
2. Gangho Gullim (KOR) [Mujaaxif – Our Kaapstad (Kaapstad)] – Oh Young Il – 3.1
3. Soseuldaemun (KOR) [Meisei Opera – This Ole Way (Vigors)] – Toshio Uchida – 1.9

Distances: 1.5 lengths/7 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Heukdujanggun 5. Dongbangmiin 6. Choego Yeongung 7. Dongseo Jeonbeol 8. King Austin 9. Perfect Made 10. Black Ruby 11. Yeonsuk Yeonseung 12. Enough To Win 13. Daeseung Yegam

Gamun Daejangun – “Shogun Family” in English, while starting as an outsider, had never been out of the money in his eight previous starts. The three-year old gelding now has three wins in total.

Beaten: Cheonnyeon Daero

On what was a big day at Busan, two former Korean Derby winners squared off. However, 2010 winner Cheonnyeon Daero and 2008 champion Ebony Storm were beaten into second and third place respectively by four-year old Super Force (True Direction). The colt got the better of a very tight photo-finish with Cheonnyeon Daero – over whom he had a nine-kilo weight advantage – to record his first win at class 1 level.

Up at Seoul there were fewer surprises as favourite Top Point (Tom Cruiser) took victory in the feature race. The seven-year old former champion Mare scored a half-length win over Victory Town in the 2000 metre event.

Next week is a big one. It’s the first of four weeks of evening racing (racing begins at 2:30pm continues until 9pm) and is headlined by the Munhwa Ilbo Stakes at Seoul and, most importantly at Busan, the Metropolitan City Mayor’s Cup. The Metropolitan will see Grand Prix winner Mister Park looking to record his sixteenth straight victory. It would be a Korean racing record but he couldn’t have been given a tougher task. Seoul’s best will be going down to stop him in the shape of Tough Win and Dongbanui Gangja, while Busan’s finest – Dangdae Bulpae and Yeonseung Daero will also be there. It’s set to be one of the races of the year. Full build up throughout the week.

Rain Battered Seoul Loses a Race but Gwangyajeil Emerges With Reputation Intact

Gwangyajeil put in a performance full of spirit to grind out a victory at rain-soaked Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The Korean Derby winner came from behind to overhaul long time leaders Full Step and Kanui Byeol in the final furlong.

He may be a Derby winner but Gwangyajeil got soaked along with everyone else today

In his first appearance since the Derby, Gwangyajeil [Vicar – Hurricane Havoc (Jade Robbery)] was sent off as odds-on favourite although with the race delayed so that as much water could be cleared off the track as possible, the shocking conditions meant nothing could be taken for granted. Moon Jung Kyun on Full Step (Didyme) shot out of the gate and raced across to find the rail, the driest part of the track, with Gwangyajeil having emerged from gate 1 following.

It proved to be a good tactic as Full Step, without a win in over a year and sent off at 12/1, kept the lead as the field entered the home straight. However, Oh Kyoung Hoan had Gwangyajeil exactly where he wanted him and launched him down the rail in a flat-out bid to catch the leaders. Catch them he did and while Full Step battled on gamely, he was no match for Gwangyajeil who recorded his sixth win from eight career starts by half a length.

Race off: Horses and jockeys return after race 7 is abandoned

It almost didn’t happen at all. The monsoon returned with a vengeance overnight and by the time racing got underway this morning it had been raining non-stop for seven hours. It hit its peak in mid-afternoon as, with a flash of lightning, day turned to night, the rain intensified and suddenly outside did not seem like a wise place to be. As all this was happening, horses were heading to post for rain 7. For the first time since February the floodlights were switched on and the jockeys, having reached the start, sought shelter inside the gate handlers’ coach.

With time ticking on and the horses getting wetter and wetter, race 7 was abandoned which meant we didn’t get the chance to see how the much hyped Ruler Of The Gold (Tribal Rule-Continental Miss) did on his debut around two turns. After the abandonment, a delegation of jockeys and KRA officials toured the track by Land Rover to assess its safety. While race 8 was initially announced as abandoned too, on completion of the inspection the decision was reversed and racing went ahead.

What no punter likes to see - race 7 is off

This meant that Balhaemyeongjang [Champali-Beauty On Duty (Dynaformer)] had the opportunity to take victory in the feature handicap as he scored a three length win over Super Jet to record his eighth victory from fifteen career starts. The four-year old is becoming quite a force to be reckoned with in these kinds of events.

Down at Busan, where it was dry for much of the day, there were co-features. In the first of them, Australian six-year old Cheonseungmanseung [Way Of Light – Mysterious Ransom (Red Ransom)] took the honours while an hour later, Tamna Ace [Thunder Gulch – Escape (A.P. Indy)] was victorious over Bulkkot Gisang (Langfuhr) to record his seventh win from nine starts.

Racing returns to the peninsula next weekend and we could well still be in monsoon season. Pick of the action will be at Busan where KRA Cup Mile winner Soseuldaemun heads the field in the Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo Stakes. He’ll be up against Isidore Farm and Peter Wolsley’s King Austin, as the Aussie trainer looks for hs first Korean Stakes win.

Despite the weather, many punters still showed up

After the mid-week monsoons, it was a hot, damp and humid day at Seoul Race Park. The rain held off, however, and there was plenty of action on the track to keep punters entertained. And some of them got very rich indeed.

Moon Se Young knows he's won on Tango Step

The day started with one of the biggest surprises in recent times at the track. It wasn’t just that filly Magic Choice [Yankee Victor – Redeemed (Red Ransom)], a non-winner in eleven starts and rated a 134/1 chance in the betting, won the race; it was that she won it by ten lengths.

These things happen from time to time – if they didn’t, there wouldn’t be much point in betting on racing. However, after Magic Choice in race 1 was quickly followed by 55/1 shot Finezif [Mujaazif – Fine Stone (Sober Star)] taking race 2, some punters must have been wondering whether to bother with the form any more.

Indeed, there wasn’t a single odds-on winner all day although things settled down a little bit as the afternoon wore on. There was a welcome return to the track for three-year old filly Gate Shine [Capital Spending – Rich Emotions (Rizzi)]. Winning her first two races as a two-year old, she finished runner-up to champion juvenile Magic Party in early December before picking up an injury that had kept her off the track ever since. She returned today in race 7 and looked very sharp as she scored a comfortable length’s victory. She’ll be an interesting potential addition to some big races later in the season.

As there was no class 1 action, a pair of class 2 races – one for domestically bred horses and one for foreign bred – acted as co-features. In the first of them, Moon Se Young guided filly Tango Step [Jump Start – Jewell Dare (Woodman)] to a last gasp victory of Sports Chosun Cup runner-up Tamnaseontaek. One race later, US filly Silent Dashing [Van Nistelrooy – Raised Silently (Raised Socially)] took the honours ahead of 90/1 outsider Hwanhuiui Hamseong (Westbridge). The four-year old has only been out of the money once in her nine starts and this was her third win.

Racing returns to Seoul on Sunday with Derby winner Gwangyajeil being the main draw. There’s also a card at Busan. However, with the monsoon set to return any moment now, it’s likely to be a very wet day at both tracks.

Sunday July 3

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:00

Seoul Racecourse July 2, 2011