Holy Dreamer Beats Top Point, Ophelia, Double Light Win

If, as is highly probable, over the coming months I write an article bemoaning proposals to give racing at Seoul a winter break once the new racecourse at Yeongcheon opens in 2015, I would be very grateful if somebody could remind me of today. With temperatures far below zero and a wicked wind whipping down the home straight, today was no day for racing. But race they did and as ever, put on a good show for the 30,000 punters in attendance.

It was beautiful, clear and cold cold cold at Seoul Race Park today

The feature race ended in a commanding win for third-favourite Holy Dreamer. The five-year old made the most of a four kilo weight advantage to run-down and overtake the favourite, the venerable seven year old mare Top Point, in the final furlong. It makes it two in a row for Holy Dreamer and a total of ten wins from eighteen career starts.

Bundled-Up: Apprentice jockey Lee Gang Seo tries to keep warm

Earlier in the card, we saw the third big payout in as many racing days as 150/1 shot Hamseong Jilju led home 20/1 New Edition to land a 3800/1 exacta for some lucky punters. Hamseong Jilju was the second of three winners for jockey Lee Gi Hweoi who, in the last, partnered the highly thought of US import Mass Media’s Tea (Mass Media) to his third win in four starts. It was easy for Mass Media’s Tea, who was eased to a four length victory. Behind him, rank outsiders Cheolgamyeon and Jangson filled out a 5000/1 trio.

As an imported horse, Mass Media’s Tea won’t be eligible for this season’s three year old Classics. However, two horses who will be, put in solid performances. Double Light (Menifee) cruised to victory in race 8 over 1700 metres – only 100 metres short of the Derby distance. A little but behind Double Light in terms of development but still impressive is the grey Ophelia who won race 7. Despite the name, Ophelia (Commendable) is a colt and now has two wins and two seconds from four starts.

Double Light and Cho Kyoung Ho ease to victory

Many congratulations must go to the track-staff who ensured that despite the conditions – where the highest temperature all day was -10C, there was never any question of the meeting being called off. At the same time, massive admiration must go to those jockeys and horses who were out on the track.

We’re back racing at Seoul tomorrow when it’s going to be a little – but not much – warmer. There are 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00 while down at Busan there are 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30.

Ace Galloper sent out an ominous warning to his rivals in the older horse division as he strolled to a four-length win at Ice Station Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Ace Galloper returns a winner

In bitterly cold conditions, the four-year old led from gate-to-wire in the feature handicap to notch up his third consecutive win and his tenth in total from fifteen starts. Khanui Huye was second and Janggun Bada third but they might as well have been running in their own race such was Ace Galloper’s dominance of the ten furlong event. Being one of those born in Korea but conceived elsewhere, Ace Galloper couldn’t take part in the three-year old classics in 2010. Indeed even as a four-year old he may find his Stakes options limited but it is clear that Ace Galloper is going to be the horse to beat in the in the big Sunday afternoon handicaps this year.

Ace Galloper was ridden by champion jockey Cho Kyoung Ho but even with big rival Moon Se Young indisposed having picked up an injury during yesterday’s Herald Business, things didn’t go entirely his way as Jung Ki Yong took jockey of the day honours with a quick-fire treble in mid-afternoon.

Jung Ki Yong and New Bird (4) hold off Kim Hae Sun and Milwaukee Money (8) in race 8

First up for Jung was a five-length win on Yeongtap in race 6, quickly followed by a much tighter victory on New Bird in race 7. Then in race 8, Jung and 5/1 shot Namchonuichukje upset Cho on favourite Legal Lady to complete his treble.

Jung had the chance of a fourth in race 9, however, despite setting the early pace on Blooming, he – along with all the other fancied runners – fell away in the home straight to leave the way clear for a 130/1 outsider, the Japanese bred Burning Sky (Stravinsky) to take an unlikely victory. To rub salt in the wounds of all but a very few lucky punters, 50/1 Sky Center and Kim Hae Sun got up to claim second to complete a 5400/1 exacta. Gyongmaman did not win it. If he had, he would not be bothering to type this now.

The key characteristic of Seoul today was that it was cold. Very cold. The warmest it got all day was four degrees below zero while six below was the average. By comparison it was positively t-shirt and shorts weather down at Busan where they manages a princely three degrees above for their six-race card which included co-features. In the first of them, Japanese jockey Yoshi Aoki got his first big race win of the year as he partnered last year’s Derby third Triple Sinhwa to a smart win. Although he picked up a ban in the process, Aoki will still look on it as a good day’s work. In the finale, favourite Nuri Choegang [Awesome Of Course – Jamie Love (Roy)] flashed past Kiwi’s Playboy in the final furlong to take a surprisingly comfortable victory.

The colder it is, the brighter it is - Seoul shivered in sub-zero temperatures today

Andy’s Runner Wins New Year Stakes / Magic Party, Sun Hero Lose / KJ Khan Finally Wins

Opening day of the 2011 season at Seoul Race Park saw four-year old Andy’s Runner take victory in the feature New Year’s Commemorative Stakes.

Andy's Runner with Park Tae Jong (up) and trainer Bae Dae Sun (left) in the New Year's Stakes winner's circle

Last year, after never finishing worse than fourth in his first eleven races, Andy’s Runner earned himself a shot at the Minister’s Cup, the final Classic of the season. It didn’t go to plan as he found himself outclassed by the year’s elite. No-one outclassed him today though. Sent off the 2/1 favourite, Park Tae Jong brought Andy’s Runner into contention as the fourteen-strong field rounded the home turn and the pair never looked in danger once they hit the front with just over a furlong to go.

Andy's Runner

Second, a length behind the winner, was Tamnaseontaek with 150/1 outsider Hey Day taking a surprise third. As for the winner, Andy’s Runner it was a fifth win from fourteen starts and for Park Tae Jong, winner of more races than any jockey in Korea, it was yet another big race triumph.

Things didn’t go quite to plan for Park a race later, however, as two of last year’s stand-out two-year olds faced each other for the first time. Park’s mount, the filly Magic Party had won the Gwacheon Citizen’s Cup while colt Sun Hero, had taken home the Breeders’ Cup. Today they both stepped up in distance to run around two turns of the Seoul Racecourse for the first time but were still sent off odds-on to fill the top two places. However, neither of them had any answer to The Almighty, a four-year old who was an also-ran on the Classic trail last year. Magic Party was a well beaten fourth while Sun Hero trailed home in sixth.

The Almighty and Kim Gui Bae win race 10 - Magic Party and Sun Hero trailed home unplaced

We’ll give the pair of them another chance or two before deciding that they’re not going to be able to make the transition to the longer distances required higher level racing, but it wasn’t a good start for either of them. For The Almighty, particularly veteran jockey Kim Gui Bae, it was a great start to 2011.

Finally: K J Khan

Finally, there was the big class 1 handicap to sort out. Torpedo Mast was sent off the slight favourite but the grey could only manage third place as K J Khan just got the better of Cheonji Jangsu in a battling finish.

Japanese bred K J Khan [Squirtle Squirt – Bulge (Assatis)] was winning at class 1 for the first time in sixteen attempts – his last win coming in his final outing at class 2 level in January 2009. Today, perseverance paid-off.

Herald Business New Year’s Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – January 8, 2011

1. Andy’s Runner (KOR) [The Groom Is Red – Cheonmachong (Lost Mountain)] – Park Tae Jong – 2.9, 1.4
2. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] – Choi Bum mHyun – 4.5
3. Hey Day (KOR) [Silent Warrior – Dignified Era (Exclusive Era)] – Shin Hyoung Chul – 31.8

Distances: 1 length/1.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Sagunyukjin 5. Anseong Chukje 6. Mr. Rocky 7. Cheongha Eutteum 8. Forest Wind 9. High Point 10. Kanui Byeol 11. Mighty Girl 12. Gayabobae 13. Dansimga 14. Best Holls

It took a lot of coffee to melt the snow still lingering around Seoul Race Park on opening day

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow with eleven races from 11:20 to 18:00 while down at Busan there are six races from 12:40 to 16:30.

Tough Win & Dongbanui Gangja Upset As Busan’s Finest Captures The Grand Prix

They all put their reputations on the line and at the end of the 2010 Grand Prix Stakes, it was Mister Park who came out covered in glory while Tough Win, Dongbanui Gangja and Dangdae Bulpae all slumped to defeats of varying ignominy. Yet it was a performance full of valour, spirit and ultimately stamina from Mister Park, who capped a front-running performance by repelling the late charge of Larrycat at the end of the season’s longest and most prestigious race.

Mister Park and You Hyun Myung in the Grand Prix Winner's Circle. Trainer Kim Young Kwan is to the right

As it always does, the Grand Prix provided Korean racing’s most dramatic and absorbing few minutes of the year. From the raucous reception the horses and jockeys received in the paddock, to the triumphant celebration of the winning connections twenty minutes later, as ever it was unlike anything else in the calendar. As dusk fell on Seoul Race Park, we saw a race that won’t be quickly forgotten.

The unbeaten Tough Win was sent off as slight favourite over double Grand Prix champion Dongbanui Gangja with Dangdae Bulpae third in punters’ reckoning. And it was Dangdae Bulpae who was sent into an early lead by jockey Jo Chang Wook with Yoo Hyun Myung on Mister Park and Cho Kyoung Ho on Tough Win following close behind. A roar went up from the assembled 50,000 crowd as Choi Bum Hyun brought Dongbanui Gangja into contention in the back straight. As they turned for home, all the leading contenders were exactly where they wanted to be.

Mister Park finally shakes off Larrycat in the last few metres of the Grand Prix

Dongbnaui Gangja was the first to falter. He blew his chance in the Busan Metropolitan by going uncontrollably wide and although Choi Bum Hyun fought valiantly, the bad habit returned. The champion had given himself too much to do. Then it was the turn of Dangdae Bulpae. The Minister’s and President’s Cup winner tried to kick on as they entered the home straight but he had nothing left to give and the field swallowed him up. Mister Park and Larrycat were still travelling well with a furlong and a half to go.

Beaten: Tough Win returns a loser for the first time

Now it was make or break time for Tough Win; he needed to find an extra gear. He couldn’t. Mister Park hit the front with Larrycat and Yeonseung Daero, who had emerged from nowhere, in hot pursuit. In the final furlong Larrycat looked to have him collared but You Hyun Myung found one last reserve of energy in his mount to propel them over the line first. Larrycat was a brave second and Yeonseung Daero a superb third. Tough Win battled home for fourth while Seonnyang Yongsa and Jo Sung Gon flew through the field in the final furlong to claim the last of the money placings.

Mister Park, a three-year old gelding, was born in Korea, however, he was ineligible for this year’s Classics as he was sired overseas and his dam imported to Korea while pregnant. His sire, Ecton Park, has since also been brought to Korea and the success of a horse foaled and broken-in in the country is a victory for the domestic racing scene. Mister Park, while beaten on his racecourse debut, has since won eleven in a row. For jockey Yoo Hyun Myung, it was by far the biggest win of his career. For trainer Kim Young Kwan, a man used to success, this must rate as his greatest achievement coming as it does, at the end of a year which after events in March, must have been the most difficult for him both personally and professionally

Inquest: Choi Bum Hyun watches a replay to see how it all went wrong

As for Tough Win, 2300 metres was always going to be a tough ask. His unbeaten record is now gone, but he remains top horse at Seoul. His inevitable battles to come with Larrycat, now himself firmly established among the elite are something for us to look forward to in 2011.

Likewise, Dangdae Bulpae simply didn’t stay the distance. This is a colt who will be back next year. For Dongbanui Gangja though, things are less straightforward. He was beaten by seven lengths today, however he cost himself more than that by running wide on the final turn. This is the second time it’s happened this year as the five-year old – now a stallion – gets harder and harder to control.

A word too is necessary for Yeonseung Daero who again gave a courageous, battling performance. It would have been so easy for his connections to keep him home at Busan running against fellow Korean-bred horses and cherry-picking big purses. As always they showed themselves to be sportsmen, pitching their champion against the best there is and letting him prove himself. Yeonseung Daero almost always runs in open company and today he was just three lengths off being crowned the best of the best.

That title, however, goes to Mister Park. 16/1 in the betting he outran and outstayed the rest. Running nine times and winning nine times, he is the Champion Korean Racehorse of 2010.

Grand Prix Stakes (KOR.G.I) – Seoul Race Park – 2300M – December 12, 2010

1. Mister Park (KOR) [Ecton Park – Formal Deal (Formal Gold)] – You Hyun Myung – 16.8, 3.4
2. Larry Cat (USA) [Fantasticat – Tiger In My Tank (Tank)] – Park Tae Jong – 2.9
3. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – Choi Si Dae – 2.6

Distances: 0.5 lengths/2.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Tough Win 5. Seonnyang Yongsa 6. Purely Spontaneus 7. Dongbanui Gangja 8. Jumong 9. Gunham 10. Cheonjidolpung 11. Dangdae Bulpae 12. Glory Champ

Job Well Done: Mister Park and Groom share a moment in the Winner's Circle

Derby Winner Takes Owner’s Cup By Narrowest Of Margins

They attacked on his inside and they attacked on his outside but Cheonnyeon Daero would not let them pass. In a desperate last furlong, it was the Derby winner who held on to win the Owner’s Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon.

Another Big Win: Cheonnyeon Daero

Namdo Jeap, one of three horses – along with Cheonnyeon Daero and Golden Appeal – who the punting public couldn’t separate, set the early pace under Jo Sung Gon. However, last year’s Minister’s Cup winner was closely tracked by his co-favourites through the back straight and around the hometurn in the ten-furlong race. He had nothing left for the straight and it was Cheonnyeon Daero and Park Geum Man who took things up with just over a furlong left to run.

The expected challenge of Golden Appeal came to nothing and it was left to Khaosan and Yoshi Aoki in the inside and then King Hunter and Toshio Uchida on the outside to put the Derby winner under double-pressure. Khaosan was seen off but King Hunter, 33/1 in the betting, kept coming and coming until finally, the line arrived just in time for Cheonnyeon Daero to take the narrowest of victories.

The victory was just the fifth of Cheonnyeon Daero’s career, however, with the Derby being one of the other four as well as a second place in the Minister’s Cup – not to mention never having finished out of the money – he is undoubtedly established as one of the top Korean bred horses on the peninsula. Victory today also vindicates his connections’ decision to skip next week’s Grand Prix at Seoul. In that race it will be left to Dangdae Bulpae and Yeonseung Daero to fly the flag for Korea against the best foreign talent in the country.

Owner’s Cup – Busan Race Park – 2000M – December 5, 2010

1. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] – Park Geum Man – 3.7, 1.4
2. King Hunter (KOR) [Yehudi – Wildly Magic (Peterhof)] – Toshio Uchida – 8.2
3. Khaosan (KOR) [Sunday Well – Mogaung (Jade Hunter)] – Yoshiyuki Aoki – 1.9

Distances: Nose/1 length
Also Ran: 4. Isidae Gangja 5. Golden Appeal 6 Glory Yeonggwang 7. New World Record 8. Sky Star 9. Namdo Jeap 10. Lucky Dancer 11. Gangjaui Beopchik

Seoul today was very much eclipsed by the goings-on at Busan, however, there was one big handicap of note. It resulted in a first win for eighteen months for Australian bred gelding Captain Cugat (King Cugat). The six-year old hadn’t won in eleven previous attempts at class 1 racing, but scored a two-length victory over Torpedo Mast and Baekjeonmupae in the ten-furlong race under the lights. Former Horse of the Year Bally Brae could only manage ninth place and unless the handicapper sees sense and stops assigning him the kind of weight he’d expect to carry if he’d won the Grand Prix last week rather than three years ago, we may see him retired very soon.

Racing at Seoul finishing under lights again

Speaking of the Grand Prix, we are now just seven days away from the most prestigious race on the Korean calendar. It’s always special, this year it could be spectacular. Full preview coming soon.

Segye Ilbo Champion Returns a Winner / Mass Media’s Tea beaten

Last time she appeared on the track, she got so upset by other runners, she panicked and collided with the rail, injuring her leg and keeping her out of action for eight months. Today though, there were no such nerves as Florida Sox returned to the track and the Winner’s Circle at Seoul Race Park.

Bootiful job: Boo Min Ho & Florida Sox return to the Winner's Circle

The three-year old filly looked set for great things when she won the Segye Ilbo Cup by seven lengths in just her fourth outing in February. That win stepped her up in class for her next race and, unaccustomed to being challenged on the final turn, she took fright. Today, jockey Boo Min Ho took no chances. Gunning Florida Sox straight into the lead coming out of the gate, they stayed there all the way. Wonerful Sun got closest, trailing home the winner by four lengths with Green Empire third. Florida Sox (Woke Up Dreamin) moves on to four wins from six starts and will be one to look out for as she steps up in class again next time.

Victory on Florida Sox was the first leg of a double for jockey Boo Min Ho. The second leg was a lot more unlikely as 220/1 outsider Yamang (Pleasantly Perfect) scored a two-length win over one of the year’s hottest two-year old imports Mass Media’s Tea (Mass Media). The favourite, was looking for his third straight win but, stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time and having established a lead, faded badly in the straight to allow the grey Yamang – who had failed to win any money at all in seven previous attempts at class 3 – to steal the victory. Mass Media’s Tea wasn’t the only one to disappoint in that race. Pildu (Silver Train) and I’d Rather Be Lucky (Gobson County) – the most expensive imported two-year old of the year – were also well beaten.

Steaming: Maono made it two out of two

Some two-year olds did live up to their reputations, however. Three fillies to be precise. Ruby Queen (Badge Of Silver) became the fist juvenile this year to win at a distance greater than seven furlongs, when she claimed the nine-furlong race 8 to take her overall record to three wins from four starts. A race earlier, Grand First (Salt Lake) scored a narrow victory over seven furlongs to also put herself on three from four while Maono (Menifee) now has a perfect two-from-two after winning race 5.

Sons of Menifee cleaned up in the Breeders’ Cup, Korea’s biggest Juvenile race, last weekend. It seems he is going to be well-represented in terms of fillies too as his first Korean crop head for the three-year old Classics in 2011.

Today’s feature race went the way of Ace Galloper. The three-year old got the better of a final furlong tussle with Blue Pin to claim the class 1 handicap. Jilpunggangho was third. Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) was scoring the ninth win of his fourteen race career.

Seoul Racecourse: Saturday December 4, 2010

Racing returns to Seoul on Sunday with an eleven race card from 11:20 to 18:00, however, race of the day is at Busan where it is Owners’ Cup Day. Derby winner Cheonnyean Daero faces tough opposition from Namdo Jeap and Golden Appeal in the highlight of a six race card which runs from 12:35 to 16:30.

Sun Hero is Champion Korean Juvenile / Clean Sweep for Sire Menifee in Breeders’ Cup

They were supposed to be the second-string from owner Lee Shin Keun and trainer Seo Beom Seok. Instead, Sun Hero ran out the length and a half winner of the Breeders’ Cup at a frozen Seoul Race Park this afternoon to become the peninsula’s champion Juvenile of 2010. In second place was stablemate – and pre-race favourite – Sun Blaze.

Sun & Moon: Sun Hero and Moon Se Young in the Winner's Circle

Shrewd punters would have noticed that jockey Moon Se Young received a five-day riding ban last weekend but had asked for it to be deferred by one week to allow him to ride today. In doing so, he ruled himself out of a chance to ride in the Grand Prix Stakes, the nation’s most prestigious race in a fortnight’s time. Clearly he believed Sun Hero wasn’t there just to make up the numbers.

And Moon, whose ban means he will almost certainly fall short in his quest for the jockey’s championship, was at his imperious best as he kept Sun Hero just off the lead early in the 1300 metre race, bringing him to the front inside the final furlong and holding on as Sun Blaze and Park Tae Jong came challenging down the centre of the track. As they returned to scale Moon celebrated with the exuberance of a man for whom a plan – and a gamble – had paid off.

The Breeders’ Cup race was an amalgamation of Busan’s Breeders’ Cup and Seoul’s Herald Business which in previous years had been the two tracks’ Juvenile championships. Significantly, today’s race was restricted to colts and fillies who will be eligible for next year’s Triple Crown races and was the first time that colts and fillies from Seoul and Busan could face off against one another prior to the three-year old Classics. Seoul today took first and second place but in third was Busan’s 150/1 outsider Useung Touch.

Sun Hero and Sun Blaze not only have the same trainer and owner but also the same sire, Menifee. Indeed Useung Touch meant a clean sweep for the stallion who arrived in Korea in 2006 and whose first crop of two-year olds look destined for great things.

Disappointments of the race were Busan’s highly rated pair of Heukdujanggun and the previously undefeated Hwallyeok Energy. They finished eleventh and last respectively. Recently Busan has dominated the Classics, today will give Seoul heart but a lot could happen between now and next April when the best of the generation will convene in Busan for the KRA Cup Mile.

One race later on a bitterly cold day, five-year old Kahnui Jeonseol, produced a surprise win in the afternoon’s feature handicap. The New Zealand bred gelding edged out K J Khan and Owners’ Cup winner Serendipper by half a length. For Kahnui Jeonseol (Howbaddouwantit), it was his first win for nearly two years, his first at class 1 and only his third overall. Meanwhile, joining him at Class 1 in future will be Balhaemyeongjang. The three-year old edged out Cheongha Eutteum for a narrow win in race 8.

You Hyun Myung was the only visiting Busan jockey to score a winner

While five jockeys from Busan were in town for the weekend, only one of them, You Hyun Myung, rode a winner. You partnered filly Gyemyeongui Bit to an easy victory in race 7. Back home on the South Coast, those jockeys missed out on a six-race card, the star of which was fast improving colt Wanggol. The three-year old Australian import took on a host of the track’s elder statesmen in the feature race. He had few problems dealing with them though as he made all to romp to a two-length win from Full Forest and Admiral Reigart. Wanggol (Jet Spur) now has a record of five wins from eight starts.

Breeders’ Cup (KOR.GIII) – Seoul Race Park – 1300M – November 28, 2010

1. Sun Hero (KOR) [Menifee – Strategic Reward (Bold Revenue)] – Moon Se Young – 14.1, 3.7
2. Sun Blaze (KOR) [Menifee – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.3
3. Useung Touch (KOR) [Menifee – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] – Yang Young Nam – 24.3

Distances: 1.5 lengths/0.75 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Dallija 5. Cheonji Horyeong 6. Haesan 7. Winette Dancer 8. Soseuldaemun 9. Absolute 10. Gaemamusa 11. Heukdujanggun 12. King Field 13. Mustang King 14. Hwallyeok Energy

Balhaemyeongjang and Cho Kyoung Ho edge Cheongha Eutteum to claim race 8

And so ends another fabulous weekend’s entertainment at the racecourse. Next week it’s the Busan Owners’ Cup and the week after it’s the biggest of them all, the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul. We start our build-up to both of them tomorrow.

Only Korean Filly Wins STC / Lucky Mountain Scores

It was close, but up against some of the brightest young imported fillies, Korean bred Urikkot did just enough to clinch victory in the Selangor Turf Club Trophy at a bitterly cold Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Selangor Turf Club Trophy Presentation - STC Chairman Datuk Cham is next to jockey Cho Kyoung Ho

Sent off the slight favourite, Cho Kyoung Ho and the lightly raced three-year old hit the front in the home straight after early leaders Blown Sky High and Kkochyeol faded and though tiring herself, built up enough of a lead to hold off the challenge of Blueband Mama and Boo Min Ho who swept by just the wrong side of the line.

A late starter, Urikkot (Creek Cat) only debuted as a three-year old this year. She’s now won four of her six starts. This was the sixth running of the Selangor Turf Club Trophy and STC Chairman Datuk Cham was on hand to present the awards. Unfortunately, hardly anyone was around to hear his speech as the 40,000 punters in attendance had retreated to the warmth of the grandstand to escape the biting wind, long before the presentation got underway.

Urikkot and Cho Kyoung Ho in the Winners' Circle

Also in attendance were two Malaysian jockeys, Veerapan Sivan and Salleh Mutaza. Neither troubled the placings in the STC Trophy, however, Mutaza scored a third placed finish in race 5 on Daedamham.

For jockey Cho Kyoung Ho, it was a second trip to the Presentation stage in as many weeks, following Dongbang Rose’s Nonghyup win last Sunday. The day got even better for Cho as immediately after the STC, he guided Lucky Mountain to victory in the afternoon’s feature handicap. The five-year old mare scored a half-length win over Winner Prince and favourite Janggun Bada. With main rival Moon Se Young riding his last weekend of the year before a five-meeting ban kicks in, Cho is also in pole position to claim the jockeys’ championship.

Lee Keum Joo - scored the first of three winners for female jockeys today

Speaking of jockeys, it was a good day for the small contingent of female riders in Korean racing. Lee Keum Joo rarely rides these days but she made an appearance in race 1 at Seoul today and it was a winning one as she partnered Cheonguntaehu to a half-length win over favourite Yahoo Event. It was just a seventeenth win for Lee in a nine-year career. Already closing in on that figure is Kim Hae Sun. The twenty-two year old claimed her eleventh win as she got the best of a four-way photo finish to race 6 on filly Miss Nine.

Down on Jeju Island, Kim Da Young was newly licensed this year and she already looks set to follow Na Yu Na and Kim Ju Hee who are both established as top riders in the pony racing colony on the island. Today she scored her fourth winner, guiding Uryangsidae – a pony she’s won on before – to victory in race 2.

STC Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 1300M – November 27, 2010

1. Urikkot (KOR) [Creek Cat – Miswick (The Wicked North)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 2.0, 1.1
2. Blueband Mama (USA) [Purge – Meadow Bryte (Meadowlake)] – Boo Min Ho – 1.3
3. Fortunata (USA) [Eurosilver – Eleanor’s Song (Seattle Song)] – Shin Hyoung Chul – 5.0

Distances: Neck/0.75 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Worincheong 5. Milwaukee Money 6. Kkochyeol 7. Soul Legend 8. Grand Ace 9. Jangson 10. Dangmasan 11. Major Lady 12. Skiff’s Chic 13. Atlantic Queen 14. Blown Sky High

The Malaysian flag was flying at Seoul Race Park today

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow when Sun Blaze and Heukdujanggun will be favourites in the Breeders’ Cup at Seoul Race Park. There are eleven races at Seoul from 11:20 to 18:10 and six at Busan from 12:40 to 16:30.