Triple Seven recorded his fifth straight win to confirm his position as the top Korean bred horse currently in training at Seoul on a damp afternoon at the racecourse.

Triple Seven parades

Making his first start since his Ttukseom Cup in last month and with Moon Se Young partnering him for the first time in the absence of regular jockey Choi Bum Hyun, Triple Seven was sent off odds-on favourite for the nine and a half furlong handicap.

It wasn’t easy. After early pace-setter Natural Guy had gotten out-of-the-way, Mighty Runner – a former Ttukseom Cup winner himself – took things up with a furlong to go. Coming late down the outside, Triple Seven just hit the front in time and had enough left to hold off the late challenge of Free Woody to win by a neck.

It was a tenth career victory for Triple Seven [The Groom Is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] with his last defeat coming at the hands of currently injured Nice Choice in last year’s President’s Cup.

Bunting & Punting: The racecourse decorates itself for the movie cameras

On a thoroughly miserable afternoon weather-wise, punters found Seoul Race Park decked out in unusual flags and bunting proclaiming “Grand Prix 2010”. After checking the calendar to make sure we hadn’t skipped seven months until the actual Grand Prix which is in December, it emerged that the decorations are for the movie “Grand Prix” which is currently being shot at the track – although apparently in some disarray as its male lead Lee Jun Ki was hauled off to the Korean Army earler this month. Sadly Kim Tae Hee was nowhere to be seen. Maybe tomorrow.

Back on the track, there was an impressive run by three-year old colt Silver Way who did his late season Classic prospects no harm at all by claiming the eight and a half furlong race 8 by seven lengths.

Moon Se Young was jockey of the day with four winners while New Zealand import Call Me Tiger [One Cool Cat – Hairini (Zabeel)] scored his second victory from as many starts. Call Me Tiger arrived in Korea last December – just one day before One Cool Cat himself arrived to begin his Korean stud career.

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow with the Sports Chosun Cup and an appearance by potential superstar Tough Win. There will also be racing at Busan.

Dark, dismal & wet - a misty start to race 10

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

AJC and HRI Trophies kick-off Derby meeting at Seoul

The Derby meeting got underway at Seoul Race Park today and two “International Exchange” races topped the bill on a gloriously sunny afternoon.

There was a shock in the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) Trophy as 50/1 outsider Yeopungjudo led from start to finish to pull off an unlikely victory. The mare held off younger rival and favourite Isanghwa to claim the 80 Million Won first prize.

Yeopungjudo (9) holds off Isanghwa in the HRI (Pic: Ross Holburt)

For Yeopungjudo [Sharp Appeal – Yeoyu (Spectacular Spy)], it was just her third ever win from twenty-eight starts. Meanwhile her jockey Lee Sang Hyeok, who qualified in 2008, secured a first ever big race win.

Once the AJC was over, next up was the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Trophy. While Mr Calgary was sent off the favourite. it was the horse second in the betting, Cheot Insang who came through the field under Ham Wan Sik to claim victory by half a length from the fast finishing Murim Cheogang. Cheot Insang [Psychobabble – Soma (Far Out East)] was recording his third win from twelve starts and has been in the money in his last six outings.

All smiles after the HRI Trophy (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Tomorrow sees the final International race – the JRA Trophy – and then it’s the big one. The 2010 Korean Derby comes under orders at 5pm.

Full results from Saturday’s meeting at Seoul to follow…

Pictures by Ross Holburt of Slickpix.

Blue Pin, Boryeong Bulbit, Angus Empire All Win

Blue Pin claimed his first ever class 1 victory in the feature event at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The four-year old got the better of top mare and favourite Lucky Mountain at the end of the ten-furlong race.

Blue Pin is out of the mare Telegraph Road. Imported to Korea in 2006, she has foaled just one other runner to make the track so far. He is, of course, Northern Ace and will go for glory in the Korean Derby next Sunday.

Down at Busan, six-year old Boryeong Bulbit scored his first win for over a year as he beat favourite Viva Canon into second place in the nine furlong feature.

On Saturday, Angus Empire won the big race at Seoul. With Moon Se Young partnering him for the first time, the US bred six-year old was a dominant three length winner from Free Hugs and Noubeau Riche.

Angus Empire was one of three winners for Moon Se Young over the weekend. Fellow top jockey Cho Kyoung Ho also landed three but it was a good weekend for apprentices too with both Park Sang Woo and Kim Hae Sun recording winners on both Saturday and Sunday.

Apprentice Kim Hae Sun - 2 winners this weekend

So a low-key weekend comes to its conclusion but it really is the calm before the storm. We are now just seven days away from possibly the most heavily anticipated Korean Derby ever. Money Car, Seonbongbulpae and Northern Ace will be among twelve colts lining up at Seoul Race Park next Sunday. Full build-up begins tomorrow.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Captain Sir, Sangseung Ilro unplaced as filly triumphs

Useung Geotap was just too quick for everybody else as she cruised to an easy victory in the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Bursting out of the gate, she never let any of her eleven rivals get close to her, loping away for a three-length win from Crafty Louis.

Pre-race favourite Captain Sir came home a disappointing seventh. He followed the filly out of the gate but tired badly in the home straight. Last year’s Derby winner Sangseung Ilro was one of a number of horses dropping back to seven furlongs in search of the big prize the Gukje Sinmun offered. But although she rallied late on, she ran out of track and out of time to make a significant challenge finishing fifth.

Yeongung Manse was the best placed Korean bred horse. Winner of last year’s Governor’s Cup, the five-year old finished third. Useung Geotap arrived in Korea last May and now, with six wins from eight starts looks well on the way to challenging for Champion filly honours.

Gukje Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1400M – May 2, 2010

1. Useung Geotap (USA) [Dehere – Answer To Me (Peteski)] – Jo Sung Gon – 5.7, 2.1
2. Crafty Louis (USA) [Louis Quatorze – Crafty Atlantic (Crafty Prospector)] – Jo Chang Wook – 1.4
3. Yeongung Manse (KOR) [Sharp Appeal – Saratogasplash (Wild Again)] – Chae Gyu Jun – 4.1

Distances: 3 lengths/1.75 lengths

Also Ran: 4. Jilju Hara; 5. Sangseung Ilro; 6. Jungwon Jepae; 7. Captain Sir; 8. New World Record; 9. Cheogo Beoltong; 10. Angle Slam; 11. Smart As Me; 12. Rolling On Strong

Up at Seoul Race Park, a bumper crowd of in excess of 60,000 took advantage of the warmest day of the year so far to try their hand at some punting. And a lot of them would have come unstuck in the feature race when long odds-on favourite Brothers unseated jockey Choi Bum Hyun as the stalls opened. Second favourite Super Jet took full advantage and landed the prize.

Choi Won Joon gets his second winner of the afternoon

It was a mixed day for Moon Se Young. The jockey increased his lead at the top of the overall standing with three winners from the first four races but the suffered a hand injury while being thrown off Winning Scan in yet another starting stall incident (the third this weekend) in race 6. Although he recovered sufficiently to guide Winning Scan to third place, he had to give up the remainder of his rides.

His loss was Choi Won Joon’s gain and the young rider made the most of his opportunity on Saeroungmaun in the all-filly race 8. Choi was completing a double having earlier won the race, riding Seungniuijewang, in which Moon was injured.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Siinui Norae springs surprise / National Leader wins

Siinui Norae pulled off a surprise win in the day’s biggest race but it was three-year old filly D Day who produced the performance of the day on a sunny spring afternoon at Seoul Race Park.

Stepping up to class 2 company for the first time after a victory one division below earlier this month, D Day comfortably saw off eleven rivals over nine furlongs with jockey Won Jung Il riding hands and heels and easing up from the furlong pole.

D Day (right) takes the final corner

D Day [Belong To Me – Please Don’t Look (Rahy)] qualifies as Korean bred as her dam was inported from Australia while pregnant, but is ineligible for the Classics.

At 55/1, Siinui Norae was the unlikely winner of the feature race of the afternoon. The five-year old held off late challenged from favourite Bungjeongmalli and New Rider to win by three quarters of a length.

In other races, US bred National Leader recorded the fourth win of his career. For jockey Choi Bum Hyun, it was his fourth win of the afternoon.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Hushtilled won the biggest prize of her career so far and completed a hat-trick of winners for jockey Moon Se Young on a beautiful Spring afternoon at Seoul Race Park.

Hustilled - A winner today

The three year-old filly led the field from gate-to-wire to win the class 3 race 9, run over the Derby and Oaks distance of 1800 metres. Hushtilled, who was second to Seonbongbulpae in last year’s Herald Business Cup, was only recording her third win, but she has never been outside the money in eleven starts.

It was yet another good day for jockey Moon Se Young as he seeks to regain the championship he lost through injury last year. Moon guided another filly, Fortunata to her first ever victory in race 6 and was successful again on Gippeun Sesang in race 8. The Canadian bred Gippeun Sesang [Behrens – Bellus (Saint Ballado)] was breaking his maiden at the twenty-second attempt.

Moon Se Young drives Fortunata, the first of his three winners, to the front

Money Teukgeup was victorious in Seoul’s most valuable race of the day but it was at similarly sunny Busan where the afternoon’s feature race took place. And it was favourite Lucky Dancer who put in a commanding performance to win by nine lengths from Sky Star and Conqueror over 1800 metres. Five-year old Lucky Dancer now has eight wins from eighteen starts.

The sunshine brought out the biggest crowd of the year so far to Seoul Race Park today. With May usually bringing the peninsula’s best weather of the year as well as a host of big races, capped of course by the Derby, hopefully they’ll all be back very soon.

Late cherry blossoms and a busy infield at Seoul Race Park today

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Saeroun Taeyang & Dongbang Rose go down / Hanramyeongseng wins Jeju Halla Ilbo

Bally Brae continued to roll back the years and produced a commanding performance to land the weekend’s feature race. But while the old boy was on-form on Saturday, there were disappointments on Sunday for Classic hopefuls Dongbang Rose and Saeroun Taeyang.

Bally Brae: A winner again

Just a few months ago, Bally Brae looked to be entering the endgame of his career. For the first time in his career he went consecutive races out of the money and only finished sixth in the season-ending Grand Prix. Following his great rival Subsidy into retirement seemed only a matter of time.

Nevertheless, he came back out as an eight-year old and ran an encouraging third in his season opener back in January. Three weeks later he was in the winner’s circle and that’s where he’s been ever since. On Saturday he once more led from gate-to-wire and was three lengths clear on the line from regular rivals Dankee’s Pal – to whom he was giving eight kilos – and Vicar Love. Bally Brae now has a record of eighteen wins from thirty-six starts.

It wasn’t such a good weekend for this year’s Classic hopefuls. Down at Busan, Saeroun Taeyang was sent off favourite but, after a disastrous start, failed to place in a race over the Derby distance of nine furlongs, placing in doubt her chances of travelling to Seoul for the Derby next month.

Meanwhile in the capital, the previously unbeaten Dongbang Rose, thought to be the pick of sire Volponi’s first Korean crop, slumped to her first defeat. The filly was sent off the odds-on favourite for the 1700 metre race 8 but ould only manage third as fellow three-year old filly Cheonun strode to a four-length win.

Perhaps the most meaningful race of the weekend though was on Jeju Island, where the favourite, Hanramyeongseng, carrying a back-breaking 75 kilos, won the Halla Ilbo Cup.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Lucky Mountain second as returning Baekpa is fourth

Baekpa produced an exciting late run but it was favourite Triple Seven who sprinted to victory in the Ttukseom Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Under Choi Bum Hyun, the five-year old first overcame Gangho Jewang and then held off Lucky Mountain and Baengnyeonbong in an action-packed final furlong.

SBS Cup winner Hallyu Star set the pace early on before Gangho Jewang took command with a furlong to go. The big guns came from the back, however, and it was Triple Seven who was the quickest, coming wide to take the lead and hit the line a length and a half clear of second favourite Lucky Mountain.

Fourth by the narrowest of margins was the returning Baekpa. After a year and a half away – which had involved an ill-fated three race stint the US – few gave the 2007 Oaks winner any chance in a race that used to form part of the Korean Triple Crown.

Baekpa back in the paddock at last

Entering the home straight she was practically last but then, with Yoo Seung Wan – a jockey who also spent much of last year in the States – on board, she started to motor and overtook horse after horse before the line came just a little too soon. Her talent is still there and we can hopefully look forward to seeing much more of Baekpa as the season progresses.

As for Triple Seven, third in last year’s President’s Cup, his ninth win is by far the biggest of his career.

Triple Seven and Choi Bum Hyun in the Winner's Circle

Ttukseom Cup (KOR.G.III) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Apr 11, 2010

1. Triple Seven [The Groom is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 1.9, 1.2
2. Lucky Mountain [Silent Warrior – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.4
3. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 2.1

Distances: 1.5 lengths/0.5 lengths

Also Ran: 4, Baekpa; 5. Gangho Jewang; 6. Lucky Seven; 7. New Rider; 8. Namchonuijijon; 9. Khanui Huye; 10. Giant Rose; 11. Holy Dreamer; 12. Grandzif; 13. Hallyu Star; 14. Indiana Dream

Down at Busan, Yeonseung Daero got back to winning ways in the feature race. As ever, the four-year old was matched against overseas-bred opposition and, under a patient ride from Park Geum Man, comfortably saw off the rest of the field over 2000 metres.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN