Bally Brae Strikes At Seoul

Smart As Me got up for an unlikely victory in a thrilling end to the Busan Ilbo Cup this afternoon.

After Aju Joa had set the early pace in the seven furlong race, the stage seemed set for Useung Geotap, winner of five of her six previous races, to take the honours as she battled into the lead. But that was to reckon without some final furlong drama.

Outsider Neat Play, under Lee Sung Jae, darted to the rail as Hwang Jong Woo on Smart As Me began flying down the outside. In the middle Useung Geotap and Aju Joa seemed to go backwards. Five horses hit the line within half a length of each other but it was Smart As Me who was the clear winner by a nose.

Imported in 2007, Smart As Me was out for most of 2009. She returned last month with a victory and now, at age 5, is set to finally fulfil her potential. She has a record of five wins from twelve starts.

Busan Ilbo Cup – Busan Race Park – 1400M – March 21, 2010

1. Smart As Me (USA) [Take Me Out – Smart As Scot (Ascot Knight)] – Hwang Jong Woo – 12.3, 2.6
2. Neat Play (JPN) [Meishi Doto – Kobekko (Windstoss)] – Lee, Sung Jae – 33.0
3. Ilchul Gwangya (AUS) [Honours List – Zella (Zoffany)] – Lee Hee Cheon – 4.4
Distances: Nose/Neck
Also Ran: 4. Useung Geotap (USA); 5. Aju Joa (USA); 6. Daejaui Yeosin (USA); 7. Dalbit Miso (KOR); 8. Amateras (JPN); 9. Double The Gold (USA); 10. I First (USA); 11. Scit Scat Cat (USA); 12. Tropical Sky (USA); 13. Ecton Legacy (USA); 14. Bonghwasan Jeongi (JPN)

Up at Seoul, Bally Brae was expected record his second consecutive win in the feature race. With Oh Kyoung Hoan in the saddle for the first time, the popular eight-year old duly obliged leading from start to finish to win by a length from Free Hugs. In scoring his second victory of the year, Bally Brae notched his seventeenth career victory.

Oh Kyoung Hoan

It was a blustery day at Seoul although the wind thankfully did not bring with it the dust-storm that wreaked havoc across the track yesterday. Nevertheless, it made the long home straight very hard work for some. One of those who completely faded was Juamdaegun.

The three-year old Australian import was strongly fancied to make it three wins in a row in the last. However, after leading from the gate he fell away badly in the final furlong.

Also of mention at Seoul was a maiden victory for Murim Choegang. The four-year old had recorded five second and two third place finishes in his nine starts to date. Today, he finally went one better, cruising to victory in race six.

Yesterday's dust was still in evidence but the sun was out at Seoul today

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

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While high winds, rain and a dust-storm combined to create a trifecta of unpleasantness at Seoul Race Park this afternoon,  Khanui Jeguk kept up his 100% start to 2010 with an impressive win in the feature race.

Ham Wan Sik - Khanui Jeguk was the biggest of his 3 winners today

The four-year old was sent off as favourite for the ten furlong handicap and, under Ham Wan Sik, he took an early lead and always kept his rivals at arm’s length to take victory by a length and a half. Bungjeongmalli and Machine Gun filled out the placings.

Underperforming in the really big races in 2009 – the Derby, Minister’s Cup and President’s Cup – Khanui Jeguk did manage to land the Ilgan Sports. Winning on his season debut last month he looked much improved from last year and today’s performance confirmed  that he is likely to be involved in some of the bigger prizes later in the year.

Generally the only punters who have to go outside on miserable days like today are those who have plenty of respiratory problems already. Today those gents suffered even more for their cigarettes as a dust-storm swept in from China coating both surfaces and lungs in a fine yellow film of dirt and chemicals. Just as we had finally gotten rid of the snow, the phenomenon known as “yellow-dust” was making its first appearance of the year.

If it was awful in the stands, it must have been ten times worse on the track Just plain dismal weather had made it seem like night-time at lunchtime even before the dust hit. There were wins for useful looking fillies Secret Woman and Cheonun while Australian-bred three-year old Emperor Cugat looks to be getting better with every run.  Today the colt saw off a class 2 field by six lengths to take his second win of 2010.

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow and at the moment the forecast is for much of the same. Yellow-dust is notoriously difficult to predict though so we may get lucky. On the track, Bally Brae is set to be the star attraction at Seoul while Sangseung Ilro, last year’s KRA Cup Mile and Derby winner is considered doubtful to start in the main event at Busan. That leaves the Busan Ilbo Cup, which pits some of the track’s up and coming imports against one another, as the big race.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Northern Ace showed no signs of being any the worse for a six month lay-off as he picked up where he left off last August at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Just as in his only two outings to date, the colt required nothing more than to be pointed in the right direction to easily see off the rest of the class 4 field. The margin of victory was thirteen lengths without him even being asked to run.

Whether he is back in the classic picture remains to be seen. The first jewel of the Triple Crown, the KRA Cup Mile, is just three weeks away and it may be, like with Nice Choice last year, Seoul’s best horses again skip the Busan leg of the Crown. Regardless of what comes next, the very fact that he is back is good news for race fans across the peninsula.

Northern Ace capped four winners for Moon Se Young

On a day when there was still a sense of shock in the air following the events of 48 hours ago in Busan, Moon Se Young was the undoubted star. He suffered a bad fall on the same day of Northern Ace’s last run. If it hadn’t happened, he would surely have won last year’s championship. Today he took a big step towards regaining it with four wins in total.

There were co-feature races, one for domestic horses and one for overseas bred horses. In the domestic event, Triple Seven, got the better of Good Day by a length, while in the overseas race, Bold Magic scored his first class 1 win in eleven attempts. He overcame K J Khan and favourite Obaek Yechan to win the ten furlong race by a convincing two and a half lengths.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Yeonseung Daero, Namdo Jeap go down at Busan / Seonbongbulpae wins at Seoul

They really are the “nearly horses”. Yeonseung Daero and Namdo Jeap both spent much of last year running second when they really should have won. Today, facing each other at least one was always going to get beaten. In the event, both did.

That they were even running this afternoon is testament to the connections of both horses. Not content to be flat-track bullies hoovering up prize money in races restricted to Korean bred runners, both horses are frequently entered against overseas bred opposition. So it was today and it was at the hands of a late developing New Zealand born gelding that they came unstuck.

Dandi got injured in the summer of 2008 and reappeared in the Spring of last year only to immediately suffer another setback, his promising career seemingly cut short. He finally returned in January this year when he was a well-beaten fifth. Coming through the race was a triumph in itself, however, and today he showed what punters have been missing.

Yeonseung Daero and Namdo Jeap were at the front of the race throughout and going into the home straight, it looked as though they were set to fight it out between them. However, it was Dandi who had much the faster finish, coming past first Yeonseung Daero and then Namdo Jeap, setting a track record for nine furlongs in the process.

Dandi now has five wins from nine starts, spread over more than two years. His return is a very welcome addition to the top flight of racing at Busan. Meanwhile, Namdo Jeap and Yeonseung Daero will surely be back.

Class 1 Handicap (Foreign) – Busan Race Park – 1800M – March 7, 2010

1. Dandi (NZ) [Danroad – Fizzy Heights (Faltaat)] – You Hyun Myung – 6.7, 1.8
2. Namdo Jeap (KOR) [Ft. Stockton – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] – Lim Sung Sil – 1.3
3. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – Park Geum Man – 1.3
Distances: 1.25 lengths/1.25 lengths – 14 ran

Up at Seoul, Seonbongbulpae was given a third chance at running round two corners in the feature race. Last year’s champion two-year old had struggled in his two outings to date at longer distances. His habit of tearing out of the gate at breakneck speed being an asset at five furlongs but the opposite at the eight or more he’s going to need to do this year.

Motion Blur: Seonbongbulpae was too quick for everybody

Today, with Moon Se Young in the saddle for the first time, Seonbongbulpae was true to form and roared out of the gate. By the middle of the back straight he was ten lengths clear of a patient field. The crowd, who had kept faith with him and sent him off favourite, sighed and waited for the seemingly inevitable collapse.

It never came. Moon Se Young regained control of Seonbongbulpae as they turned for home and the colt had enough in him to make another effort in the home straight, eventually cruising to victory by six lengths. Seonbongbulpae’s sire, Newsprint died tragically young late last year. With Seonbongbulpae back in the Classic picture, and his other son Money Car very much there already, he may just have left a golden legacy.

Greetings From Seoul: It was an unusually clear day in the capital

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

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Big Sox Shocks / Jeju Abandoned

After failing last time out, Lucky Mountain justified punters’ continued faith in her by returning to the winner’s circle at a gloomy Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Sent off favourite for the nine and a half furlong handicap, the five-year old emerged from the middle of the field in the home straight under champion jockey Park Tae Jong to lead home New Rider by a length and a half.

Lucky Mountain sees off New Rider in the Seoul mist

Lucky Mountain [Silent Warrior – Myeonggaheui (Revere)], winner of the Selangor Turf Club Trophy in 2008 and NACF Chairman’s Cup in 2009, now has eight wins from her twenty-six starts and has only been out of the money on three occasions and with Top Point currently out of action, can claim to be the top filly or mare currently running in the capital city.

While Lucky Mountain’s race went to form, the second of co-feature races most certainly did not. While Yodongseong, Vicar Love and Seoul Teukgeup were all well-fancied, all flopped in the mist as 40/1 outsider Big Sox, without a win since June 2008 strode to a surprise win.

With the newly freelance jockey Yoo Seung Wan on board, Big Sox led from gate-to-wire to lead the field home by a length. The identity of those closest to him on the line were equally surprising as Soseono made a welcome return to form after a difficult class 1 debut last month by finishing second. In third place was Key To Success, the only British bred horse currently running at Seoul, making a promising top-level debut. The combination made for impressive payouts for some lucky punters.

Someone got lucky in race 11

Class 1 Handicap (Foreign) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – March 6, 2010

1. Big Sox (USA) [Cimarron Secret – West Point Woman (Great Above)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 40.8, 5.9
2. Soseono (USA) [Aldebaran – Foreign Aid (Danzig)] – Moon Jung Kyun – 5.0
3. Key To Success (GB) [Mujahid – Shining Cloud (Indian Ridge)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 6.6
Distances: 1.5 lengths/1.75 lengths – 13 ran

* Racing on Jeju Island was abandoned after just two races today. The start of both of those races had been delayed as rain and fog severely limited visibility and, with the runners at the post for the third race but no break in the fog in prospect, the decision was made to call off the rest of the card.

On Sunday there is racing at Seoul from 11:20-18:00 and at Busan from 12:40-16:30.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Ace Galloper, Bulpae Gisang beaten

Some reputations were left intact but some were in question at the end of a busy afternoon at Seoul Race Park. While Money Car continued his stately progress through the ranks, fellow hot property Ace Galloper went down to a shock defeat to break a five race winning streak.

Stepping up to class 2 and going half a furlong further than in any of his previous outings, Ace Galloper was nevertheless sent off the 1/5 favourite. Coming round the final bend in third place on the shoulder of the leaders, he looked set to justify that price and go clear. To everyone’s surprise, however, while early pace-setter Good Diva did indeed start to fade, second placed Brothers did not. Instead the four-year old kicked on and tied up with Ace Galloper in the home straight.

Ace Galloper was a joker in the paddock and folded on the track

On the line, the older horse got the better of the potential superstar by half a length to record an unexpected win. For Brothers, it was a fourth win from thirteen starts. For Ace Galloper [Chapel Royal – Explicitly (Exploit)], who was causing mischief in the paddock before the race, it was bad day.

There were no such problems in race 8 for classic hopeful Money Car. Park Tae Jong waited until the final furlong to ask the three-year old to make any effort but when he did, the colt abruptly jumped away from the field and was a confortable three-length winner. Since finishing second on his debut, Money Car [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] has now won five in a row.

Money Car (Park Tae Jong) won for the fifth time

Later, in the gathering gloom of a grey, waning afternoon, Bulpae Gisang went to post as the odds-on favourite in the feature handicap. He would be the second odds-on favourite to go down on the day though as he could only third place with Haengun Daewang leading from gate to wire. Four-year old Bulpae Gisang is generally recognised as the second best horse running at Seoul. Not on today’s performance.

Finally in the last race, it was the turn of another three-year old hopeful Dongbang Rose [Volponi – Night Mary (Strike Gold)] to put her unbeaten record on the line. She came through with no problems whatsoever, scoring a two-length victory over seven furlongs.

Down at Busan, there were co-feature races. Australian-bred Cheonseungmanseung [Way of Light – Mysterious Ransom (Red Ransom)] – a horse whose name looks much shorter in Korean than it does in English, took the first of these, a mile handicap for foreign bred horses, while an Australian trainer, Peter Wolsley, took the honours an hour later in the domestic event. His five-year old gelding Khaosan came home three lengths ahead of Isidae Gangja and Golden Appeal.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

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Three-year old goes five-for-five

Tough Win eased to a fifth straight victory at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and in doing so, ensured that in future he’ll only be running against the best as he qualified for the top level of Korean racing.

Making his second outing at over nine furlongs and against the best field he has faced so far, the three-year old Tough Win had to come wide from stall 14 to sit on the outside of the field for the first three quarters of the race. As they entered the home straight, jockey Cho Kyoung Ho kicked him on and Tough Win loped away from the rest to take a five length win.

Tough to pacify: Two handlers and a set of pacifiers keep Tough Win in check

While not as visually impressive as some of his earlier runs, given the company he was in, the time he recorded and the fact that jockey Cho still didn’t need to trouble the horse with the whip, today’s performance adds to the buzz there is about this horse.

Tough Win [Yonguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] moves onto five wins from five runs.

In domestic three-year old news, Full Step, third in last year’s Herald Business, got the better of Kkonnam and Bonsol – who finished third and fifth respectively – to take victory in the last race of the day. The colt now has three wins to his name.

Although Tough Win and Full Step both landed reasonably good races, neither of them was the feature race of the day. That was won by Love Cat, the filly taking her first win since triumphing in the Sports Seoul Stakes last June. The four-year old just edged out Jeokdaejeok and Baengnyeonbong in a tight finish to the ten furlong handicap.

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow when Bulpae Gisang, Money Car and Ace Galloper will be the star attractions. The first of eleven races will be underway at 11:20. Busan also hosts a Sunday card with the first of six races starting at 12:40.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Florida Sox produced a commanding performance to take victory in the Segye Ilbo Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon – the first Stakes race of 2010 at the track. In doing so, the three-year old filly gave jockey Boo Min Ho the biggest win of his career to date.

Boo-tiful, A first Stakes win sinks in for Boo Min Ho

Sent off second favourite, Florida Sox led the anticipated cavalry charge out of the gate as they began the seven furlong race. Favourite Gippeumnuri came up alongside her as they left the back straight and looked well-place to kick on.

Instead though it was Florida Sox who had the extra gear, effortlessly going away from the chasing pack and ultimately putting seven lengths between her and second placed Jangjagang with Gippeumnuri trailing in third.

US bred Florida Sox made a low-key debut last autumn finishing sixth out of fourteen in a six furlong maiden race. Dropping back to five furlongs for her next outing though, she proceeded to come within half a second of the course record. She followed that up with another easy win over that distance last month. Any ideas that she might be unable to last more than a thousand metres were emphatically quashed today.

Florida Sox in the Segye Ilbo Winner's Circle

Segye Ilbo Cup (Stakes Listed) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Feb 21, 2010

1. Florida Sox (USA) [Woke Up Dreamin – Chordette (Dixieland Band)] – Boo Min Ho – 4.0, 1.8
2. Jangjagang (USA) [Buddha – Illusory (Skywalker)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.7
3. Gippeumnuri (USA) [Eurosilver – Regatta Queen (Danzig Connection)] – Moon Se Young – 1.3
Distances: 7 lengths/1.5 lengths
Also ran: 4. Hwansanguimulgyeol; 5. Golden Rose; 6. Nunbusin Seongjang; 7. Devilish Speed; 8. Fly Top; 9. Isanghwa; 10. Illicit Image; 11. Cheonsangcheonha; 12. Gwacheon Geojang; 13. Uigiyangyang; 14. Kentucky Nose

In other races, Khanui Jeguk, winner of last year’s Ilgan Sports, claimed his first victory in class 1 company, as he overcame Machine Gun and Gi Ra Seong in the feature handicap over nine and a half furlongs. Meanwhile, down at Busan, Yeongung Manse claimed the afternoon’s main event.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Manjeomhwanhui, Hustilled also win as Moon Lands Five

Bally Brae brought ten winless months to an emphatic end at Seoul Race Park this afternoon, cruising to victory in the feature handicap. In doing so, the former Horse of the Year and Grand Prix winner took his career earnings to over One Billion Korean Won.

Bally Brae is all alone in front once more

The eight-year old had shown signs of being back to his old self when staying on to finish third to Dongbanui Gangja at the end of January and today, despite being sent off only second favourite in a field of fourteen, he dominated from the off.

Bouncing out of the gate he took an early lead and never looked like being caught, accelerating away from the field as they entered the home straight. K J Khan got the closest with favourite Baekjeonmupae a further length back in third.

It was a sixteenth career win for Bally Brae. For jockey Moon Se Young, it was the fourth of five winners on the day. Two of them came on potentially classic-bound fillies as Hushtilled and in particular, the exciting Manjeomhwanhui won their respective tests. Manjeomhwanhui [Yehudi – Just A Love Tap (Two Punch)] took the Class 3 race 9 by six lengths and now has four victories from her seven starts.

Also looking good was an imported three-year old. US bred gelding Juamdaegun [Sweetsouthernsaint – Beautiful Beau (Robyn Dancer)] made his third start of his career and gained a second victory, Kim Cheol Ho not needing to do much to get him home seven lengths clear of his nearest rival in the seven furlong race 7.

Juamdaegun (Kim Cheol Ho up) was an impressive winner

After what has been a long, hard and very very cold winter, punters were basking in temperatures that were, for the first time for a long time, well above freezing. With Bally Brae, one of Korea’s most popular horses back where he belongs in the winner’s circle, it almost felt like Spring.

Racing returns to Seoul on Sunday when Moon Se Young will be expected to add to his weekend winner haul on Gippeumnuri in the Segye Ilbo Stakes. Busan also hosts a card on what promises to be another day of fascinating action on the track.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Grey Goes Down to Triple Seven / No Success for Jumong

Baekgwang just gave himself too much to do in the big race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The popular grey slumped to defeat at the hands of Triple Seven after running into too much traffic as he tried to launch his usual home straight charge.

Baekgwang would leave his run too late

Sent off long odds-on favourite, Baekgwang dawdled as usual through the early stages as the field allowed outsider Rich Family to open up a ten length lead on them in the back straight. As they bunched together turning for home, Park Tae Jong on Baekgwang found himself having to go around too many horses before being able to sprint for home.

In the meantime Choi Beom Hyun on Triple Seven, who was given a clear run, hit the front and was able to open up a big lead. Once Baekgwang finally got running there was just a furlong to go and he still had seven horses in front of him. He got to all but one; Triple Seven holding on for the win by a length.

His fast-finishing style is part or what makes Baekgwang so popular (that and being a grey) but today it was his downfall. Nevertheless every race he runs in is guaranteed to be exciting.

Another horse running into traffic problems was US import Jumong [Johar – Foreign Aid (Danzig)]. The three-year old half-brother to Subsidy and Soseono was going for his third straight win in the class 2 race 9 but had trouble getting past the tiring front-runner Photo Map. By the time he did, he had a race well and truly on his hands and it was six-year old Key To Success who held off the young pretender to take victory.

Key To Sucess edges out Jumong - Gyongmaman makes no apology for the shaky trigger finger - he was on it at 20/1

One of very few British bred horses racing in Korea, Key To Success [Mujahid – Shining Cloud (Indian Ridge)] was recording just his second win from thirty-five starts. He’s come close plenty of times though with eleven other placed finishes to his name. Meanwhile, with better luck, Jumong – sent off at 5/1 on today – will surely be back in the winner’s enclosure soon.

Tomorrow there’s action at both Seoul and Busan. Seoul has eleven races between 11:20 and 18:00, while Busan has six events from 12:40 to 16:30.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL