There was an upset in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon as Galsaem, starting at 1.3 was beaten into fifth place by outsider Cheonghae San (39.7). The eight year old, which had won 10 of its previous 54 races, moved steadily through the field before producing a fast final furlong to beat Star Wood by two and a half lengths.

Persistant rain overnight and throughout the day meant that just like last Sunday, the track was saturated which again resulted in a low crowd and tricky conditions for horses and jockeys. It was also a day of upsets as only one odds-on favourite came home in front – King’s Road, under ParkTae Jong in race 2. Shim Seung Tae rode 2 winners as did Cho Kyoung Ho.

Racing returns to Seoul Race Park at 11:20 tomorrow. Although the rain has stopped for now, showers are again forecast for tomorrow.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL RACE PARK

Boryeong Bulbit & Namsanui Jeonggi win / KB Soo gets third win / Seol DB rides treble
As noted on Horse Racing in Korea earlier this week, Boryeong Bulbit was the horse in form, and so it proved as the Cho Seung Keun ridden four year old made the most of a five kilo weight advantage to overcome 1.8 favourite Sinjin Gangja by a neck. Million Dollar (Yoo Hyun Myoung) led for most of the race but faded to fourth as Boryoeng Bulbit came through the field in the straight to land the KRW42 Million handicap at 19.7. Second favourite Mirae Cheonsa finished a disappointing ninth.

Earlier there was an impressive win for hot favourite Namsanui Jeonggi in race 6, Lim Sung Sil guiding the three year old to his third win in six outings in a dominant four length victory over 1400 metres. Jockey Seol Dong Bok rode three winners, the highlight being Huimang Messenger (8.2) in race 9 and there was a third Busan Race Park win for Soo Khoon Beng riding the wonderfully name Kkumkkuneun to victory in race 7 at 8.5.

Racing is back at Busan Race Park on Sunday at 12:40 with cards at Seoul and Jeju on both Saturday and Sunday.

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Daejiui Yeosin beaten at Busan – Gayasanseong wins at Seoul
Miss Ecton (Yoo Hyun Myoung) won the KRW68Million Busan Ilbo Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon. The three year old filly timed her run to perfection to overtake 1.8 favourite Daejiui Yeosin (Kim Tae Kyung) in the final 100 metres to win by a length on the line. 17.1 shot Dongjjogui Bit (Kim Eo Su) finished a further length back in third. Miss Ecton started the 3.6 second favourite and Yoo was happy to keep her in the middle of the bunch until making his move as they entered the straight. Daejiui Yeosin hit the front with two furlongs remaining but Miss Ecton’s finish was too strong. Also at Busan, Admiral Reigart (4.0) continued his fine run of form for 2008 with a half length victory in a KRW42Million handicap. Admiral and Seonbaljein (17.4) both came from the back of the field to the front in the final two furlongs and it was the former that got the better of the latter on the line for a half length victory.

There was a tight finish to the feature race at a soaked Seoul Race Park but eventually 2.7 favourite Gayasanseong (Woo Chang Gu) took the honours with a half length victory over Baekpa (Park Tae Jong) and Haengunui Bit (Lee Dong Kuk). Strongly fancied Gi Ra Seong (Choi Beom Hyun) was backed into second favourite at 3.3 but despite leading for most of the race, faded in the straight to finish fourth in the 1900 metre race. Earlier in the day there was a 128.0 winner in the shape of Baramgatchi in race 2, one of the longest priced winners recently.

The much hyped Shaving Points made his racing debut in race 3 and didn’t disappoint those who had backed him into 1.3, cantering to a 6 length victory under Ikuyasu Kurakane. For the second day running Ikuyasu recorded a double, with a later victory on Somangi (8.4) in race 8 with hot favourite First Flower in second. Lee Shin Young continued her recent run of good form with victory in race 1 on Kkumcheoreom (8.6). Lee Ae Li also scored a rare place finish, coming in third on outsider Unak Tiger (78.2) in race 7, a race dominated by the impressive Vicar Love (2.4) which recorded a nine length victory under Woo Chang Gu.

Racing at both Busan and Seoul was blighted by persistant rain and there was standing water on the track making for dirty and dangerous conditions, which kept the crowds low. After winning on Gayasanseong, jockey Woo Chang Gu remarked that jockeys were racing blind most of the day and indeed the first two races on Jeju Island were scrapped altogether.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

Bally Brae comfortably defeated Subsidy in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Although Cho Kyoung Ho rode his usual aggressive race on Subsidy, taking the 8 year old into the lead on the back straight, Moon Se Young waited patiently before asking Bally Brae to quicken up in the home straight and winning far more comfortably than the one and a quarter length distance would suggest. Obaek Yechan (Jun Duck Young), which had been fancied to cause an upset by one or two of the morning tipsheets, finished in third with the three year olds Gamadongja and Baekjeonmupae, running in this kind of company for the first time, in fourth and fifth respectively. It’s now five straight wins for Bally Brae and thirteen out of twenty in total.

There was a win for Korean Derby hopeful Suseong TX, also ridden by Moon Se Young. Starting 1.5 favourite, he just managed to hold off Dunamjae for a half length victory in race 8. There was defeat, however, for the highly rated two year old Wind Rush, who was expected to pick up his maiden win in race 5, starting at 1.6. Under Cho Kyoung Ho, he was unable to catch second favourite Munsusa (Choi Beom Hyun) who started quickly in the 1000 metre dash and stayed away until the line.

Moon Se Young scored a treble, with victories on Suseong TX and Bally Brae added to by a three length win on Happy Call in race 9. It was good day too for the Japanese contingent with a double for Ikuyasu Kurakane, ending his recent winless streak on Daehwangbong (16.1) in race 3 and Juseon Jeonha in race 12. Nozomu Tomizawa also picked up a win, coming through with a late run on Win For Go (9.1) to take race 6.

It was an overcast but mild day and perfect for racing. The rain that was threatened didn’t arrive until after the racing. Tomorrow, however, the forecast is for rain. The first of eleven races is at 11:20.

FULL RESULTS

Perfect Champ returned to form in the feature race at Busan Race Park this afternoon, leading from start to finish to claim a four length victory from All That Rush (5.6) with outsider Gwihon Seonmul (85.2) finishing a surprising third a further five lengths back, With Jung Si Won on board, Perfect Champ went off 3.5 second favourite and never looked like being beaten, the four year old moving on to a career record of 6 wins from 12 starts. Widaehan Bonneung went off the 3.0 favourite but, carrying nine kilos more than Perfect Champ, never threatened to challenge the leaders and finished well back in eighth place.

FULL RESULTS

Racing Review – 16 March
Natural Nine, ridden by Kim Hey Sung, took the feature race at Seoul this afternoon. Starting 4.0 second favourite, the four year old scored a three length victory over Magic Runner (Ji Ha Ju) with odds-on favourite Samdabong back in fifth. There was an impressive win for Esteban (Yoo Sang Wan), the 4.2 shot dominating the 1700 meters race 9 to win by three lengths from favourite Geumsuni (Moon Se Young). To complete a hat-trick of second-favourite victories, Seoul Teukgeup trotted up by seven lengths under Moon Jung Kyun in race 11 with odds-on favourite Cash Parade (Danny Craven) back in third.

In contrast to yesterday where almost every favourite came home, today started with a shock – the 22.1 chance Sweet Picket coming home in race 1 with the 1.6 favourite Jayudari languishing in eighth and continued throughout the day. Indeed only one odds-on chance came home all afternoon – the Moon Se Young ridden Jaemidubae in race 6. It was Moon’s only win of the afternoon, the well fancied Mild Go in race 7 going the same way as Geumsuni later on and finishing second. There were two wins for Yoo Sang Wan and another win for the in-form Lee Shin Young.

Full Results

Seoul Racing Review – March 15
There were no surprises today as favourites lived up to their billing on a mild spring day this afternoon. The most valuable race of the day only attracted 7 runners and it proved to be a a mismatch as Namchonuijon (Oh Kyung Hoan), starting the 1.1 favourite, hit the front at the final turn and accelerated to win by a remarkable 18 lengths from Bisul (Park Tae Jong). In the previous race the 1.3 favourite Jeokdaejeok (Cho Kyoung Ho), found things a little tougher but produced a fast finish to take he line 2 lengths ahead of Baekdujeonseol (Chun Chang Ki). There were also odds-on wins for Gangcheolgwon (Chun Chang Ki), starting at 1.7 and finishing 6 lengths in front of Devilish Speed, and also for Aragorn (Woo Chang Gu). Aragorn went off at at 1.5 but faced a tough battle with Huimang Energy (Ham Wan Sik) in the closing stages with the favourite getting the better of it by just over a length.

Finish of the day was in race 7, which punters also found the most competitive of the day. In the end, joint second favourites Rulluralla (An Byung Ki) and Happy Hero (Moon Se Young) both starting at 4.1 came home with just a nose between them as An Byung Ki picked up his second win of the afternoon, with outsider Crown Birdie (Lee Jeong Sup) just half a length back in third. With the exception of Royal Taichi (Moon Jung Kyun) picking up race 5 at 18.1, the favourites had it all their own way – Sinnui Norae (Yoon Dae Keun) coming home at 1.6 in race 2 and Hanbatanguseum (An Byung Ki) at 1.5 in race 6. With his double, An Byung Ki was the only jockey to win more than one race with the returning Moon Se Young picking up a win on Hammer Punch (2.2) in race 8. Danny Craven had five rides, the highlight being placing third on Yeonseung Melody (14.0) in race 8.

Racing is back tomorrow at Seoul Race Park with the first of eleven races starting at 11:20. There are also six races at Busan, the first at 13:00 and nine on Jeju Island with the first off at 12:20.

Full Results

Punters couldn’t decide between them and in the end there was only a nose in it as the four year old Jung Si Won ridden Florida Native held off Golding to take the feature race at Busan. With the two starting co-favourites at 2.2, Florida Native led from start to finish of the 2000 metre handicap, Golding making a late run but just failing to catch his rival, who had an 8.5 kilo weight advantage, on the line. Wonder Love finished third at 7.4.

Full Results

Racing Review – Sunday 9 March
There were no surprises in the big race at Seoul this afternoon as Secret Weapon dominated the 42Million won 1900 metre handicap leading from start to finish. Going off at a not so secret 1.2, Chun Chang Ki took the top weight five year old to the front coming out of the stalls and stayed there all race to ein by four lengths from Seonju Jangsu (9.8) in a race of just seven runners.

Earlier, impressive three year-old Shining Two (2.0) made it three wins from three starts with a two length win over Ice Man (15.6) in race 7. Longest priced winner of the day came in a very open race 1, won by 55.6 shot Cheonjasan. another winner for Chun Chang Ki. No surprises in race 4, however, as highly rated Estar came home by two lengths at 1.2. With Moon Se Young absent there were doubles not only for Chun Chang Ki but also Woo Chang Gu, Yoo Seung Wan and Park Tae Jong.

In contrast to Seoul, Busan’s feature handicap was a very open affair with 13 runners and it was a very impressive performance by the slight favourite Bugyeong Choegang (3.7) scoring a two and a half length win over Geumui Hwanhyang (4.6).

The warmest day of the year so far meant the biggest crowd of the year at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Unfortunately the card was perhaps the lowest quality of the year so far.  Second favourite Uncatchable (4.8)  lived up to its name in the feature race 11. Ridden by Lee Jeong Sup, the 7 year old held off a strong final furlong challenge from favourite Dashing Champ (Nozomu Tomizawa) to win by a neck.

With championship leader Moon Se Young missing through suspension, this weekend provides nearest – and perhaps only – rival, Cho Kyoung Ho to make up some ground and he scored two winners, first in race 2 on the odds-on Jewanguijari (1.8) and then in race 4 on outsider Euolimbada (15.7). Chun Chang Ki also scored a double with Dongbang Mujeok (6.7) in race 9 and Keomeun Pokpung (21.6) in race 12.

Race 7 saw a bad fall for Heo Jae Young.  Coming out of stall three, Heo found himself boxed in on either side causing his horse, outsider Triple Queen, to stumble throwing Heo off sideways. Heo landed heavily on his back and was knocked unconscious. The ambulance was on the scene within seconds and Heo was moved to hospital. There’s no word from the KRA or other sources on his condition as yet.  Mukyang, ridden by Han Chang Min was disqualified after eventually finishing fifth, for its part in the incident.  The race was won by Super Family (9.6) ridden by Jung Ki Young.

Racing starts again at 11:20 tomorrow with 11 races. There is also racing at Busan with the first of 6 races off at 13:00.

Friday’s feature race at Busan was the richest of the year so far and was won by second favourite Procyon (4.7) taking the Chae Gyu Joon ridden horse to 8 wins from 13 starts.  Yeongwonhari (4.8) was second with favourite Pick Me Up (2.1) six lengths behind the winner in third.