Crafty Louis edged out Dangdae Star by a neck to take Friday’s feature handicap at Busan Race Park. Ridden by Jo Chan Hoon, Crafty Louis went off the 2.7 favourite to land his second victory of 2008. Hwanggeumbit Taeya finished four lengths back in third and Florida Native fourth. Earlier, the three year old Yusu Yusu made it three wins from four races with a two length victory in Race 4. Racing returns to Busan on Sunday.
Racing Reviews
Rainmaker lands KRA Cup Mile
Rainmaker (3.4), ridden by An Sun Ho, has won the KRW228 Million KRA Cup Mile at Busan Race Park with Gaeseon Janggun (20.5) in second and Jeolho Chance (3.7) in third. Rainmaker went off the slight favourite from Jeolho Chance and Daejanggun (4.0). Jeolho Chance, under Cho Sung Gon, made the early running and traded the lead with Hammer Punch in the back straight. Rainmaker meanwhile sat at the back of the field until they entered the final turn, hitting second place with 2 furlongs left behind Jeolho Chance who by this time had opened up a gap of six or seven lengths. Rainmaker ground his opponent down, however, and ran on to record a two and a half length victory and take the first leg of the Triple Crown. The five horses from Seoul disappointed, filling up four of the last five places. Sammuae finishing highest for Han Sang Kyu in sixth.
Up at Seoul, there was a surprise in the feature handicap as Dankee’s Pal at 23.4 took the win for Cho Kyoung Ho ahead of Moon Se Young on another outsider Saerounbisul (32.0). The 2.3 favourite, Dirt King, was two lengths back in third. Earlier there was no surprise as Dongbanui Gangja (1.3) coolly won a two and a half length victory over Hwanggeum Dwaeji in a 1900 metre handicap. Dongbanui Gangja was the last of three wins for jockey Shim Seung Tae, with two wins each for for Park Tae Jong and Cho Kyoung Ho.
Seoul Racing Review – Hwangnyongsaji upset
Saturday April 5, 2008
Kkumi Mulgyeol won today’s biggest race at Seoul Race Park, beating strong odds-on favourite Hwangnyongsaji by 2 lengths. With Cho Kyoung Ho riding, the five year old took the lead right from the start of the 2000 metre handicap and held off the late run of his younger rival in the final furlong.
There was a large crowd today – brought in by the fine spring weather and also by the fact that the admission fee (tiny though it is) was waived today because of last week’s cancellation. They saw a competitive day’s racing which saw favourites dominate early on but surprises take over later. The biggest shock on the card saw a 905.6 exacta return in race 7 with Freedom Now at 71.9 winning from Gaeseong Gongdan at 53.1. There were also two wins each for Moon Se Young – one on the highly rated Photo Map – and for Shim Seung Tae.
Sunday will see eleven races at Seoul with the first at 11:20, six at Busan with the first at 12:40 and they’re under orders at Jeju for the first of nine races at 12:20.
Busan Racing Review – Bugyeong Choegang wins
The Bee Keeper makes it 3 out of 3 / Seoul jockeys struggle
Bugyeong Choegang won this afternoon’s feature race at Busan Race Park, the 2.8 favourite claiming a half length victory over Gangsan Jijo and D M Merch in the KRW 42Million 2000 metre handicap. D M Merch in third was ridden by Ikuyasu Kurakane, one of four Seoul based jockeys riding at Busan this weekend, Ikuyasu’s third was one of only two placed finishes for the foursome, Woo Chang Gu riding hot favourite Haneul Cheonsa to second place in race 5.
Three year old The Bee Keeper maintained his 100% record in the KRW 25Million race 6 with a two and a half length win over Bugyeong Janggun. This was The Bee Keeper’s first outing at 1400 metres and in superior company to his previous wins, he fully justified the 1.4 starting price. Performance of the day though was perhaps from the unraced Useung Party in race 1. Starting at a relatively unfancied 6.6, the filly dominated the field to win by a full seventeen lengths. Racing returns to Busan Race Park on Sunday with the KRA Cup Mile.
Seoul washed out as Fight Back wins at Busan
Fight Back won today’s feature race at Busan Race Park with a strong finish to win the KRW40 Million handicap by four lengths from Miraculous Medal. Dropping down to 1600 metres for the first time since 2006, Kim Do Hyun timed his run well on the 3.6 second favourite winning going away from the field. The 3.5 favourite Sinsapung finished back in sixth and Keep it Quick went off third favourite but never featured and finished twelth out of thirteen.
Elsewhere on the card, there was another win for Soo Khoon Beng, guiding odds-on Olympic Champion to an emphatic nine length victory over Taejeongsan in race 4. A competitive two year old race was won by Yeongwonhan Useung on her racecourse debut with a one length victory over odds-on favourite Bishop’s Return and the second most valuable race of the day was won by outsider Seongsan Daegun (Kim Tae Jun) at 21.3 with a half length victory over Haeil and favourite Hannam Daegyo.
With today’s meeting at Seoul Race Park called off because of a water-logged track, the only other racing was at Jeju, however on the Island too there were problems with racing being abandoned after seven of the planned nine races.
Seoul Racing Review – Galsaem beaten in the rain
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.
Busan Racing Review – Sinjin Gangja beaten
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.
Racing Review – Miss Ecton takes Busan Ilbo Cup
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.
Seoul Racing Review – Bally Brae defeats Subsidy
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.
Busan Racing Review – Perfect Champ dominates
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.
Horse Racing in Korea 