After three successful years, Japanese jockey Kanichiro “Joe” Fujii has left Korea to take up a new challenge and fulfill a long-standing ambition to ride in his native Japan.

Joe Fujii after winning the Grand Prix on Gamdonguibada in 2012

Fujii joined Busan Racecourse from Australia in June 2012 and he quickly made an impact, winning on his very first ride.

The Japanese jockey proved popular and continued to ride regular winners throughout the summer and autumn and in November 2012, Fujii claimed his first Korean Stakes victory, partnering Gamdonguibada to triumph in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup. He would team up with the same filly again in the nation’s most prestigious race, the Grand Prix Stakes, at Seoul Racecourse the following month.

In guiding her to victory once more, Fujii became the first foreign jockey to win the Grand Prix. After the race, he took the filly back down in front of the grandstand to show the racing public. It was something that hadn’t been done in Korea before but something the local jockeys would quickly start to copy after a big race win.

Speedy First in the Derby Winner’s Circle

Fujii didn’t have to wait long to do it again. In May 2013, he returned to Seoul and on board another filly, Speedy First, he became the first foreign jockey to win the Korean Derby. Speedy First would unseat Fujii in the opening stages of the Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo in July but the following month, the pair re-united to claim victory in the Korean Oaks. Naturally, in victory Fujii was the first foreign jockey to win that particular race too.

Two major wins would follow in the first half of 2014. While Gamdonguibada had been unsuccessful in her attempt to defend the Grand Prix in 2013 and another jockey had ridden her to win the first leg of the Queens’ Tour, the Ttukseom Cup at Seoul, Fujii would be restored to the ride for the KNN Cup at Busan in early March and they would go on to win by eleven lengths. Three weeks later, Fujii went up to Seoul and partnered Magic Dancer to success in the Jeju Governor’s Cup.

Magic Dancer

Just a week later, however, would be the start of what would be a challenging final year in Korea for Fujii. A broken shoulder suffered in an accident coming out of the gates in a race last July resulted in a broken shoulder which would ultimately keep him out until December. During his time out, Fujii embarked on a mini-tour of the racing world, taking in Hong Kong, France, the UK and his native Japan and was also to be seen watching races in Seoul.

He returned characteristically with a winner in December and once more was a regular visitor to the winner’s circle even though he perhaps wasn’t getting the same caliber of mounts on as regular a basis as he was before his fall. Fujii then became the victim of circumstance when his saddle accidentally slipped when riding the odds-on favourite in a race at Busan. Unfortunately, it came just one week after rioting punters at Seoul extracted a payout of bets placed on a disqualified winner who had weighed in light.

Opportunists at Busan decided to try the same thing and the rest of the card was cancelled. With the government having lost revenue on four races in the space of two weeks, a police investigation was ordered as well as a public audit of the Korea Racing Authority, which is a government organisation.

He didn’t always keep the best of company during his time off (Pic: Joe Fujii)

There was never any case for anyone to answer on a saddle accidentally slipping but the audit and investigation meant it was over a month of uncertainty for Fujii before the KRA was in a position to be able to issue the lightest possible sanction to the jockey (a “reprimand”) and a fine for the Trainer. Fujii continued riding and received a hugely positive reception from punters when in Seoul for the Korean Derby in May.

Although a Busan jockey, it was at Seoul where Fujii’s biggest race wins came and it was perhaps fitting that his final triumph in Korea – for now – would be in the capital city. And it was another historic occasion. Esmeraldina was the first JRA horse to run in Korea in what was the first International Open race to be run in Seoul, the Ttukseom Cup. Connections could have brought over their own jockey from Japan yet despite the trainer never having met Fujii before, they decided that he would be their man.

They were proved right with Fujii delivering a clinical ride as Esmeraldina cruised to victory and once again, the jockey was able to parade in front of the Seoul grandstand a winner.

Esmeraldina and Joe Fujii return to scale

As it turned out, Esmeraldina was his final winner in Korea this time around. A magnificent ambassador for the sport, he has won more races than any other foreign jockey in this country, more even than the great Toshio Uchida. Hugely popular with connections, the Korean racing media, administrators and stewards and even the majority of local jockeys, he will be missed.

Joe Fujii will be riding in Hokkaido for the foreseeable future. He will surely be successful and it is very much hoped that we see him back in the Seoul or Busan winner’s circle one day soon.

Cinderella Man will bid to extend his unbeaten streak to five while Gyeongbudaero will look to get back to winning ways when they face off alongside five others in what is set to be the race of the weekend in Korea at Busan on Sunday afternoon.

Gyeongbudaero looks to get back to winning ways on Sunday (Pic: KRA)

President’s Cup and Grand Prix Stakes champion Gyeongbudaero went down to defeat last month while a week later, Cinderella Man scored his third straight class 1 win and ninth in total from twelve career starts to date.

Only seven will run in the feature, which will be over 1800M but it is a star-studded line-up and it’s by no means certain either of those two will win.

Gumpo Sky, one of the top three-year-olds of last year will be there as will 2014 Busan Metropolitan Stakes winner Nobody Catch Me as well as prolific winners Spring Gnarly and Useung Radar.

The field is rounded out by Cinderella Man’s stablemate Ghost Whisper. The Pegasus Stables owned pair have been prepared for the first time by Bart Rice and it’s set to be a big weekend for the South African trainer.

In terms of quality, Seoul is once again overshadowed by Busan. The capital’s feature race of the weekend is also on Sunday afternoon with Heukgisa and Namhae Daewang among the better known names going.

Click here for full race cards

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday May 29
Busan Racecourse: 10 races from 12:50 to 19:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 13:15 to 17:45

Saturday May 30
Seoul Racecourse: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:20

Sunday May 31
Seoul Racecourse: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:00

The weekend just passed was a rather low-key one for racing in Korea. We’re a month away from the Derby and the leading contenders will, for the most part, have already run their final prep race. There was one stand-out performer though as Cinderella Man landed his fifth straight win in Sunday’s feature race at Busan.

The Peter Wolsley trained Cinderella Man (Southern Image) was sent off as the favorite for the 1900M handicap, which also featured Spring Gnarly (Master Command), who was also coming into the race with 8 wins from 11 previous starts.

Cinderella Man would be the one who would move onto 9 from 12 as, under jockey Jo Sung Gon, the Pegasus Stables-owned 5-year-old flew home in the pouring rain to overcome long time leader Damyangui Jilju.

There was little of note across the weekend up at Seoul. South African jockey Jarred Samuel’s challenging introduction to racing here continued as he moved onto 26 rides without a top three finish. He hasn’t yet been given any ammunition that would make a better return possible.

A couple of personal milestones were reached though. Ji Yong Cheol became the first Korean trainer to saddle 10,000 runners in his career (it wasn’t a winner), while jockey Yoon Tae Hyuk reached 100 career wins.

This coming week should see more action with the likes of Nobody Catch Me, Beolmaui Kkum, Success Story, Gumpo Sky and Mujinjang all among early entries for Sunday’s feature at Busan.

April is underway and the first Triple Crown weekend of the season is upon us with the running of the KRA Cup Mile at Busan.

If at all possible, it would be nice to get through an entire weekend without any races cancelled due to punter unrest

The formidable looking quintet of Doraon Hyeonpyo, Rafale, Mac And Cheese, Summit Myeongun and Yeongcheon Ace head the field while the hope that Seoul’s two entries were actually some form of Korean racing April Fool’s Day joke have been dashed. See below for a full preview of the big race.

April also sees the shifting of Friday racing at Busan to a later start time with the first race now being 12.50 and the last 19.00. This will be the case for the next four months.

Full racecards are available here.

Here’s what’s happening when and where across this big weekend:

Friday April 3
Busan Racecourse: 10 races from 12.50 to 19.00.
Jeju Racecourse: 8 races from 13.15 to 17.10

Saturday April 4
Seoul Racecourse: 13 races from 10.50 to 18.00.
Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12.20 to 17.10.

Sunday April 5
Seoul Racecourse: 10 races from 10.50 to 18.00.
Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 12.45 to 17.30 including the KRA Cup Mile at 16.35

Sunday will see the first leg of the 2015 Korean Triple Crown. The race in question, the KRA Cup Mile, has been run every year since 2005 but only since 2008 has it been open to horses from Seoul and run on its current date in the calendar as the first jewel in the 3-year-old crown.

Gyeongbudaero, KRA Cup Mile winner in 2012 (KRA)

The track configuration at Seoul Racecourse has never allowed for races to be run at a distance of a mile so, when the Busan Racecourse was designed, that was to be a key feature. The track opened in 2004 and the first Cup Mile, held on a Friday in September 2005, was won by US import Siseon Jeap (Precise End).

The following year the race got a name change, the KRA Chairman’s Cup and a distance change to 1800M. Golding (Gold Alert), who would continue to be a stalwart at Busan until 2011, took the honours. In 2007, it was back to being the Cup Mile and Luna (Concept Win) landed the biggest win of her career. Australian jockey Garry Baker became the first of three foreign riders to date to have won the race.

In that same year, J.S. Hold won all three races of the Seoul Triple Crown but for 2008 Busan horses were invited to take part for the first time and the track invited to host the first leg. As a result, the Cup Mile was shifted to the first Sunday in April. Here is a list of the winners every year since then and what’s become of them:

2008: Rainmaker [Revere – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] – The 3/1 favourite won the race by two and a half lengths but then finished last in the Derby and would never win a race again. He suffered some injury setbacks and was finally retired in 2010. He was registered for breeding and covered the occasional mare but last September began training for Equestrianism.

2009: Sangseung Ilro [Concept Win – Ms. Whiskey (Whiskey Wisdom)] – The first of two superstar winners, she was a 16/1 outsider (the first and only correct tip ever given on this blog’s twitter feed!) and despite behind the scenes shenanigans with Eiki Nishimura getting jocked off in favour of Jo Sung Gon, she went on to win the Korean Derby. Long odds-on favourite for the Korea Oaks. she was caught on the line by Pang Pang and then, at 80% fitness, ran 3rd in the Minister’s Cup when trying to seal the Triple Crown. She is the only Cup Mile winner so far to go on to win the Derby. Sangseung Ilro won two more Stakes races as a 4-year-old before being retired for broodmare duties. One of the best fillies ever produced in Korea.

Sangseung Ilro and Eiki Nishimura win the KRA Cup Mile in 2009 (Pic: KRA)

2010: Money Car [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] – The first of just two winners from Seoul, he came into the Cup Mile with 5 wins from 6 starts and was a dominant 11-length winner. Odds-on favourite for the Derby, he looked home and hosed a furlong out but was run down on the line by Cheonnyeon Daero. He only ran once more, his career ended by injury. Out at pasture for a few years, he was registered for breeding in 2013 and occasionally covers mares at Hyunma Farm on Jeju Island.

2011: Soseuldaemun [Meisei Opera – This Ole Way (Vigors)] – This was a 3-year-old crop that, filly Useung Touch and solid handicapper Singgereounachim aside, didn’t really live up to its early promise. Toshio Uchida, “Mr. Pink” rode 7/1 chance Soseuldaemun to a 2-length win but the colt didn’t travel well to Seoul for the Derby and, 20 kilos lighter, finished 7th. He only raced twice more, a very solid 3rd in the Gyeongnam Do-Min Ilbo was followed by a return to Seoul for the Minister’s Cup where he was last of 14. Not registered for breeding, he was retired to Myeongsin Farm on Jeju.

2012: Gyeongbudaero [Menifee – Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – One of the finest Korean-bred racehorses who is only now peaking. He was Busan’s champion Juvenile in 2011 and was the 3-length winner of the Cup Mile. A month later, he finished 3rd in the Derby, just a length behind Jigeum I Sungan and was 3rd behind the same horse in the Minster’s Cup. The same year, he was also 3rd in the President’s Cup. 13 of his 29 starts have come in Stakes races and it was in 2014 where he rose to the very top of Korean racing. Having won the President’s Cup at Seoul in November, he returned to win the biggest race of all, the Grand Prix Stakes, in December. Currently the highest rated Korean bred horse.

2013: Sting Ray [Forest Camp – Straight Cash (Straight Man)] – A victory for the Korean breeding program with dam Straight Cash being a winner of the JRA Trophy in Korea. Sting Ray was the odds-on favourite for the Cup Mile and duly won by 4-lengths. He finished 6th in the Derby a month later and is still running and regularly winning money in class 1 races at Busan in races up to a mile.

2014: Cheongnyong Bisang [Volponi – Miss Alwuhush (Alwuhush)] – The 20/1 chance filly became Seoul’s second winner of the KRA Cup Mile when taking a 2-length victory last year. Another filly, Queen’s Blade, had been sent off as the odds-on favourite and she would come good a month later in the Korean Derby in Seoul with Cheongnyong Bisang back in 4th. Blighted by injury, the KRA Cup Mile winner has only run twice since the Derby and remains in training.

Final declarations for this year’s race will be made on Wednesday. A full preview of the big race is to follow.

Cheonnyeon Dongan confirmed her status as Seoul’s top Korean bred racemare with a commanding performance in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup in the capital on Sunday afternoon.

Cheonnyeon Dongan wins the Gyeonggi Governor's Cup

A 5-year-old, Cheonnyeon Dongan came into the race a multiple Stakes winner already and was duly sent off as the odds on favourite for the 2000M test, the same distance over which she beat plenty of her rivals here in last month’s Donga Ilbo Trophy.

Once more, she didn’t disappoint. Under champion jockey Moon Se Young, she sat in the middle of the pack until beimg unleashed in the home straight to beat Pinot Noir by just over a length, with Ua Deungseon a further 8 lengths back in 3rd.

It was Cheonnyeon Dongan’s 10th career victory from 22 starts and it takes her to just shy of $1Million in prize money. A tilt at the Queens’ Tour series in the latter half of the year looks the logical next step for her.

Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – March 29, 2015

1. Cheonnyeon Dongan [Ecton Park-Honeycakes (Hennessy)] – Moon Se Young – 1.4, 1.1
2. Pinot Noir [Capital Spending-Neungnyeokchungman (Pacific Bounty)] – Park Eul Woon – 1.3
3. Ua Deungseon [Menifee-Singgeureoun (Mr.Adorable)] – Seo Seung Un – 3.4
Distances: 1.5 lengths/8 lengths – 15 ran

At Busan though, some punters denied their fellow racegoers the opportunity of seeing Gyeongbudaero maintain his 100% record with the final two races having to be abandoned after crowd disturbances.

In race 4, Yeongung Bolt was sent off as the odds-on favourite and was sent towards the front by jockey Joe Fujji. However, after about a furlong, the saddle on Yeongung Bolt, who had been sweating up considerably, began to slip.

Fujii was soon left with no stirrups and very little in the way of control and he was left riding Yeongung Bolt home cowboy style in the straight. Unsurprsingly, the horse finished last.

Jockey Joe Fujii explains what happened to Yeongung Bolt in an appeal to punters on the Racing Broadcast Network

No doubt emboldened by the racing authority’s decision to pay out on a disqualified horse at Seoul last week to end disorder, a small number of punters invaded the walkway between paddock and track demanding Yeongung Bolt be declared a non-runner.

To his enormous credit, Fujii appeared on the Racing Broadcast Network to explain exactly what happened and to (unnecessarily) aplogise to punters, something he repeated on twitter on Monday morning.

This time the Authority was not for turning and abandoned the final two races. The card at Seoul continued without incident.

Following last week’s decision, it was inevitable that some punters would be looking for another opportunity to rebel as soon as possible. With Busan punters having now had their turn, hopefully it’s now out of everybody’system.

Cheonnyeon Dongan aside, it was less than a great day all round with Seoul jockeys Yoo Mira and Kim Ok Sung both requiring hospital treatment after seperate falls.

Next week it’s the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the 2015 Korean Triple Crown.

Sucess Story made it three wins in a row with an assured performance in Sunday’s feature race at Busan.

The 4-year-old was a late-comer onto the Triple Crown trail in 2014, running only in the final leg, the Minister’s Cup at Seoul in October. He finished 4th that day behind Never Seen Before and returned to the capital a month later for the President’s Cup, when he could only manage 10th behind Gyeongbudaero.

Since then Success Story (Peace Rules) is unbeaten. Sent off as favourite for Sunday’s class 1 handicap, he led from gate-to-wire, with jockey Jo Sung Gon only needing to point and steer as Success Story eased to a three-length win. Fellow Korean-bred four-year-old Gumpo Sky was 2nd with perennial trier Ghost Whisper getting up for 3rd.

The win was the 6th of the weekend for Jo Sung Gon. Earlier the jockey had added to his four Friday winners by guiding Cheonji Park (Ecton Park) to a similarly easy win, The three-year-old from the Peter Wolsley stable maintained his unbeaten record with victory by just under two lengths over 1400M in race 4.

There is depth in the ranks at Busan now in contrast to Seoul where the weekend’s class 1 was a rather lackluster race won by second favourite Unbeatable (Eddington), a solid enough campaigner but not one to get the pulse racing.

Nevertheless it is to Seoul where attention will turn this coming weekend with the running of the first major Stakes race of the year in the shape of the Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy. Gwanggyo Bisang, winner of last month’s Segye Ilbo Cup is set to be among those involved.

This site has been neglected recently but today is one of the biggest days on the calendar in the shape of the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Minister’s Cup.

Queen's Blade is going for the Derby, Oaks, Minister's Cup treble (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Queen’s Blade, winner of the Korean Derby and Korean Oaks will head the field. Here is a short comment on each runner. Normal blog service should resume within the next couple of weeks:

Minister’s Cup (2000M) Seoul Racecourse – 16.40

1. Cheongnyong Bisang (colt) The winner of the KRA Cup Mile at Busan in April, he was 4th in the Korean Derby in May. Has only run once since then when he was well beaten over 1400M. With the kind of quality up from Busan, this will be hard.

2. Nubi Queen (filly) – Second in the Oaks at Busan in August, she is perhaps the best chance of the Seoul runners.

3. Major Star (colt) First run in a classic, however, last time out he was beaten by three of his rivals from Busan and is difficult to recommend.

4. Gumpo Sky (colt) Didn’t make it into the KRA Cup Mile and ran poorly in the Derby but has been very strong since then with two wins and two very narrow defeats by two very good horses and has a chance here.

5. Super Legend (filly) – Has only run three times, 1 win and 2 seconds but this is a huge step up.

6. K Man (colt) – 3rd in the Ilgan Sports Cup last month behind Yeongsan who we saw getting beaten yesterday. Another for who this is a huge step up.

7. Wild Rush (colt) – The 2nd string of Queen’s Blade’s trainer, Kim Young Kwan, he was 6th in the Derby. Has done ok since but has been beaten by a number of his rivals. Don’t rule out a place.

8. Ganghae (colt) Won the Selangor Turf Club Trophy and followed it up at class 2 last month. This looks a bit too difficult though.

9. Never Seen Before (colt) This is a good colt. Won’t be favourite but if he can get a good position he can take advantage of any slip-ups by the favourites.

10. Super Lucky (filly) – Withdrawn.

11. Ildeung Hanghaesa (colt) Didn’t make the Cup Mile or Derby. Was a very good winner last time out over 1900M beating three of these and has a chance.

12. Queen’s Blade (filly) – 5th in the Cup Mile then won the Derby by 10 lengths and the Oaks by 5 lengths. She’ll be favourite, the only matter is her fitness as she’s been going a long time. If she is fit, she wins. New jockey on board so different colours today as Yoo Hyun Myung replaces the suspended Kim Yong Geun.

13. Jeongsang Bima (colt) Impressive 2nd in the Derby and won last time out, others have perhaps come on more though.

14. Winner’s Marine (filly) Nice filly who was 3rd in the Oaks, should be close but will be tough to win.

15. Success Story (colt) – Didn’t make the Cup Mile or Derby, but comes in off three straight very impressive victories and should be 2nd favourite. Has a big chance.