It was 2-year-old Championship weekend at Seoul and Busan and it will be Cosmos King and Rafale who head to the Korean Breeders’ Cup at Seoul next month as the top juveniles from their respective tracks.
Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup – Seoul Racecourse – 1200M – Oct 11, 2014
1. Cosmos King (KOR) [Ingrandire – Lovely Shine (French Deputy)] – Lee Hyeok – 2.4, 1.3 2. Dream Queen (KOR) [Creek Cat – Fine Jilju (Duality)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.6 3. Keunbada (KOR) [Menifee – Keungori (Essence Of Dubai)] – Jang Chuyoul – 1.9 Distances: 1 length / 2 lengths – 10 ran
Cosmos King was sent off as the slight favourite for the Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup at Seoul on Saturday, just ahead of fellow unbeaten colt Raon Rusa. Punters were proved right as, under Lee Hyeok, Cosmos King closed from 5th to 1st in the final furlong to win by a length from filly Dream Queen.
On Sunday, it was Busan’s turn to run its Championship race. And there was a little more of a surprise here as 9/1 chance Rafale overcame hot-favourite Doraon Hyeonpyo in a final stretch battle to take the prize. The two were a dominant 6-lengths ahead of their nearest other rival on the line.
Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Racecourse – 1200M – Oct 12, 2014
The best 2-year-olds of this year’s crop from both Seoul and Busan will reconvene in the capital at the end of next month for the “Breeders’ Cup” to decide the nation’s overall Juvenile Champion.
South African trainer Bart Rice was on the mark today, sending out two runners at Busan Racecourse today and coming home with two winners.
Strike Rate: Bart Rice (KRA)
It’s the kind of thing the 38-year-old has become renowned for in his short time at the track so far. When punters see a Rice horse running, they know it will be in fine order and wouldn’t be running if it can’t win. The odds usually reflect that.
Today, Rice sent out Better Than You (Ft.Stockton) in race 2 and Aussie import Ace Cheonbok (Zizou) in race 7. Both won comfortably at short-odds under Japanese rider Masa Tanaka.
The wins take Rice onto some extremely noteworthy figures. He has 22 horses in his stable and lies in 11th in the Busan Trainers’ Championship with 23 wins in 2014. However, these have come from just 102 starters. To emphasize his focus on winners, there have been a further 10 second places and just 4 thirds.
Masa Tanaka (Pic: Busan Ilbo)
Only the Peter Wolsley stable and the Kim Young Kwan factory can boast a better strike rate; Rice leads the next best by some considerable distance. Wolsley has sent out 205 runners this year and Kim over 300.
Among the 32 trainers at the South-Coast track, the only ones who have sent out fewer runners than Rice are Ahn Woo Sung and Gu Young Jun and they only received their licenses this summer.
Rice looks like a man who wants to to do things properly. He’s one of very few trainers in korea who has a website and has clearly set out to train and race his own way. In Masa Tanaka, he also has a very capable de-facto stable jockey (Tanaka is officially freelance).
Whether he can sustain this strategy long-term in the face of notoriously demanding Korean owners who, with decent prize-money going all the way down to 5th place, want their horses running whether they have a chance of winning or not, remains to be seen. For now though, it has been a remarkable debut year.
Better Than You is an interesting one. The 3-year-old gelding spent a year in the United States, racing in Florida four times before returning to Korea this summer. Today was his first race in his homeland and he romped home by a full 11 lengths.
He wasn’t the only one of those who went to the US running today. Gangnam Camp (Forest Camp), who was with Better Than You on the same program in Florida, actually landed a 2nd place at Gulfstream Park earlier this year and comfortably won his Korean debut last month. He was on target again today taking race 6 by four lengths.
It’s that time of year already. Both Seoul and Busan host their Championship races for this year’s 2-year-old crop this coming weekend with the best performers from each race qualifying to face each other in Seoul next month in the Korean Breeders’ Cup to decide 2014’s Champion Juvenile.
Cheongnyong Bisang was Champion Juvenile in 2013. The race to succeed him begins in earnest this weekend
The races also impact on next year’s Triple Crown. With the first leg, the KRA Cup Mile, being held in early April, it is vital to get points on the board now in order to qualify.
Unbeaten horses look the pick of both events. In the Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup at Seoul on Saturday, Raon Rusa is set to be favourite while Doraon Hyeonpyo is the one to beat in the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at Busan on Sunday.
Here are the full line-ups for both races with pedigrees, race records and riders:
Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup – Seoul Racecourse – 1200M – Saturday October 11, 16:00
1. Good Start [Limitless Bid – Yesangbaek (Pacificbounty)] (3/2/0/1) – Yoo Seung Wan 2. Always Winner [Creek Cat – Hallat’Eukkeup (Land Rush)] (2/1/0/0) – Oh Kyoung Hoan 3. Dream Queen [Creek Cat – Fine Jilju (Duality)] (4/2/2/0) – Seo Seung Un 4. The Zone Sesang [Creek Cat – Namdosarang (Chullo)] (2/2/0/0) – Jun Duck Yong 5. Raon Rusa [Pico Central – Kkumaeul (Curia Regis)] (4/1/0/1) – Moon Se Young 6. Hwanhuiuisungan [Sakura Seeking – Ma Home Cat (Tomorrow’s Cat)] (1/0/0/0) – Yoon Tae Hyuk 7. Vulcan [Ecton Park – Maid Of Cognac (Hennessey] (2/1/1/0) – Ham Wan Sik 8. Keunbada [Menifee – Keungori (Essence Of Dubai)] (2/1/1/0) – Jang Chuyoul 9. Comsmos King [Ingrandire – Lovely Shine (French Deputy)] (2/2/0/0) – Lee Hyeok 10. Clean Up Queen [Officer – Hera (Archer City Slew)] (3/1/0/0) – Ikuyasu Kurakane
Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Racecourse – 1200M – Sunday October 12, 16:10
1. Yuseong Fighting [Didyme – Maggie’s Prayer (Songandaprayer)] (2/2/0/0) – Jo Sung Gon 2. Rafale [Colors Flying – Dongbang Choego (Al Naba )] (3/2/1/0) – You Hyun Myung 3. Fine Star [Volponi – T’ojong Kosu (Glorify)] (2/0/2/0) – Yang Young Nam 4. Namhae Sinhwa [Vicar – Intriga (Lord At Law) (2/1/1/0) – Kim Dong Young 5. Doraon Hyeonpyo [Colors Flying – Kilcoe Castle (Gone West)] (3/3/0/0) – Jeong Dong Cheol 6. Mac And Cheese [Menifee – Squared (Posse)] (2/1/0/1) (3/1/1/0) – Song Keong Yun 7. Special Line [Ecton Park – Rich Musique (Rizzi)] (3/1/1/0) – Jo Chang Wook 8. Ganghan Baram [Didyme – Benbane Head (Giant’s Causeway)] (3/0/2/0) – Lee Sung Jae 9. Summit Myeongun [Menifee – Summit Party (Ecton Park)] (3/1/1/1) – Masakazu Tanaka 10. Kkumui Hanbal [Colors Flying – Baengman Buja (Successful Appeal)] (3/1/1/0) – Lee Hee Cheon 11. Yeonggwanguitaepung [Menifee – Grand Pass (Grand Slam)] (3/1/1/1) – Chae Gyu Jun
* There is plenty of other action across the weekend. Aussie trainer Peter Wolsley will be looking to follow-up his Minister’s Cup victory last weekend with another class 1 win when My Winner goes in Friday’s feature at Busan. Also on the south coast, Gamdonguibada takes on Beolmaui Kkum and New York Blue in a class 1 race on Sunday.
Here’s what’s happening when and where:
Friday October 10 Busan Racecourse: 11 races from 11:40 to 18:00 Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 13:20 to 17:20
Saturday October 11 Seoul Racecourse: 13 races from 10:50 to 18:00 Jeju Racecourse: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:20
Sunday October 12 Seoul Racecourse: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00 Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:05
Queen’s Blade getting beaten in the Minister’s Cup on Sunday may have been a surprise but the Derby and Oaks winning filly’s reverse in the final Classic of the season wasn’t the biggest shock of the weekend at Seoul.
Gwanggyo Bisang – seen here after a Stakes win, became the first Korean horse to beat Yeongsan II
Yeongsan II had won all six of his races in Korea in dismissively easy fashion, culiminating in the Ilgan Sports Cup in September. However, on Saturday afternoon, he stepped up in class and distance and finally met his match in the shape of last year’s Ilgan winner, Gwanggyo Bisang.
Sent off as the odds on favourite, Yeongsan II set the pace under Moon Se Young and as they entered the home straight looked ready to cruise to another routine victory. That was to reckon without Gwanggyo Bisang though as while Yeongsan II was by no means slow in the final furlong, his fellow 4-year-old – depite carrying 60Kg – was able to go up a gear to reel him in and pass him to win by just under a length on the line.
The result, along with Queen’s Blade’s setback, Indie Band on the long-term injured list, and Wonder Bolt on the doubtful list, sets next month’s President’s Cup – Korea’s richest race – wide open with Busan’s Hangangui Gijeok, currently on a winning streak of seven, now the likely favourite. Gwanggyo Bisang, now with eleven wins from sixteen starts, may have to now be considered too.
Class 1 Handicap – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – October 4, 2014
1. Gwanggyo Bisang (KOR) [Menifee – Touch Upon (Touch Gold)] – Park Tae Jong – 3.8, 1.3 2.Yeongsan II (KOR) [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celbre)] – Moon Se Young – 1.2 3. Gumanseok (KOR) [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme) – Ham Wan Sik 1.5 Distances: 0.75 lengths / 3 lengths – 10 ran
Another race that is on the near horizon is the Japan/Korea Interaction Cup at Tokyo Ohi on November 11. With big prizes such as the President’s Cup on offer at home in November and only Seoul horses able to make the trip, there is a diminishing pool of talent available to make the trip to defend the title so memorably won by Watts Village last year.
And it was Watts Village (Forestry) who won a preparation race for the Interaction Cup on Sunday afternoon, getting the disappointment of his performance in the Asia Challeng Cup at the end of August out of his system.
Watts Village is unlikely to go to Tokyo but back at his favourite distance of 1200M and under Moon Se Young for the very first time, the 4-year-old led from gate-to-wire to win by 7-lengths in what was one of the fastest ever recorded times over the distance at Seoul. Sing Sing Cat was 2nd with Here He Comes, who is in-line to go to Japan, a creditable 3rd.
This coming weekend it is the 2-year-olds who take centre stage with Juvenile Championship races at both Seoul and Busan. The capital hosts the Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup on Saturday with the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at Busan on Sunday. The best performers will re-convene in Seoul at the end of November to decided the nation’s overall champion juvenile in the Korean Breeders’ Cup.
Never Seen Before, a 26/1 outsider, produced the run of his life at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon to win the Minister’s Cup – the final leg of the 2014 Korean Triple Crown – and hand Australian trainer Peter Wolsley the biggest win of his Korean career.
Never Seen Before and Lee Hee Cheon win the Minister’s Cup
Unsurprisingly, it was the Korean Derby and Oaks winning filly Queen’s Blade who was sent off as the solid favourite for the 10 furlong test, with plenty of support too for fellow Busan raiders Gumpo Sky and Success Story.
It was the latter of these, Success Story who set the early pace under Jo Sung Gon, bounding out of gate 15 and going across to take the lead into the first corner. He would maintain it for much of the race, with Queen’s Blade, under You Hyun Myung for the first time in the absence of regular jockey Kim Yong Geun, in close attendance throughout.
Meanwhile, Never Seen Before sat patiently in the front half of the field with plenty of cover. As they swung for home it looked like Queen’s Blade was ready to strike as Success Story went to the rail. The Derby and Oaks winner though had nothing. Instead, Gumpo Sky and outsider Ganghae came through the middle while Never Seen Before came around to fight out the finish.
By the furlong pole, Success Story and Ganghae had been seen off and it was a straight duel between Gumpo Sky and Never Seen Before, the outsider finally getting in front 50 metres from the finish and pulling away for a half-length win. Ganghae ran on gamely for 3rd with Success Story 4th and Queen’s Blade a further 4-lengths back in 5th.
Never Seen Before moves on to five wins from ten starts. There looks to be more to come too from Gumpo Sky while Ganghae was a revelation in 3rd.
For winning jockey Lee Hee Cheon, it was unquestionably the pinnacle of a tough career to date. Wolsley is far too much of a diplomat to say so but it is likely that Lee was at best 2nd or maybe 3rd choice for the ride after stable jockey Jo Sung Gon opted to go elsewhere and You Hyun Myung got the ride on Queen’s Blade.
Lee, who 8 years since turning professional still has only 92 winners to his name, gave the colt the perfect ride. Those of us – including this blog – who doubted his ability to close out a tight finish when the pressure is on, were emphatically put in our place. He was superb.
As for the trainer, over the years we’ve written plenty about Peter Wolsley. The 51-year-old Aussie arrived in Korea in late 2007 (coincidentally around the same time this blog started) and endured an extremely rough first couple of years at first, taking charge of the “breakdown barn” – the horses no-one else wanted to train.
Slowly but surely, he started getting winners and when there are winners, suddenly there are more owners and more – and better – horses. His stable is now firmly established as second only to the Kim Young Kwan machine in terms of winners. What had been missing until recently were the big ones.
Old favourite Khaosan won Wolsley his first Group race back in September 2011, although it was by virtue of being promoted from 2nd after Cheonnyeon Daero was disqualified. Late last year, Secret Whisper took the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup by a head to land what would be Wolsley’s biggest victory until today.
In many ways, Wolsley is the exception that proves the rule. It is extremely difficult for foreigners to make a go of things in Korean racing and his achievements standing out so much only emphasize this. But his success is no accident. Seven years of sheer hard work against all odds paid off in full today and he deserves every plaudit.
The bars of Gimhae will need to be fully stocked with Martini Rosso and Coca Cola tonight.
Minister’s Cup (KOR G2) – Seoul Racecourse – 2000M – October 5, 2014
1. Never Seen Before (KOR) [Ecton Park – Gwangyeolhan (Stormin Fever)] – Lee Hee Cheon – 26.0, 4.1 2. Gumpo Sky (KOR) [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme)] – Choi Si Dae – 1.7 3. Ganghae (KOR) [Didyme – Ocelot (Catrail)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 10.4 Distances: 0.5 lengths/2.5 lengths Also Ran: 4. Success Story 5. Queen’s Blade 6. Ildeung Hanghaesa 7. K Man 8. Jeongsang Bima 9. Wild Rush 10. Cheongnyong Bisang 11. Winner’s Marine 12. Nubi Queen 13. Major Star 14. Super Legend NR. Super Lucky
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.
Ua Deungseon was the convincing winner of the Donga Ilbo Cup at Seoul this past Saturday, outpacing long-shot Ruby Canter and Horse Racing Ireland Trophy winner Pinot Noir by two lengths.
In a race designed for fillies who came close in the Oaks, couldn’t quite get it done, but still harbour hopes of competing in the big Stakes races later in the autumn, Ua Deungseon, 7th in the Classic at Busan last month, was sent off as a 5/1 shot.
Tracking the longshot, Ruby Canter, who stayed on for a very impressive 2nd place, Ua Deungseon hit the front in the home straight and took a comfortable win. She moves on to 5 wins from 8 starts and there looks to be plenty to come.
Donga Ilbo Trophy – Seoul Racecourse – 1800M – September 27, 2014
1. Ua Deungseon (KOR) [Menifee – Singgeureoun (Mr. Adorable)] – Ham Wan Sik – 5.7, 1.9 2. Ruby Canter (KOR) [Volponi – Crystal Decanter (Encosta De Lago)] – Kim Hye Sun – 9.4 3. Pinot Noir (KOR) [Capital Spending – Neungnyeokchungman (Pacific Bounty)] – Lim Gi Won – 3.4
Distances: 2.5 lengths / 1.25 lengths – 14 ran
The pre-race favourite for the Donga Ilbo Cup was Fusion Korea. She finished 4th in what was a rare setback this weekend for jockey Ikuyasu Kurakane. The Japanese rider has been in remarkable form recently and scored 7 winners over the weekend; 3 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday.
Sunday’s haul included the feature race when he smartly eschewed the ride on favourite Indian Blue – one of his regulars – and partnered another he has had success with in the past, Samjeong Jewang. Kurakane is now clear 2nd in the Jockey Championship behind Moon Se Young with 77 wins so far in 2014.
Down at Busan, there was another win for old favourite Ghost Whisper (Gotham City). Peter Wolsley’s 6-year-old grey recorded hs 13th victory from 25 starts when taking Sunday’s feature race by a length and a half from Wonil Gangja.
Next weekend it is the big one. The final leg of the 2014 Korean Triple Crown – the Minister’s Cup – is set for Seoul Racecourse. If she runs, Queen’s Blade, winner of both the Derby and the Oaks, will be the hot favourite.
Hangangui Gijeok took his record to 8 wins from 10 starts, powering away from Magic Dancer and Gyeongbudaero to claim victory in the Owners’ Cup at Busan on Sunday.
Hangangui Gijeok and You Hyun Myung win the Owners’ Cup at Busan
Magic Dancer, winner of the Jeju Governor’s Cup in Seoul back in June, was sent off as favourite with Hangangui Gijeok second in the betting, just ahead of former Classic winner Gyeongbudaero, who was returning to the track after a 7-month layoff.
It was Seoul filly Joy Lucky who set the early pace in the 1800 metre race, one of the richest of the year on the South coast. However, for the 2nd time in a row at Busan, the 4-year-old, who won the Seoul edition of the Owners’ Cup back in May, faded without trace as the runners entered the business end of the track.
Instead it was the big three who came to the front. Gyeongbudaero and Hangangui Gijeok on the rail and stand sides respectively and Magic Dancer squeezed in between them as they fought down the home straight.
It was the 3-year-old Hangangui Gijeok who found the most, eventually striding away for victory by a length and a half.
Ineligible for the Triple Crown due to being a gelding, Hangangui Gijeok has been quietly going about becoming one of the most formidable competitors on the track.
The narrow winner of the Gyeongnam-Do min Ilbo Cup in July, he came into this race off the back of six straight victories and now joins Magic Dancer and Derby and Oaks winner Queen’s Blade as Busan’s top rated horse.
Owners’ Cup (KOR G3) – Busan Racecourse – 1800M – September 21, 2014
1. Hanguaui Gijeok (KOR) [Didyme – Legendary Destiny (Giant’s Causeway)] – You Hyun Myung – 4.2, 1.4 2. Magic Dancer (KOR) [Forest Camp – Wildly Magic (Peterhof)] – Kim Yong Geun – 1.1 3. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) [Menifee – Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – Choi Si Dae – 1.8 Distances: 1.5 lengths / 0.75 lengths Also Ran: 4. Hanuelui Chibok 5. Magic Light 6. My Winner 7. Gangson 8. Major King 9. Like The Sun 10. Royal Gelloper 11. Tongjesa 12. Joy Lucky 13. Bukdaepung
Yeongsan strolled to victory for the 6th time in 6 starts in Korea, securing his second Stakes win in the process, in the Ilgan Sports Trophy at Seoul Racecourse this afternoon.
Yeongsan II and Moon Se Young after winning the Ilgan Sports
Unsurprisingly for a horse who had won his 5 previous starts by a combined margin of 53 lengths, Yeongsan was sent off the long odds-on favourite – indeed at 1.0, all that punters who backed him could hope for, was to get their money back.
At least they were never in any danger of losing it. Moon Se Young brought Yeongsan to the front early and controlled the race, accelerating away from the field in the home stretch and then easing down for a 7-length win on the line.
Pretty sure Se Young only did this because K-Pop girl group Dal Shabet were looking on
Yeongsan (Menifee) – who is officially known as “Yeongsan II” as there was an Australian filly of the same name in Korea 15 years ago – was exported to Malaysia as a 2-year-old but returned a year later. Yet to be seriously challenged by anything domestically, his next target is expected to be the President’s Cup, Korea’s richest race, in November and then a possible shot at the Grand Prix Stakes a month later.
Ilgan Sports Trophy – Seoul Racecourse – 1800M – September 14, 2014
1. Yeongsan II (KOR) [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celebre)] – Moon Se Young – 1.0, 1.0 2. Citadel (KOR) [Sakura Seeking – Tropic (Danehill)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.6 3. K-Man (KOR) [Volponi – Sash Of Silver (Woodman)] – 1.5 Distances: 7 lengths / 2.5 lengths – 11 ran
* Speaking of the Grand Prix, a former winner was in action at Busan today. However, it didn’t go well for Gamdonguibada (Werblin) who, despite being sent off as a short-price favourite, was beaten a length and a half by old favourite Lion Santa (Lion Heart).
Now 6-years-old, Lion Santa won his first 9 starts back in 2010 and 2011. While never really being able to go on and win the very biggest races, he’s been a solid money winner since and his victory today was his 13th from 30 lifetime starts.
And it is at Busan where the focus will be next week when the southern track hosts the Busan Owners’ Cup. Magic Dancer, Gyeongbudaero, Joy Lucky – and back from his US jaunt – Major King, are among the entrants for this Busan vs Seoul race.
Shinichi Terachi has finished up his stint rising at Seoul Racecourse but there’s a familiar face back on the Korean racing scene as Nozomu Tomizawa returns to the peninsula to take up a 4-month jockey license at Busan.
Shinichi Terachi’s biggest win in Korea came on Geumbit Hwanhui in the Seoul Oaks Trial (KRA)
It was a challenging four months at Seoul for Terachi. The 35-year-old was able to get on plenty of horses but he wasn’t given a whole lot of quality to work with and ends with 7 winners from 159 rides. Whenever he got a horse with a chance of winning, he got the job done including two winners on his final weekend.
He also won on one which didn’t look to have a chance. Terachi’s biggest victory came in June’s Sports Seoul Cup, the capital’s main Oaks trial race, on 27/1 outsider Geumbit Hwanhui.
Nozomu Tomizawa in the Seoul paddock during his first stint in Korea (KRA)
His departure leaves the remarkable Ikuyasu Kurakane, currently 2nd in the Seoul Jockey Championship, as the only foreign rider in the capital.
That’s because it’s to Busan, where Masa Tanaka has been having to talk to himself in the weighing room since the departure of Darryll Holland and long-term injury to Joe Fujii, that Nozomu Tomizawa will go as he returns to Korea five years after he finished up his first stint here.
Tomizawa arrived in August 2007 and battled away for almost two years racking up 47 winners from 722 rides at Seoul. He didn’t win any Stakes races but is best remembered for his partnership with the gelding Gamadongja – a horse that was really a sprinter – on whom Tomizawa won four Class 1 races at distances from 1200M to 2000M.
It won’t be Tomizawa’s first time at Busan. He has one win from eight mounts at the South Coast track on weekends when he visited to ride in Stakes races. The 33-year-old has spent most of his riding career in Australia and should fit in well with the similarly Antipodean-accented Tanaka, who is also committed to the track until at least the end of this year.
As for Masa Tanaka himself, the hugely personable jockey currently lies in 8th position in the Busan Championship and produced a cracking ride in Seoul this past Sunday to guide New York Blue to 3rd place in the Asia Challenge Cup.
Two days before the Asia Challenge Cup, Tanaka rode a double at Busan, one of which was for trainer Bart Rice. The South African is maintaining his superb strike rate with 21% of his starters winning since he opened his barn at the track last December.
Rice currently lies in 12th position in the Trainers’ Championship, having saddled more than 100 fewer starters than all but two of the trainers ahead of him. One of those two is Peter Wolsley, currently clear in 2nd place.
No update on foreign riders in Korea would be complete though without talking about Joe Fujii, The man who took over Toshio Uchida’s title as “the most popular Japanese person in Korea” was in Seoul last weekend to watch the Asia Challenge Cup.
While his broken shoulder is expected to keep him out for another three months, the ever-positive Fujii was in high spirits and with his license to ride in Korea having been extended despite his injury, he was looking forward to getting back to business on the track as soon as possible.
Fujii has won the Derby, the Oaks and the Grand Prix Stakes. Korean punters are looking forward to his return just as much as the man himself.
Joe Fujii watches the races at Seoul on Sunday. All punters want him back riding as soon as possible
Horse Racing in Korea 