Bart Rice In Training Form At Busan While Shinichi Terachi Starts With A Winner At Seoul

Bart Rice added to his burgeoning Korean reputation by saddling two more winners this weekend as the South African trainer continued his impressive first season in Korea.

Winning: Bart Rice (KRA)

Winning: Bart Rice (KRA)

Haing sent out the extremenly promising filly Seungni Laser (Menifee) to record her 7th win in 12 starts on Friday, today it was the turn of another Kang Soo Hyeon owned runner – the similarly named Seungni Grand (Menifee) – to do the business.

Returning for a 6-month lay-off and running for Rice for the first time, the 4-year-old colt was sent off as 2nd favourite in the mile-long race 6. However, under Darryll Holland, he was always well-positioned and once the field entered the home straight, was the only likely winner.

Weighing in with winners: Darryll Holland (KRA)

Weighing in with winners: Darryll Holland (KRA)

Rice now has quite remarkable figures of 14 winners, 5 seconds and 2 thirds from his 47 starters in Korea to date. Like fellow foreign trainer, Australia’s Peter Wolsley, Rice shows exceptional judgement in entering his horses where they are most likely to win.

Punters foolishly let Seungni Grand go off at 9/2 today, preferring to put their money on an overbet weak-favourite in the shape of Powerful Namhae. They’ll be watching Rice’s horses a lot more closely from now on.

Seungni Grand was the first of a late double for Darryll Holland, taking his win tally for the weekend to three.

Next Sunday is the Korean Derby at Seoul and with Rice and Wolsley both having entries – two in the latter’s case – it looks like the biggest ever foreign-connected contingent will be making its way to the capital.

Another visitor making a great start to his time in Korea is Japanese jockey Shinichi Terachi.

Shinichi Terachi at Seoul on Sunday

Shinichi Terachi at Seoul on Sunday

The 34-year-old debuted at Seoul on Saturday and was on target on board his second ride, recording a 4-length win on 5/1 shot Bujeon Jajeon.

Terachi – who will be called by his given name in Korean racecards, debuted in Japan in 1997 and has 116 winners in the NAR.

He joins the well-established Ikuyasu Kurakane as the only foreign presence in racing at Seoul (on the track, anyway). Ikuyasu also grabbed one winner over this weekend, claiming Seoul race 5 on Saemyeongjang.

Jockey of the day at Seoul though was once again Seo Seung Un. He rode three winners on the day, including taking out the feature race on Siggeureounachim.

Weekend Race Times

It’s the weekend before the Derby and the racing is all rather low-key. Nevertheless, there are plenty of competitive races to keep us occupied.

Let's hope for a sunny weekend

Let’s hope for a sunny weekend

There are two class 1 events across the weekend; one at Busan on Friday and another at Seoul on Sunday. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday May 9
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 13:00 to 19:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:25 to 17:40

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

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

K-Triple Crown 2014: The Korean Derby – First Preview

While the great and good of Asian racing are living it up at the ARC in Hong Kong this week, back here in Korea we turn our attention away from the Steamed Spotted Garoupa Fillets and Ferrero Rocher for a moment because we are just over a week away from the big one. The 2014 Korean Derby will be run at Seoul Race Park on Sunday May 18.

If we're going to have a Triple Crown winner this year, it will be Cheongnyong Bisang (KRA)

If we’re going to have a Triple Crown winner this year, it will be Cheongnyong Bisang (KRA)

It’s the 2nd leg of the 2014 Triple Crown, the first jewel, the KRA Cup Mile at Busan last month, having been claimed by the capital raider Cheongnyong Bisang. He heads what is currently a field of 16 for the big race.

Eight are scheduled to make the trip up from Busan. Peter Wolsley plans to bring two while Bart Rice is also set to have his first runner in the Derby in his first year training in Korea.

Along with Cheongnyong Bisang, the next four home from the Cup Mile are also entered; Gilbert, Namdo Trip, Raon Morris and Queen’s Blade will be looking to improve on their showings.

We will have a full and comprehensive build-up to the race over the next week but in the meantime, here are the entrants as they stand today (Name, Pedigree, Race Records – Trainer):

Busan

Gangchi [Volponi – Regal Heir (Regal Intention)] (10/3/1/1) Bart Rice
Queen’s Blade [Menifee – Harboring (Boston Harbor)] (8/4/3/0) – Kim Young Kwan
Wild Rush [Forest Camp – Wisconsin Girl (Smart Strike)] (7/2/3/2) – Kim Young Kwan
Gilbert [Yankee Victor – Wonderful Wanda (Fusaichi Pegasus)] (6/3/2/0) – Min Jang Gi
Namdo Trio [Didyme – Tapas (Sky Classic)] (10/2/4/1) – Baik Kwang Yeol
Gumpo Sky [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme)] (8/3/2/2) – Kwan Seung Joo
Heukgangja [Creek Cat – Rosa Gulch (Thunder Gulch)] (7/3/1/0) – Peter Wolsley
Never Seen Before [Ecton Park – Gwangyeolhan (Stormin Fever)] (5/3/1/0) – Peter Wolsley

Seoul

Cheongnyong Bisang [Volponi – Miss Alwuhush (Alwuhush)] (8/5/0/0) – Kim Jeom Oh
Jangsan Horangi [Forest Camp – Steal The Show (Cat Thief)] (5/2/2/1) – Kim Jeom Oh
Pureun Geotap [Menifee – Charmin Strike (Smart Strike)] (9/2/2/3) – Ji Yong Cheol
Clean Up Speed [Pico Central – Rich Emotions (Rizzi)] (7/4/1/0) – Seo In Seok
Raon Morris [Yankee Victor – Thunder By Night (Thunder Gulch)] (7/3/1/1) – Lee Shin Young
Jeongsang Bima [Forest Camp – Smokegetenyoureyes (Smokester)] (9/2/3/2) – Park Hui Cheol
Gamunui Chukje [Biwa Shinseiki – Gamun Nyeonggwang (Concept Win)] (6/2/2/1) – Park Dae Heung
Cupid Girl [Vicar – Sheza Hot Dish (Rubiano)] (9/4/0/1) – Park Jae Woo

Joy Lucky and Oreuse Claim Stakes Wins as Indie Band Returns Off-Key

Joy Lucky bounced back from her Ttukseom Cup disappointment to win the Owners’ Association Trophy at Seoul on Sunday but there was neither joy nor luck at Busan for Grand Prix winner Indie Band as he slumped to 3rd while Oreuse took the honours in the Gukje Sinmun Cup.

Seo Seung Un looks around to see if he and Joy Lucky have won the Owners' Trophy (KRA)

Seo Seung Un looks around to see if he and Joy Lucky have won the Owners’ Trophy (KRA)

Despite her Ttukseom trouncing Joy Lucky was sent off the odds-on favourite for the Owners’ Trophy, a race which had been re-arranged from its original schedule two weeks ago.

Featuring prominently throughout, Seo Seung Un had the 4-year-old filly track the pace-setting Brig before hitting the front with a furlong to run in the 1400 metre race.

Despite looking vulnerable on the run-in, shew as able to hold off the fast finishing Cheonnyeon Dongan and Gwanggyo Bisang, who dueled in the rails, to record her 9th victory in 13 starts.

Owners’ Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – May 4, 2014

1. Joy Lucky (KOR) [Vicar – Proper Gun (Prosper Fager)] – Seo Seung Un – 1.5, 1.1
2. Cheonnyeon Dongan (KOR) [Ecton Park – Honeycakes (Hennessy)] – Ikyuasu Kurakane – 1.5
3. Gwanggyo Bisang (KOR) [Menifee – Touch Upon (Touch Gold)] – 1.4
Distances: Head/0.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Brig 5. Seoul Jeongsang 6. K Tap 7. Full Step 8. Reigns Cat 9. Jjak Kkung DQ: New And Best

Down at Busan, Indie Band ws making his first start since completing the President’s Cup/Grand Prix Stakes double at Seoul last year.

Indie Band was sent off as a narrow favourite ahead of Peter Wolsley’s Cheonji Bulpae but it was the unheralded Oreuse who bounded into an early lead and never looked back, the 5-year-old US import scoring a wire-to-wire victory.

Indie Band closed strongly in the home-straight but could only manage third place, a nose behind Dynamic Jilju and a full three lengths adrift of the winner.

Oreuse has been consistent rather than spectacular in winning 12 of his 26 starts to date. Thought of as being able to excel up to a mile, this was only his 2nd attempt at going an extra furlong. No doubt if he tries again, he’ll not be sent off at 11/1

Gukje Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1800M – May 4, 2014

1. Oreuse (USA) [Smoke Glacken – Heavenly Splendor (Point Given)] – Kim Dong Young – 11.3, 3.0
2. Dynamic Jilju (USA) [Forestry – Beat Your Feet (Dixieland Band)] – Choi Si Dae – 5.2
3. Indie Band (KOR) [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] – You Hyun Myung – 1.4
Distances: 3 lengths/Nose
Also ran: 4. Star Bolt (USA) 5. Ghost Whisper (KOR) 6. Cheonji Bulpae (AUS) 7. Strictly Two Step (USA) 8. Sand Hi (USA) 9. Magic Dancer (KOR) 10. Yereobunuiyeowang (JPN)

Weekend Preview: Indie Band Returns in Gujke Sinmun / Owners’ Cup At Seoul

After three cancellations due to the Sewol Ferry disaster, racing returns to the peninsula this weekend. And there is big Stakes action in store as Grand Prix Stakes winner Indie Band finally makes his 2014 debut. Meanwhile at Seoul, the delayed Owners’ Cup will also be run Sunday.

Indie Band plays up after winning the President's Cup. He returns this weekend.

Indie Band plays up after winning the President’s Cup. He returns this weekend.

Indie Band ended 2013 with back-to-back dominant wins at Seoul in the nation’s two richest and most prestigious races; the President’s Cup and the Grand Prix Stakes. On Sunday, he returns to his home track of Busan to face 9 rivals in what looks a very tough Gukje Sinmun Cup.

Aside from Indie Band, Cheonji Bulpae, third in the Grand Prix goes as one of two entrants for Aussie trainer Peter Wolsley, Ghost Whisper being the other. Prolific winner Magic Dancer takes his chance while champion jockey Jo Sung Gon returns from Macau to partner undefeated up-and-comer Strictly Two Step.

Oreuse can never be ruled out while Dynamic Jilju and Sand Hi also know where the winning line is. It should be a great race.

The ferry disaster resulted in the postponement of the Seoul Owners’ Cup two Sundays ago. The race will be run this Sunday instead and 10 of the original 11 entrants will take their chance with only Heukgisa dropping out. Read our original preview here.

Generally big fields abound on a welcome return to racing. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday May 2
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 13:00 to 19:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:25 to 17:40

Saturday May 3
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:15

Sunday May 4
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:00 including the Gukje Sinmun Cup at 16:10.

Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy: Full Preview

The Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy has been run for as long as there has been an Owners’ Association.

Gwanggyo Bisang is among 11 vying for the Owners' Association Trophy

Gwanggyo Bisang is among 11 vying for the Owners’ Association Trophy

That was 1993, the same year that the system of private ownership of racehorses was introduced.

Since then it’s gone through many forms and has seen some of the most well-known names in Korean racing win. P’Ulgeurim, Subsidy, Dongbanui Gangja and last year, Jigeum I Sungan have all made their way into the winner’s circle in the past.

Since 2012, the race has been restricted to Korean-bred runners aged 4 and up and is run over 7 furlongs and that’s what it will be this time around.

Joy Lucky and Gwanggyo Bisang are among a number of top class horses who will contest one of the highlights of the Spring racing calendar. Here’s a full run down of the field with their race records and jockeys:

Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – April 20, 16:35

1. K Tap [Menifee – Summit Party (Ecton Park)] 4 C (14/6/2/4) – Jang Chu Youl
Has won his last two starts over this distance including a class 1 last time out. He’s quick and likes to come from just off the pace which gives him a chance here.

2. Jjak Kkung [Forest Camp – Fab Four (Yes It’s True)] 5 M (20/6/1/4) – Kim Tea Hun
Well beaten by K Tap over the distance last time out and there’s little to suggest that form is going to be overturned. Won from the front over 1200M in January but should find the company a little quick here.

3. Brig [Menifee – Delicias (Deputy Minister)] 4 C (16/8/3/0) – Moon Se Young
4th in last year’s Derby and a two-time class 1 winner, Brig drops down to one-turn for the first time since he was a 2-year-old. He’s never run at this distance but Brig likes to come from just off the pace and could be a big threat in the home straight. A chance.

4. Cheonnyeon Dongan [Ecton Park – Honeycakes (Hennessey) 4 F (12/7/0/3) – Jo In Kwen
Comes into the race off the back of three wins – two of them in Stakes races but hasn’t run since January. One of those Stakes wins came at the expense of Joy Lucky who suffered interference. All things being equal though, Joy Lucky is faster than her. Another closer, it’s worth watching the board for any value.

5. Full Step [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] 7 H (41/4/4/4) – Lee Gang Seo
Has been out of step for a long time now. Hasn’t moneyed for two years and won’t do so here. Served his time and should be retired. To his credit, in his 41 starts, he’s never finished last.

6. Reigns Cat [Creek Cat – Eternal Reigns (Eternal Orage)] 6 H (32/5/3/3) – Ikuyasu Kurakane
Four indifferent performances since returning from a long lay-off make it very difficult to recommend him here. The old Reigns Cat would have had a chance but not this one.

7. Joy Lucky [Vicar – Proper Gun (Prosper Fager)] 4 F (12/8/1/0) – Seo Seung Un
Comes into the race off of a hugely disappointing run in the Ttukseom Cup. She is the fastest horse in the race and if she runs at her best, she wins. In three of her last races, however, she hasn’t. Still difficult to oppose.

8. New And Best [Trick Of Fate – Yongungch’eon (Phizam)] 7 H (54/4/6/3) – Bang Choon Sik
A shock second in this race to Jigeum I Sungan last year at odds of 200/1. He’ll be something similar here and for good reason.

9. Seoul Jeongsang [Capital Spending – Luvtonoah (Westminster)] 6 G (32/4/5/7) – Yoon Tae Hyuk
Although he has graduated up the levels through virtue of prize-money, Seoul Jeongsang has never won a race at a higher level than class 3. He’ll not win this one either and though he was a decent sprinter, is unlikely to have the pace to figure in the finish.

10. Gwanggyo Bisang [Menifee – Touch Upon (Touch Gold)] 4 G (11/8/1/1) – Park Tae Jong
A double-Stakes winner last year and narrowly beaten by Joy Lucky over further in December. Hasn’t run since January but will be among the favourites and is very capable of beating Joy Lucky.

11. Heukgisa [A.P.Dancer – Mansumugang (Half Term)] 5 G (17/7/3/1) – Cho Kyoung Ho
Beat a small field to win a class 1 with a very swift turn of foot last time out. Likely to be close to front and could make a nuisance of himself in the closing stages.

Weekend Race Times

The feature race of the weekend is the Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy which takes place in the capital on Sunday afternoon. There will be a full runner-by-runner preview on this site tomorrow evening.

Flowers Corner

In the meantime, here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday April 18
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 13:00 to 19:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:25 to 17:40

Saturday April 19
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:15

Sunday April 20
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:00

Female Korean Jockey Lee Keum Joo Wins In Morocco

Lee Keum Joo last week won the latest round of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) 2014 at Hippodrome De Casablanca-Anfa in Morocco last Friday.

Lee Keum Joo and Kanzaman win in Morocco (Pic: IFAHR)

Lee Keum Joo and Kanzaman win in Morocco (Pic: IFAHR)

Riding the locally-bred and reasonably well-fancied Kanzaman, Lee finished almost a length ahead of German rider Tamara Hofer on favourite Saqr II.

Aside from professionals Lee and Hofer the majority of other riders were either local apprentices or visiting amateurs and included former British Champion Lady Amateur Serena Brotherton.

37-year-old Lee, who will no doubt appreciate the event website’s description of her as a “brilliant young rider”, debuted at Seoul in 2001 when she became only the 2nd woman to gain a jockey license in Korea.

She has had a stop-start career but returned to reasonably regular race-riding this year and is currently attached to the stable of trainer Lee Shin Young – who she qualified as a jockey with before the latter Lee went on to become Korea’s first female trainer. Lee Keum Joo now has 26 career wins.

The “World Championship” continues in Toulouse in France this week and has further global stops including Newbury in England before concluding in Abu Dhabi in November.

Full report from Sheikh Mansoor Festival website

Jo Sung Gon & Kenny Seo Combine in Macau, Major King Flops at Pimlico

Mixed news from the overseas Korean racing diaspora over the past couple of weeks. There was an all-Korean connections winner in Macau but Minister’s Cup winner Major King was a major disappointment on his American racing debut.

Jo Sung Gon and Kenny Seo in the Taipa Winner's Circle (MJC)

Jo Sung Gon and Kenny Seo in the Taipa Winner’s Circle (MJC)

Seoul Racecourse based trainer Seo Beom Seok – better known as Kenny Seo – has been running a parallel stable in Macau for a year now, primarily training for Korean owners. Busan’s champion jockey Jo Sung Gon has been based in Macau since January.

On April 4, the Park Nam Sung owned, Kenny Seo trained and Jo Sung Gon ridden Liver Pool (All Bar One) took victory in the 1100 metre race 2 at Taipa. For trainer and jockey it was their 4th and 2nd winners respectively in the Special Administrative Region.

Taipa will host the Korea Racing Authority Trophy on May 2. The KRA Chairman will be among those making the trip from Seoul.

Seo’s attempt to make a go of things in Asia is at odds with the KRA’s seemingly never-ending fascination with the USA, a jurisdiction which despite the source of a large quantity of racehorses and breeding stock, has little in common with Korea and by their own admission, isn’t a model that authorities here are aiming to emulate.

The sending of 2-year-olds to Florida for early training has great merit and the latest batch of them will be returning to Korea next month much better for the experience. However, the habit of sending of mature Korean-bred horses to run in claiming races in the North-East is far more questionable.

2013 classic winners Speedy First and Major King headed Stateside in January and Major King (Pico Central) – who hadn’t exactly been pulling up trees in his most recent Korean outings was the first to make his debut. Korean racing fans are strongly advised to look away now.

It was hoped that the Pick Me Up and Baekpa debacles of 2008 and 2009 had been learned from but it seems we are doomed to keep repeating the same old mistakes – Horses that are bred and only trained in Korea are going to struggle when expected to race alongside animals that have been raised entirely differently.

More interaction with Asia-Pacific – of which the exchange races with Japan last year were a perfect example – is what’s needed now, not sending our Classic winners to plod around Pimlico.