Fly Top Queen Wins Easily On Debut

Fly Top Queen may have kept us waiting for over a year but the most expensive racehorse ever to be imported to Korean didn’t disappoint when she finally made her debut at Seoul Race Park today.

While the morning tip-sheets were sceptical, punters sent Fly Top Queen off as the odds-on favourite and it was the punters who were proved correct as the 3-year-old filly led from gate to wire for a 5-length win.

Fly Top Queen [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Cape Town)] was a $225,000 purchase out of the Ocala Spring Sale last April, shortly after the KRA lifted the $70,000 limit that Korean buyers were previously restricted to spending on imported fillies.

Weekend Preview: Fly Top Queen Set To Finally Debut

Almost a year to the day since she first arrived at Seoul Racecourse, Fly Top Queen is set to make her racing debut this Saturday.

Fly Top Queen with trainer Choi Bong Ju (left) and owner Oh Ho Kuk (right), the most expensive racehorse in Korean racing history, debuts this weekend

Fly Top Queen with trainer Choi Bong Ju (left) and owner Oh Ho Kuk (right), the most expensive racehorse in Korean racing history, debuts this weekend

The filly became the most expensive racehorse every imported to Korea when owner Oh Ho Kuck paid $225,000 for her at the OBS Spring Sales in Florida last April.

Horses don’t know how much money has changed hands for them though and Fly Top Queen has been injured ever since she arrived, suffering with lymphatic problems. She race-trialed once last year and qualified but never made it to race day while she was withdrawn from another trial this March. Early last month she had another go and comfortably won her heat. Now finally, she will line up in race 2 on Saturday, class 4 race for fillies over 1200 metres. She will be favourite.

It is a big weekend for fillies at Seoul as on Sunday the track hosts its major Oaks trial, the Sports Seoul Cup. That only 9 fillies will take their chance suggests that Seoul owners are not exactly relishing the prospect of a trip down to Busan next month to face Derby winner Speedy First in the fillies’ Classic.

There are some decent entrants though. Joy Lucky’s only defeat to date was in the Derby while Cheonnyeon Dongan was showing great promise before running into problems in the KRA Cup Mile. The useful looking Dewma and Jumbo Speed will also be there.

Busan’s feature race is also on Sunday as prolific winners Dongteuja and Tamna Ace face each other over 2000 metres.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday June 21

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 11:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:10 to 17:30

Saturday June 22

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday June 23

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00 including the Sports Seoul Cup at 16:35
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:05

Ghost Whisper Completes Wolsley’s Four-Win Weekend

Peter Wolsley is closing in on his 200th Korean winner as Ghost Whisper completed another great weekend for the Aussie trainer by winning the first of co-feature races at Busan today. Following on from his treble on Friday, Wolsley has now saddled 187 winners at the south-coast track.

Ghost Whisper (Gotham City), a 5-year-old grey gelding who had an 8-month lay-off after collapsing with heat exhaustion at the end of last Year’s Busan Metropolitan Stakes, was sent off at little over 2/1 yet, such is Wolsley’s knack at getting his horses into races they can win or place in, he wasn’t even the stable’s first choice. That was the even-money favourite Cheongchun Bulpae (Milwaukee Brew) who had retained jockey Jo Sung Gon on board.

However, Darryll Holland is not a bad jockey to be able to call on to ride your second string and once he had Ghost Whisper in front at the top of the home straight, the result was never in doubt, the grey winning by a comfortable 2 lengths and Cheongchun Bulpae coming home in third.

Ghost Whisper is owned and was bred by Jeju based Pegasus Stables. Under foreign management, Pegasus have been Wolsley’s keenest supporter since his arrival in Korea at the end of 2007 and it was their colt Rumor Has It (Lethal Instrument) that broke his maiden to give Wolsley his first of three winners on Friday. Filly Placid Angel (Menifee) and US import Long Way Baby (Werblin) completing the treble.

Just as Pegasus have supported him, so Wolsley has supported the overseas jockeys who ride at Busan. Ghost Whisper was Darryll Holland’s 9th winner at the track and a great send-off for the British rider, who will pay a flying visit to Royal Ascot this week to partner Monseiur Chevalier who takes on Animal Kingdom in the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday.

Wolsley’s win ratio is a solid 16% but his “show” ratio is a remarkable 41% – only Busan’s champion trainer Kim Young Kwan can boast a higher one. Ghost Whisper, decked out with the pacifiers that Wolsley introduced to Korean racing, was winning for the 9th time. Few would bet against his trainer finding another race for him to win soon.

Up at Seoul, the feature race of the day was the MBN Cup and it was old-stager Green Empire (Bertolini) whi took the honours. The New Zealand bred 6-year-old has always been a solid campaigner but a very rare winner. Today, he closed quickly in the final furlong to beat pre-race favourite and last year’s winner Haedongcheonwang (West Acre) to take only his 3rd career win in 34 starts.

Later at Seoul, former top-ranked Korean bred horse Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) returned to action after a three-month absence. However, he found himself comfortably beaten by Singgeureounachim (Exploit) in a class 1 handicap over 1800 metres. Ace Galloper’s trainer Seo Beom Seok, who was not happy about his horse being forced to carry 61kg, will take up a trainer’s license in Macau. He’ll be hoping the handicapper there is a little more lenient.

Stakes action returns to Seoul next week in the shape of the Sports Seoul Cup.

Weekend Race Times

Five new apprentice jockeys debut at Seoul this weekend. Here’s when and where the action is:

Friday June 14

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:30

Saturday June 15

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:10 to 17:30

Sunday June 16

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:50

Jo Chan Hoon Represents Korea In Malaysia

Busan based jockey Jo Chan Hoon is in Kuala Lumpur to represent Korea in this weekend’s Selangor Turf Club Australasian Racing Bloodstock International Jockeys Championship.

Jo Chan Hoon, who rides at the Selangor Turf Club this weekend, winning the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance

Jo Chan Hoon, who rides at the Selangor Turf Club this weekend, winning the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance

The contest, which coincides with the Selangor club hosting an International Racing Carnival, features 13 jockeys competing over 6 races.

Joao Moreira, currently far and away the top jockey in Singapore, heads the line-up of international invites while well-known Australian jockeys Stephan Baster and Noel Callow are also taking part. Greg Cheyne, who raced in the Seoul International Jockey Challenge a few years ago, will represent South Africa.

35-year old Jo qualified as a jockey in 2003 at Seoul Race Park and moved to Busan upon its opening. He has 276 career wins, the highlight of which was the 2008 Korean Oaks on Jeolho Chance, as he gamely tells Selangor Turf Club TV in English here:

More information, including racecards, at the Selangor Turf Club website.

Last Gasp Yongduseong Snatches KNN Cup

Yongduseong hit the front in the very last stride to grab victory in the KNN Cup by the smallest of margins at Busan Race Park this afternoon.

Ttukseom Cup winner Useung Touch (Menifee) was the heavily backed pre-race favourite and, after early pace-setter Chowonuibyeol dropped out of contention entering the home straight, she seemed poised to add the second leg of the Queens Tour to her collection.

However, upon hitting the front she stalled allowing Joe Fujii to come roaring through on her inside on Pokpung Hero (Henny Hughes). Deep into the final furlong they seemed to have it won until seemingly out of nowhere on the stands side, Yongduseong (Concept Win) and Secret Whisper (Sea Of Secrets) began closing rapidly.

They swept past Pokpung Hero metres from the line, crossing it together, the photograph revealing Yongduseong to be the victor by a nose.

A late developer, Yongduseong only debuted mid-way through her 3-year-old season and then only made 4 appearances as a 4-year old. Fragile but very talented, today’s win was her 9th from 14 starts. For trainer Kim Young Kwan, it was yet another Stakes winner with a filly.

He trained Busan greats Luna and Sangseung Ilro and still takes care of current Grand Prix champion Gamdonguibada and Derby winner Speedy First. For 32-year old jockey Lim Sung Sil, it was his 3rd Stakes win

In second, the Pegasus Stables owned and bred Secret Whisper marked a decent Stakes race result for Australian trainer Peter Wolsley as he came so close to getting his second really big race win.

As for Useung Touch, she faded to 5th after a very slow final furlong. She did, however, beat every horse from Seoul. Indian Blue (Henny Hughes) in 6th was the best placed finisher in yet another dismal showing by the capital track’s representatives.

KNN Cup – Busan Race Park – 1600M – June 9, 2013

1. Yongduseong (KOR) [Concept Win – C’Est Avie (Lord Avie)] – Lim Sung Sil – 14.9, 3.1
2. Secret Whisper (KOR) [Sea Of Secrets – Generals Passion (General Meeting)] – Jo Sung Gon – 5.9
3. Pokpung Hero (USA) [Henny Hughes – Chitka (Jade Hunter)] – Kanichiro Fujii – 3.0

Distances: Nose/0.5 lengths
Also ran: 4. Silver Classic (USA) 5. Useung Touch (KOR) 6. Indian Blue (USA) 7. Grand Teukgeup (KOR) 8. Empire World (USA) 9. Gumpo Yeowang (KOR) 10. Sangyu (USA) 11. Blueband Mama (USA) 12. Dangdae Jeonseung (CAN) 13. Imperial Girl (USA) 14. Dongteuja (KOR) 15. Chowonuibyeol (USA) NR: Kkakjaengi (USA)

* Up in the capital, the Sports Hankuk Trophy – a non-stakes trophy race – was the feature event. It ended in a comfortable win for 6/1 chance Real Victor (Biwa Shinseiki) who landed his 9th victory from 39 starts.

Real Victor and Ham Wan Sik win the Sports Hankuk Trophy at Seoul

Real Victor and Ham Wan Sik win the Sports Hankuk Trophy at Seoul

Meanwhile, Japanese jockey Ikuyasu Kurakane followed up his double yesterday with another today, taking race 1 on Jilpung Haengjin (Ecton Park) and race 7 on Jeongsang Party (Exclusive Quality).

There’s no Stakes action next week although the aforementioned Gamdonguibada is slated to be in action at Busan on Sunday. She suffered a surprising defeat last time out and will be looking to get back in form in Busan’s feature race.

KNN Cup – The Runners & Riders

Ttukseom Cup Winner Useung Touch Heads Line-Up For Queens’ Tour 2nd Leg

A couple of years ago, the Korea Racing Authority designated a “Year of the Filly”. They raised the upper limit that could be spent on imported fillies and ensured that most racedays would have at least one race with decent prize money that was restricted to fillies and mares. Last year saw the first staging of the “Queens’ Tour”, a series of big-money Stakes races designed to find the nation’s top female horse, be it domestically bred or imported.

Useung Touch being recalcitrant in the Ttukseom Cup winner's circle in April. She is favourite for the KNN Cup

Useung Touch being recalcitrant in the Ttukseom Cup winner’s circle in April. She is favourite for the KNN Cup

The scheme, which is designed ultimately to improve the local breeding stock, seems to be having some success. Last year’s Queens’ Tour winner Gamdonguibada went on to win the season-ending Grand Prix Stakes while coincidentally another filly, Speedy First, won the Korean Derby at Seoul Race Park last month.

Sunday’s KNN Cup at Busan is the second leg of the 2013 Queens’ Tour following April’s Ttukseom Cup at Seoul. The winner of that race Useung Touch (Menifee) heads the field for the mile-long race. Seven have travelled down from Seoul to face nine from Busan. Here is a full run down of the field with pedigree, race records (Starts/1st/2nd/3rd) and rider:

KNN Cup – Busan Race Park – 1600M – June 9, 2013 – 16:15

1. Gumpo Yeowang (KOR) [Menifee – Lady Forza (Fuji Kiseki)] (14/3/4/5/) – You Hyun Myung
Has shown good form recently and was 2nd in a fast time over the distance last start but is yet to be tested in this kind of company.

2. Indian Blue (USA) [Henny Hughes – Gamblers Passion (Prospectors Gamble)] (8/3/2/3) – Yoo Seung Wan
The Segye Ilbo Cup winner was 3rd in the Ttukseom Cup and must be given respect here, especially after finishing 3rd in a class 1 outing last month. A chance.

3. Imperial Girl (USA) [Imperialism – Wallena (Wallenda)] (28/3/2/3) – Lee Ah Na
Showed early promise as a 3yo but on reaching class 1 has found things difficult. She will be an outsider.

4. Dongteuja (KOR) [Montbrook – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] (16/7/1/3) – Song Keong Yun
The half-sister of double-Grand Prix winner Dongbanui Gangja was a disappointment in the Ttukseom Cup and was dreadful last start. On her day though, she can beat anyone.

5. Chowonuibyeol (USA) [Rockport Harbor – Arctic’s Angel (Artax)] (15/3/3/2) – Choi Bum Hyun
Has been in poor form this year and is difficult to recommend here. However, Choi Bum Hyun giving up a weekend riding in Seoul to partner her does raise eyebrows slightly.

6. Grand Teukgeup (KOR) [Menifee – Saratoga Campaign (Mt.Livermore)] (17/7/3/1) – Chae Gyu Jun
Second in the Ttukseom Cup and hasn’t run since (although she did win a trail by 26 lengths last month). Should like the distance and is likely to be 2nd favourite behind Useung Touch. Could go one better this time.

7. Blueband Mama (USA) [Purge – Meadow Bryte (Meadowlake)] (26/3/4/2) – Kim Ok Sung
Another who has found things really difficult since graduating to class 1. Little in her favour here.

8. Pokpung Hero (USA) [Henny Hughes – Chitka (Jade Hunter)] (9/3/1/2) – Kanichiro Fujii
Jockey Joe Fujii has a way with the ladies, winning the Grand Prix on Gamdonguibada and the Derby on Speedy First. He has a very promising mount here too who won over the distance last time and looks to be an improver. Could provide some value.

9. Secret Whisper (KOR) [Sea Of Secrets – Generals Passion (General Meeting)] (22/8/3/5) – Jo Sung Gon
Peter Wolsley’s mare was 3rd on her last start behind Yongduseong and should give a game run. Whether it will be a fast enough run though is another matter. Busan’s champion jockey rides.

10. Silver Classic (USA) [Chapel Royal – Psychic Friend (Star De Naskra)] (18/3/3/2) – Jo Chan Hoon
A consistent money winner but not a consistent winner. That won’t change here.

11. Yongduseong (KOR) [Concept Win – C’est Avie (Lord Avie)] (13/8/2/1) – Lim Sung Sil
A late starter, the ligthly raced 5-year old is an interesting prospect. She comes in off the back of 2 victories and could give the favourites some problems.

12. Useung Touch (KOR) [Menifee – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] (22/8/7/2) – Choi Si Dae
The 2011 Korean Oaks winner shot back to prominence with 2nd place in the 2012 Grand Prix Stakes. Since then she has been exceptional and won the Ttukseom Cup comfortably before following up with a class 1 victory over a mile last time out. The favourite and deservedly so.

13. Empire World (USA) [Empire Maker – Salty You (Salt Lake)] (20/5/2/3) – Kim Dong Young
A nice little dark horse chance here. 5th in the Ttukseom Cup and then 4th behind Useung Touch next start, she could surprise a few people by stealing a place.

14. Dangdae Jeonseung (CAN) [Put It Back – Diamond Heirloom (Pembroke)] (16/4/1/1) – Lee Sang Hyeok
Not a huge amount going for her here. A talented filly, she is one of those who has reached class 1 and has nowhere to go. An outsider.

15. Kkakjaengi (USA) [Put It Back – Wild Dixie Gal (Wild Event)] (20/6/4/4) – Shin Hyoung Chul
A multiple Stakes winner as a 3-year old, she has been less impressive recently, her best result this year being a distant 4th behind Tough Win in a handicap at Seoul. On her day she is still capable of pulling out a big performance but the odds are against it happening here.

16. Sangnyu (USA) [Broken Vow – Midtown Miss (Yes It’s True)] (16/4/3/1) – Park Tae Jong
4th in the Ttukseom Cup, she’s been consistent this year and could have a chance of placing.

Weekend Race Times: June 7, 8, 9

The KNN Cup at Busan, the 2nd leg of the “Queens’ Tour” that will decide the champion filly or mare of 2013, is the highlight of the weekend’s racing. A full preview will follow tomorrow but in the meantime, here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday June 7

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday June 8

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:50 to 17:20

Sunday June 9

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:05 including the KNN Cup at 16:15

Outsider Gumanseok Wins Sports Chosun Cup as Feel So Good Flops Again

40/1 chance Gumanseok just held on to win the Sports Chosun Cup ahead of a fast finishing Royal Galloper at Seoul Race Park today, while hot-favourite Feel So Good once again finished nowhere in a big race.

Gumanseok and Lee Dong Kug after winning the Sports Chosun Cup

Gumanseok and Lee Dong Kug after winning the Sports Chosun Cup

After winning a race in the USA, Feel So Good (Ft.Stockton) won his first three tests in his home country before coming up very short behind Jigeum I Sungan in the Owners’ Trophy in April.

Having dropped down a level for the Sports Chosun, punters showed enough faith in him to back him into only slightly better than even-money. That faith was not rewarded.

While Feel So Good showed towards the front for much of the race, once they hit 300 metres to run, just as in the Owners’ Trophy, he stalled. Instead Gumanseok (Vicar) burst through the pack and took the lead under jockey Lee Dong Kug. While Royal Galloper (Commendable) and Park Tae Jong closed very quickly in the final furlong, the line arrived just in time and Gumanseok hung on by a neck.

Gumanseok just hokds on as Royal Galloper closes fast

Gumanseok just holds on as Royal Galloper closes fast

Gumanseok’s stablemate 120/1 outsider Appealing Jeil (Exploit), ridden by Yukio Abe, scored an even more surprising 3rd place finish.

Now 4-years-old, Gumanseok competed in the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Triple Crown last October. Finishing last, he managed to get himself gelded prior to the start of this season. The victory is his 5th in 13 starts and will see him move up to the elite level next time out. As for Feel So Good, it’s now questionable whether he’ll make the elite level at all.

For jockey Lee Dong Kug, it was a first visit to the Stakes winner’s circle since 2008. For trainer Lim Bong Chun and owner Ku Ja Sun it was a more familiar experience. Lim won the KOrean Derby with Gwangyajeil in 2011 while Ku owned the great double Grand Prix winner Dongbanui Gangja.

Speaking of the “elite”, the horse currently at the top of the tree, Tough Win (Yonaguska) was in action in the very last race of the day at Seoul. “Action” is perhaps a strong word as the 6-year-old breezed to 7-length win in a mismatch.

Down at Busan, it was a good day for the foreign jockeys. Joe Fujii won one race but there also was a very welcome double for Darryll Holland. The British jockey landed race 2 on Runnin’ John (Put It Back) and quickly followed up in race 3 on Stand High (Forest Camp). Both were top quality rides and took Holland’s Korean win tally to 8.

Sports Chosun Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – June 2, 2013

1. Gumanseok (KOR) [Vicar – Perfect Champion (Didyme)] – Lee Dong Kug – 42.1, 8.7
2. Royal Galloper (KOR) [Commendable – Explicitly (Exploit)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.7
3. Appealing Jeil (KOR) [Exploit – Appealing Satin (Valid Appeal) – Yukio Abe – 17.1

Distances: Neck/5 lengths – 14 ran

Charming Girl Enters Record Books With 96th Consecutive Defeat

On Sunday afternoon at Seoul Race Park, Charming Girl was saddled up, led around the paddock and cantered down to the start of race 6, a 7-furlong class 4 event for Korean-bred horses. Then, just as had happened on all of the 95 previous times she had gone through this process, she entered the starting gate, ran as fast as she could and was beaten.

Charming Girl with owner Byun Young Nam after her 96th defeat. Jockey Yoo Mi Ra, who has ridden her 76 times, looks on (KRA)

Charming Girl with owner Byun Young Nam after her 96th defeat. Jockey Yoo Mi Ra, who has ridden her 76 times, looks on

In finishing 9th of 11 and taking that sequence to 96, Charming Girl broke the Korean record for longest consecutive losing streak. The previous holder of this dubious honour was a New Zealand bred gelding named Dang Naru (Ivory Hunter), who went through his whole career of 95 runs without a victory between 1995 and 2000.

Dang Naru did, however, manage to record one 2nd place finish. Charming Girl’s best finish is 3rd, a position she has achieved on eight occasions.

Charming Girl [Pacific Bounty – Tweddles (Golden Juggler)] made her racecourse debut in January 2008, finishing 10th of 12. She would perform in similar fashion for much of the year, until in October, she broke into the money for the first time, with a 3rd place finish over 6 furlongs. Two months earlier, she had been ridden for the first time by newly qualified apprentice jockey Yoo Mi Ra. Yoo has since ridden her on a further 75 occasions which works out as almost exactly 10% of her total rides to date. It is no coincidence that her win ratio is one of the lowest of all jockeys at Seoul.

Indeed, just as Yoo Mi Ra’s figures do not necessarily do her justice, so Charming Girl is not a terrible racehorse. However, under Korea’s strict class rating system, horses who are talented to a certain extent but reach their limit, have nowhere to go. Once a horse goes up on class, they can never be dropped down again. Over the course of her career, Charming Girl has managed to amass enough prize money – around US $50,000 to date – to be promoted first to class 5 and then to class 4 where she remains. Not fast enough to win, but never able to return to a lower level where she might be competitive.

It is a system that does provide extra security for betting integrity and for ensuring that the majority of uncompetitive horses are retired but it is also one that leaves many racehorses facing an uncertain future once they have reached a level where it is impossible for them to win.

Charming Girl crosses the line at the end of her 96th defeat

Charming Girl crosses the line at the end of her 96th defeat

Charming Girl won’t have any problems. Her owner Byun Young Nam thinks the world of her and has announced his intention to keep running her so long as she is sound – and with no injuries or illness in five years, she perhaps is the soundest horse at the track – with a comfortable retirement to look forward too. Byun was on hand in the unsaddling enclosure after Sunday’s race to welcome his mare back and to pose for pictures.

In Korea especially where purses are high but ownership isn’t something to show off in polite society, racing is about winning. Charming Girl’s career has been about anything other than winning. In 2011, with 60 defeats already under her belt she, alongside the vastly more successful mare Luna, who nearly died aged 2 before coming back from injury to win several Stakes races, was featured in a campaign to promote ownership. The message owner Byun was passing on was that you don’t have to win to have fun.

If every horse was like Charming Girl, we wouldn’t have much of a sport, however, having been a popular fixture of the Seoul track for the past 5 years, she deserved her moment in the spotlight on Sunday. She should break the 100 by the end of summer.