Park Jong Hyun Lands First Winner / Kim Hae Sun Wins Again

Today was the coldest day in Seoul for ten years but for Park Jong Hyun, it will be memorable for a different reason. At her fifty-third attempt and as temperatures plummeted to a painful -16C, the young jockey rode her first ever winner.

And how ever long she rides for, her first winner will be one of her easiest. Three year old filly Cheonnyeonmama had won her first race easily at the tail-end of last season and is one of this year’s most exciting prospects. Although Park had ridden her in her race trials, Jung Ki Yong rode her on her racecourse debut.

This time, Park was given the nod to partner the US import and they were sent off long odds-on favourites for the five furlong race 4. Park immediately sent Cheonnyeonmama [Toccet – Lady Lust (Lord Carson)] into the lead and there was never any danger of them relinquishing it as they strode away from the field for a professional seven length win.

Park Jong Hyun (also known as “Park Jong Mi”) gained her license in July last year along with Kim Jung Jun, Jang Chu Yeol and Lee Gang Seo. Until today, Park was the only one of them to have failed to have recorded at least one win. Today, she nailed her first real opportunity to get it. All new graduates of the KRA’s Jockey Academy are of a high standard and Park has every chance of making a successful career.

One year ahead of her is fellow female rider Kim Hae Sun. Today, Kim scored the thirteenth winner of her own career with a typically smart ride of favourite Don’t Worry in race 1. While Lee Shin Young and Lee Ae Li have both made decent careers, Kim looks likely to eclipse both of them and although it is early days, she could very well go on to be the first woman to compete in the highest echelons of racing in Korea.

There were no class 1 races on the peninsula today but a couple of useful three-year olds were in winning form. Colt Gwangya Jeil won race 7 at Seoul to make it two wins from three starts while down at Busan, filly Useung Touch, third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup, got her three-year old campaign off to a winning start in race 2.

The most valuable race of the day was at Seoul as four year old Cheonhajangsa (Tactical Cat) saw off the rest of a fourteen-strong field by half a length to seal victory in a class 2, 1800 metre handicap. In Busan’s feature, five year old mare Real Winner (Red Sky’s) came through late to score her second consecutive class 2 victory. She’ll be mixing it with the elite next time out.

So ends a weekend which wasn’t really fit for racing. The track staff did a great job in ensuring that there wasn’t even the slightest chance of racing having to be called off. The horses, as they always do, took everything in their stride and gave their all. A word too for punters as although the queues at the betting windows were slightly shorter than on a normal Sunday, 35,000 still turned out.

As for the jockeys, who even on the best of days need to have an ambulance following them around such is the routine danger of their profession, all deserve the highest praise. And for Park Jong Hyun, who returned to the winner’s circle as nonchalantly as one would expect of someone having just won on a 1/5 shot, on this coldest of days, the warmest of congratulations.

Holy Dreamer Beats Top Point, Ophelia, Double Light Win

If, as is highly probable, over the coming months I write an article bemoaning proposals to give racing at Seoul a winter break once the new racecourse at Yeongcheon opens in 2015, I would be very grateful if somebody could remind me of today. With temperatures far below zero and a wicked wind whipping down the home straight, today was no day for racing. But race they did and as ever, put on a good show for the 30,000 punters in attendance.

The feature race ended in a commanding win for third-favourite Holy Dreamer. The five-year old made the most of a four kilo weight advantage to run-down and overtake the favourite, the venerable seven year old mare Top Point, in the final furlong. It makes it two in a row for Holy Dreamer and a total of ten wins from eighteen career starts.

Earlier in the card, we saw the third big payout in as many racing days as 150/1 shot Hamseong Jilju led home 20/1 New Edition to land a 3800/1 exacta for some lucky punters. Hamseong Jilju was the second of three winners for jockey Lee Gi Hweoi who, in the last, partnered the highly thought of US import Mass Media’s Tea (Mass Media) to his third win in four starts. It was easy for Mass Media’s Tea, who was eased to a four length victory. Behind him, rank outsiders Cheolgamyeon and Jangson filled out a 5000/1 trio.

As an imported horse, Mass Media’s Tea won’t be eligible for this season’s three year old Classics. However, two horses who will be, put in solid performances. Double Light (Menifee) cruised to victory in race 8 over 1700 metres – only 100 metres short of the Derby distance. A little but behind Double Light in terms of development but still impressive is the grey Ophelia who won race 7. Despite the name, Ophelia (Commendable) is a colt and now has two wins and two seconds from four starts.

Many congratulations must go to the track-staff who ensured that despite the conditions – where the highest temperature all day was -10C, there was never any question of the meeting being called off. At the same time, massive admiration must go to those jockeys and horses who were out on the track.

We’re back racing at Seoul tomorrow when it’s going to be a little – but not much – warmer. There are 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00 while down at Busan there are 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30.

Ace Galloper sent out an ominous warning to his rivals in the older horse division as he strolled to a four-length win at Ice Station Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

In bitterly cold conditions, the four-year old led from gate-to-wire in the feature handicap to notch up his third consecutive win and his tenth in total from fifteen starts. Khanui Huye was second and Janggun Bada third but they might as well have been running in their own race such was Ace Galloper’s dominance of the ten furlong event. Being one of those born in Korea but conceived elsewhere, Ace Galloper couldn’t take part in the three-year old classics in 2010. Indeed even as a four-year old he may find his Stakes options limited but it is clear that Ace Galloper is going to be the horse to beat in the in the big Sunday afternoon handicaps this year.

Ace Galloper was ridden by champion jockey Cho Kyoung Ho but even with big rival Moon Se Young indisposed having picked up an injury during yesterday’s Herald Business, things didn’t go entirely his way as Jung Ki Yong took jockey of the day honours with a quick-fire treble in mid-afternoon.

First up for Jung was a five-length win on Yeongtap in race 6, quickly followed by a much tighter victory on New Bird in race 7. Then in race 8, Jung and 5/1 shot Namchonuichukje upset Cho on favourite Legal Lady to complete his treble.

Jung had the chance of a fourth in race 9, however, despite setting the early pace on Blooming, he – along with all the other fancied runners – fell away in the home straight to leave the way clear for a 130/1 outsider, the Japanese bred Burning Sky (Stravinsky) to take an unlikely victory. To rub salt in the wounds of all but a very few lucky punters, 50/1 Sky Center and Kim Hae Sun got up to claim second to complete a 5400/1 exacta. Gyongmaman did not win it. If he had, he would not be bothering to type this now.

The key characteristic of Seoul today was that it was cold. Very cold. The warmest it got all day was four degrees below zero while six below was the average. By comparison it was positively t-shirt and shorts weather down at Busan where they manages a princely three degrees above for their six-race card which included co-features. In the first of them, Japanese jockey Yoshi Aoki got his first big race win of the year as he partnered last year’s Derby third Triple Sinhwa to a smart win. Although he picked up a ban in the process, Aoki will still look on it as a good day’s work. In the finale, favourite Nuri Choegang [Awesome Of Course – Jamie Love (Roy)] flashed past Kiwi’s Playboy in the final furlong to take a surprisingly comfortable victory.

Andy’s Runner Wins New Year Stakes / Magic Party, Sun Hero Lose / KJ Khan Finally Wins

Opening day of the 2011 season at Seoul Race Park saw four-year old Andy’s Runner take victory in the feature New Year’s Commemorative Stakes.

Last year, after never finishing worse than fourth in his first eleven races, Andy’s Runner earned himself a shot at the Minister’s Cup, the final Classic of the season. It didn’t go to plan as he found himself outclassed by the year’s elite. No-one outclassed him today though. Sent off the 2/1 favourite, Park Tae Jong brought Andy’s Runner into contention as the fourteen-strong field rounded the home turn and the pair never looked in danger once they hit the front with just over a furlong to go.

Second, a length behind the winner, was Tamnaseontaek with 150/1 outsider Hey Day taking a surprise third. As for the winner, Andy’s Runner it was a fifth win from fourteen starts and for Park Tae Jong, winner of more races than any jockey in Korea, it was yet another big race triumph.

Things didn’t go quite to plan for Park a race later, however, as two of last year’s stand-out two-year olds faced each other for the first time. Park’s mount, the filly Magic Party had won the Gwacheon Citizen’s Cup while colt Sun Hero, had taken home the Breeders’ Cup. Today they both stepped up in distance to run around two turns of the Seoul Racecourse for the first time but were still sent off odds-on to fill the top two places. However, neither of them had any answer to The Almighty, a four-year old who was an also-ran on the Classic trail last year. Magic Party was a well beaten fourth while Sun Hero trailed home in sixth.

We’ll give the pair of them another chance or two before deciding that they’re not going to be able to make the transition to the longer distances required higher level racing, but it wasn’t a good start for either of them. For The Almighty, particularly veteran jockey Kim Gui Bae, it was a great start to 2011.

Finally, there was the big class 1 handicap to sort out. Torpedo Mast was sent off the slight favourite but the grey could only manage third place as K J Khan just got the better of Cheonji Jangsu in a battling finish.

Japanese bred K J Khan [Squirtle Squirt – Bulge (Assatis)] was winning at class 1 for the first time in sixteen attempts – his last win coming in his final outing at class 2 level in January 2009. Today, perseverance paid-off.

Herald Business New Year’s Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – January 8, 2011

1. Andy’s Runner (KOR) [The Groom Is Red – Cheonmachong (Lost Mountain)] – Park Tae Jong – 2.9, 1.4
2. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] – Choi Bum mHyun – 4.5
3. Hey Day (KOR) [Silent Warrior – Dignified Era (Exclusive Era)] – Shin Hyoung Chul – 31.8

Distances: 1 length/1.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Sagunyukjin 5. Anseong Chukje 6. Mr. Rocky 7. Cheongha Eutteum 8. Forest Wind 9. High Point 10. Kanui Byeol 11. Mighty Girl 12. Gayabobae 13. Dansimga 14. Best Holls

Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow with eleven races from 11:20 to 18:00 while down at Busan there are six races from 12:40 to 16:30.