Darryll Holland

Busan Foreign Jocks Help Charity Auction

Ever wanted a pair of Joe Fujii’s goggles? No? Well, you should and now you can. Busan’s foreign jockeys have teamed up with Korean racing magazine “Seoul Gyongma” for their Christmas auction.

Clockwise from top left: Darryll Holland, Joe Fujii, Jerome Lermyte and Masa Tanaka

Clockwise from top left: Darryll Holland, Joe Fujii, Jerome Lermyte and Masa Tanaka

Fujii has donated the saddle he used when riding Gamdonguibada to victory in last year’s Grand Prix Stakes as well as Road To Prince’s saddlecloth.

The other foreign jockeys currently riding at the track; Darryll Holland, Masa Tanaka and Jerome Lermyte all supplied several pairs of signed goggles.

The haul up for auction at Seoul Gyongma includes Gamdonguibada's Grand Prix saddle

The haul up for auction at Seoul Gyongma includes Gamdonguibada’s Grand Prix saddle

Details of the auction will be in this weekend’s editions of “Seoul Gyongma” with all proceeds to charity.

Major King Crowned Minister’s Cup Champion

Major King led from gate-to-wire to land the Minister’s Cup as the 2013 Korean Triple Crown wrapped up at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

He might have fluffy ears, but Major King is now a Classic winner

He might have fluffy ears, but Major King is now a Classic winner

Korean Derby and Oaks winning filly Speedy First was sent off as the short-priced favourite but she was never in the race and faded in the home straight to finish a tailed-off last.

Third in the Derby on this track in May, the grey Major King was a 9/1 chance at the start and was immediately sent into the lead by jockey Jo Sung Gon. When the expected challenges from Speedy First and Derby-second Unhae failed to materialise, it was left to outsider High Five and Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo winner Indie Band to apply the pressure.

They didn’t come close. Instead, Major King kicked on for victory, leading his fellow Busan visitors home by 2-lengths on the line.

Major King is by the late Brazilian sire Pico Central, who died earlier this year. The victory is his 6th from 10 career starts to date. For trainer Kim Sang Seok, it was a 3rd Classic winner, having won both the Korean Derby and Oaks in 2008 with Ebony Storm and Jeolho Chance respectively. For jockey Jo Sung Gon, Busan’s current champion, it was a 4th Classic and his 2nd in this race, having previously won it in on Sangseung Ilro in 2009.

As for the favourite, Speedy First returned with no obvious sign of injury, although fellow disappointment Unhae was found to be lame.

So, after Jigeum I Sungan upset the order of things by winning two Classics for Seoul last year, normal service has been resumed this with Busan horses winning all 4 Classics. When the two tracks collide again in the Gyeongnam Governor’s and President’s Cups over the next few weeks, it seems unlikely that this will change.

Minister’s Cup (KOR G2) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – October 6, 2013

1. Major King (KOR) [Pico Central – Still Golden (Gold Fever)] – Jo Sung Gon – 9.1. 2.4
2. High Five (KOR) [Creek Cat – Nam’s Gulch (Gulch)] – Choi Si Dae – 5.5
3. Indie Band (KOR) [Ecton Park – Plie (Dixieland Band)] – Lim Sung Sil – 1.5

Distances: 2 lengths/0.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. K Tap 5. Brig 6. Geumbin Mannam 7. Sting Ray 8. Last Mudae 9. Best Captain 10. Unhae 11. Rising Joy 12. Speedy First

* There was no fairy-tale return to the track today for Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones). The 4-year-old, returning to racing for the first time since successful treatment for tendinitis which had kept him sidelined for 15 months, could only manage 6th in the class 1 race 13.

The event was won by the improving Watts Village (Forestry), who was 2nd in the Korea vs Japan race last month and who will travel to Tokyo for the return leg next month. The old Smarty Moonhak would have made short work of the likes of Watts Village but, while he was 5-lengths behind the winner, he was just 2 lengths adrift of 2nd and the run showed some promise.

* Down at Busan, Darryll Holland was the star of the show for the 2nd time this week. The British jockey notched up 4 winners on Thursday and added another 2 during the short 4-race card this afternoon. His haul included the feature race, where he partnered Peter Wolsley’s Perfect Jilju (Paradise Creek) to a very comfortable victory.

Brazilian Jockey Fausto Pinto Durso Set For Seoul

Fausto Durso, who rode at the International Jockey Challenge in Seoul last month, is set to return to Korea for an extended stay after being granted a short-term license at Seoul Race Park.

Back To Seoul: Fausto Durso

Back To Seoul: Fausto Durso

The 39-year-old has spent the last few years racing mostly in Macau and was representing the Macau Jockey Club on his previous visit, during which he won the feature race of the event, the YTN Cup.

A Sao Paolo native, who racked-up over 700 wins in Brazil before coming to Asia, Durso has ridden more than 600 winners in Macau and has won the Macau Derby. He has also ridden in Dubai and Malaysia.

He he is winning the YTN Cup on Choichoro, reeling in Noel Callow on Dongseo Daeryuk:

The move is one of an increasing number of interactions between Korean and Macau. Seoul’s champion jockey Moon Se Young spent 3 months riding there earlier this year and Busan champion Jo Sung Gon is set to go soon. Additionally, Korean trainer Seo Beom Seok (also known as Kenny Seo) has set up a stable in Macau with 12 horses which he runs alongside his one at Seoul.

In other foreign jockey news, Japanese rider Ikuyasu Kurakane has been granted a 6-month extension to his license beginning October 1. Down at Busan, Britain’s Darryll Holland has also been offered an extension. Meanwhile, Joe Fujii, winner of the Grand Prix Stakes, Korean Derby and Korean Oaks during his time in Korea so far, is in the process of applying to the JRA in his native Japan.

Darryll Holland & 200-Up Peter Wolsley Win Gold Circle Trophy With My Winner

British jockey Darryll Holland and Australian trainer Peter Wolsley combined to reach personal milestones as My Winner emphatically won the Gold Circle Turf Club Trophy at Busan Race Park this evening.

First Korean Stakes Win: Darryll Holland

First Korean Stakes Win: Darryll Holland

For Holland it was a first Korean Stakes win. For Wolsley it was a second, but more significantly, it marked his 200th training winner in Korea.

A 4-year-old gelding, My Winner started as the favourite and under a calm ride from Holland, steadily made ground around the home turn before cruising away from the field in the final furlong and a half to record a 6-length winning margin.

Since arriving in Korea in March, Darryll Holland has been everything that the KRA’s overseas jockey program intended. Although today’s win was just his 18th overall, he has a 28% quinella strike rate achieved while riding in a manner that the local jockeys would do well to emulate. Active on social media, Holland has also helped bring Korean racing to a wider audience.

As for Peter Wolsley, his story has been told before – and you can bet your bottom Korean Won that this website is going to tell it again – but it gets no less impressive.

Wolsley is a master of preparing and entering his horses so as to get the best out of them. He does his work in the mornings and at the computer and is rarely to be seen at the track on racedays among the other trainers who mostly wish he would simply go away and leave them to their old ways.

Peter Wolsley

Peter Wolsley

As the first foreign trainer to receive a license in Korea, he was arguably set up to fail but through talent and hard work, Peter Wolsley has become the second most sought-after trainer at Busan.

It can only be viewed as a compliment that it isn’t unknown for those owners who want their average horses to join the barn of (Busan’s top trainer) Kim Young Kwan, to send them to Wolsley to get them good enough for Kim to accept.

He is currently 2nd in the 2013 Busan Trainer Championship (Kim has already won it) and lies in 12th place in the track’s all-time list. It’s an achievement unthinkable in the days after he first arrived in Korea and was given the “breakdown barn”. Also remarkable is the fact that Busan’s best Korean jockey Jo Sung Gon, is now his retained rider.

Jo, a talented rider who needs to expand his horizons beyond the confines of Busan, is bound for foreign shores soon.

And who could possibly be better to replace him than a 41-year-old former British Champion Apprentice from Manchester?

Gold Circle Turf Club Trophy – Busan Race Park – 1400M – September 8, 2013

1. My Winner (KOR) [Vicar – Bridlingbride (Unbridled’s Song)] – Darryll Holland – 2.7, 1.3
2. High Five (KOR) [Creek Cat – Nams Gulch (Gulch)] – Choi Si Dae – 2.8
3. Segye Cheogo (KOR) [Ecton Park – Rising (Is It True)] – Kim Dong Young – 3.8

Distances: 6 lengths/1.75 lengths – 10 ran
Winning Trainer: Peter Wolsley

Korean Oaks 2013 Full Race Preview: Derby Winner Speedy First Heads Field

Korean Derby winner Speedy First heads a field of fourteen in the Korean Oaks at Busan Race Park this Sunday.

Oaks Favourite: Derby winner Speedy First

Oaks Favourite: Derby winner Speedy First

She will be looking to go one better than the last filly to win the Derby, Sangseung Ilro, who was just beaten on the line as she attempted to complete the double in 2009.

Four fillies will travel down from Seoul and despite the absence of Joy Lucky, the track’s best performing filly, it looks like there are two credible challengers among them in the shape of Cheonnyeon Dongan and Dewma.

Joe Fujii gets the ride on Speedy First while Darryll Holland will be on the dark-horse of the field Raon Bally. If Fujii wins the race, even though he hasn’t matched Toshio Uchida’s total number of race wins, he will surely go down as the most successful foreign jockey in Korea ever.

The Korean Oaks is race 2 of a 6-race “twilight card” at Busan.

Here’s a full list of runners and riders with pedigrees and race records (Starts/1/st/2nd/3rd):

Korean Oaks (KOR GII) – Busan Race Park – 1800M – Aug 28, 2013 – 17:35

1. Yuseung Hero (KOR) [Vicar – Angel Party (Elusive Quality)] (9/1/3/2) – Lee Hee Cheon
Landed her only win to date over 1500 metres last time out although the company was nothing special and there’s little suggest she’ll find the necessary improvement here.

2. Miss Quick (KOR) [Menifee – Regal Heir (Regal Intention)] (12/4/1/0) – Kim Dong Young
She has two 4th places over this distance at Class 2 level which suggests that she is talented but that despite her name, she tends to always find a couple quicker than her. That will probably be the same here although she has a faster time over the distance than Speedy First.

3. Wind Leto (KOR) [Vicar – Kongnoja (Mr. Adorable)] (7/3/0/1) – Song Keong Yun
A Class 3 winner last time out and has never finished worse than 4th. Distance is a concern but she’s by no means alone in that regard.

4. Sand Quick (KOR) [Ft.Stockton – Ascend The Throne (SIlver Charm)] (7/4/1/0) – Lim Sung Sil
Impressive record but her wins have come at 6 furlongs and she found things tough over a mile last time out.

5. Raon Bally (KOR) [Pico Central – Thunder By Night (Thunder Gulch)] (4/2/1/0) – Darryll Holland
Very much a dark horse here, Raon Bally hasn’t run for 6 months and only race-trialed to qualify here last weekend. Before her lay-off, she was tipped to be quite a talent and with Darryll Holland on board, could be very interesting.

6. Hurricane Jump (KOR) [Commendable – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] (7/3/1/0) – Ham Wan Sik (Seoul)
Was well beaten by fellow Seoul entrants Dewma and Cheonnyeon Dongan in the Sports Seoul Cup over the same distance and despite bouncing back with a win on her return, will have to improve a lot more to overcome that form. She is a half-sister to 2011 Oaks winner Useung Touch.

7. Meru Shine (KOR) [Perfect Vision II – Telequential (Kuetch)] (12/0/2/0) – Lee Ah Na (Seoul)
Took her eleven races to graduate from class 6. She’s not stopping anything else from running so there’s no problem with her being here, but she’ll not be in contention.

8. Speedy First (KOR) [Menifee – Speedy Deedy (Victory Gallop)] – (7/5/0/1) – Kanichiro Fujii
The Korean Derby winner and the obvious favourite. In her only appearance since the Derby, she was interfered with just after the start and unseated her jockey. There will be many who believe that’s the only way she’ll lose here. However, they said the same about Sangseung Ilro, who was pipped on the line in 2009. Nevertheless, a worthy favourite and very hard to beat.

9. Cheonnyeon Dongan (KOR) [Ecton Park – Honeycakes (Hennesey)] (8/4/2/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
One of few fillies in the race with a proven record over 1800 metres. Cho Kyoung Ho coming down to ride her is a big point in her favour too as Cho is not the kind of man to travel to Busan for the nightlife. A contender.

10. Lady Medal (KOR) [Volponi – Lady Ell (Flying Spur)] (14/2/0/1) – Seol Dong Bok
An unexpected entrant and an outsider having only managed 3rd place at class 4 last time. Hasn’t impressed when asked to go around two turns

11. Miracle Wonder (KOR) [Menifee – Jeongbowang (Concept Win)] (8/4/2/0) – Jo Sung Gon
No ride of Jo Sung Gon’s in a big Stakes race can ever be discounted and this one is no exception. She was a well-beaten 5th behind the very promising colt Magic Dancer last time, but has every chance of competing for at least a place here.

12. Winning Streak (KOR) [Menifee – Black Shadow (Psychobabble)] (9/2/0/2) – Chae Gyu Jun
Her name might be Winning Steak but she’s certainly not on one as she’s not won since March. She won’t win this either.

13. Land Angel (KOR) [Forest Camp – Sheer Abandon (Peintre Celebre)] (9/2/1/2) – You Hyun Myung
Has a win over 1500 metres but that was at class 4 and she’s shown little to suggest that she will be able to compete with some her of her rivals here.

14. Dewma (KOR) [Forest Camp – Wild Cat Strike (Wild Again (8/3/3/1) – Oh Kyoung Hoan (Seoul)
A chance. Second only to Joy Lucky in her last three starts (a filly who would have rivalled Speedy First for favourite had she been entered here) albeit by substantial margins. Korea’s first female trainer Lee Shin Young has a fighting chance of saddling an Oaks winner.

Japan’s Kurakane Riding High Again At Seoul

They say you should never go back, but Ikuyasu Kurakane’s second stint at Seoul Racecourse is shaping up to be just as good – and maybe even better – than his first.

Ikuyasu Kurakane is into his second successful stint at Seoul Race Park

Ikuyasu Kurakane is into his second successful stint at Seoul Race Park

Japanese jockey Kurakane first rode at Seoul in 2007 and spent nearly 18 months in Korea, riding both in the capital and at Busan, scoring 106 winners in all.

He returned at the beginning of April this year and has quickly become the hardest working man at the track, riding in 188 races since – no mean feat when there are only 2 race meetings a week.

The horses he’s been riding haven’t necessarily been the best and it is rare for Kurakane to get on a favourite, however, this past weekend the 38-year-old partnered 5 different horses to victory. It takes him up to 22 since his return and puts him in 8th place in the 2013 jockeys’ championship.

Shortly before returning to Korea, Kurakane rode his 1500th winner in Japan. Prize-money and lifestyle in Korea is such though that there is plenty of competition among Japanese jockeys to ride here and many apply to return after they leave.

It does take a certain kind of jockey to succeed in what is a harsh weighing room environment for foreign jockeys and the workaholic Kurakane, who rides a full lot of trackwork every morning and never turns down a mount, fits it exactly.

In the winner's circle: Ikuyasu has been in it more times than any other foreign rider at Seoul

In the winner’s circle: Ikuyasu has been in it more times than any other foreign rider at Seoul

While Japanese jockeys find things much easier than western riders, there have still been as many who haven’t been a success than have. At semi-foreigner friendly Busan, Toshio Uchida and Joe Fujii have, a couple of years apart, both become the track’s top rider. At Seoul, Ikuyasu has been the only one to break through to the top-tier of jockeys.

Currently there are 5 foreign jockeys licensed in Korea. Britain’s Darryll Holland – with 9 wins to his name so far – is the only non-Japanese. Another Japanese rider will start at Busan this month.

Meanwhile in foreign training terms, there really is only one Peter Wolsley. The remarkable Australian is closing in on 200 Korean winners and made it 190 on Sunday afternoon when Cheongchun Bulpae (Milwaukee Brew) took the first of Busan’s co-feature races.

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.

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

Korean Derby 2013: The Runners And Riders

It’s a massive weekend of racing at Seoul. The JRA Trophy gets things underway on Saturday afternoon and then on Sunday, it’s the big one.

Sting Ray and Kim Dong Young win the KRA Cup Mile - They are the Derby faovurites (KRA)

Sting Ray and Kim Dong Young win the KRA Cup Mile – They are the Derby faovurites (KRA)

A full field of 16 will line up for the Korean Derby. They are headed by KRA Cup Mile winner Sting Ray, who travels up to the capital looking to win the second-leg of the 2013 Triple Crown.

Three foreign jockeys have rides. Yukio Abe doesn’t look to have much chance on Last Mudae but Joe Fujii on Speedy First and Darryll Holland on Fantastic Jazz both look to have claims. Meanwhile, Australian trainer Peter Wolsley seeks to win his first Korean Classic race with Amell’s Atom.

With more wins behind them as a group than any previous Korean Derby, it is set to be a very interesting race. K-Pop girl group Sistar will be on hand to provide pre-race entertainment.

Saturday May 18
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:45 including the JRA Trophy at 16:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday May 19
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00 including the Korean Derby at 16:35
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:05

Here’s the full list of runners and riders with pedigrees, race records and trainer:

Korean Derby (KOR G1) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 19, 2013 – 16:35

1. Awesome Tiger [Exploit – Variety Lady (Variety Road)] (7/4/1/0) Lee Shin Young – Cho Kyoung Ho
Promising colt who won at class 3 over the distance last time out although will need to find more improvement still here. One of a pair of runners giving Korea’s first female trainer Lee Shin Young her first Derby entrants.

2. Joy Lucky [Vicar – Proper Gun (Prosper Fager)] (3/3/0/0) – Park Yoon Gyu – Seo Seung Un
Only debuting in February, there is still something of an unknown quantity about her, however, everything she’s been asked to do she has done very well including a win over the distance at class 4 last start.

3. Sting Ray [Forest Camp – Straight Cash (Straight Man)] (9/4/4/1) – Kim Jae Sub – Kim Dong Young
The KRA Cup Mile winner and therefore the likely favourite especially as the increased distance will also be in his favour – he’s already won over 1900 metres. If he runs anything like his best, he will be very difficult to beat.

4. Yapung [Menifee – Wild Life (Wild Again)] (10/3/2/1) – Kim Sang Suk – Chae Gyu Jun
Last year’s champion Juvenile has shown little this term. He was heavily beaten in the Cup Mile and there is little to recommend him here.

5. Suseong BR [Volponi – Storm Cat’s Kitten (Irish River)] (8/3/2/1) – Park Jong Kon – Shin Hyoung Chul
A well-beaten 3rd behind Brig last time out and it’s hard to suggest backing him to reverse that. Has consistently placed but in weaker company.

6. Heungnyong Bisang [Ft.Stockton – Miss Alwahush (Alwahush)] (11/4/1/1) – Kim Jeom Oh – Jo In Kwen
Over the winter he was one of the Derby favourites but while he began the year with a class 4 win over the distance, he form has dipped culminating in a poor run in the Cup Mile. Will need a lot of improvement if he is to compete here.

7. Brig [Menifee – Delicias (Deputy Minister)] (8/5/1/0) An Byung Ki – Moon Se Young
The mount of last year’s winning jockey Moon Se Young skipped the Cup Mile and comes into the race with back to back class 3 wins over the distance to his name. He won’t be favourite but he has a chance.

8. Unhae [Ingrandire – Silver Meteor (Creator)] (7/3/1/2) Park Byoung Il – Lee Sang Hyeok
Another who comes into the race after consecutive wins at 1800 metres albeit at a slightly lower lever. A place may be the most realistic hope.

9. High Five [Creek Cat – Nams Gulch (Gulch) (10/4/1/1) Oh Moon Sik – Choi Si Dae
Has won at Busan over 1800 metres in a fast time. Stepped up to class 2 last time and was finished a creditable, if uninspring, 3rd. Not one of the favourites but could cause some problems.

10. Titan [Creek Cat – Shar Baby (Talinum)] (8/3/3/2) Lee Shin Young – Ham Wan Sik
One of few in the field to have made it up to class 2, Lee Shin Young’s second runner is a half-brother of last year’s Derby runner-up Nobel Pokpung. He hasn’t actually won at higher than class 4. Always there or thereabouts, he usually finds one or two just a little bit quicker and that will probably be the case here too.

11. K Tap [Menifee – Summit Party (Ecton Park)] (6/4/1/1) Bae Sae Sun – Park Tae Jong
Like favourite Sting Ray, K Tap’s dam also won the JRA Trophy. K Tap himself hasn’t yet run as a 3-year old, his last appearance being his 2nd place in the Breeders’ Cup last November. Prior to the he won the Gwacheon Mayor’s Stakes. He was very talented as a 2-year-old but it is difficult to back him after such a long lay-off when there are so many capable opponents.

12. Major King [Pico Central – Still Golden (Gold Fever)] (6/4/1/1) Kim Sang Suk – You Hyun Myung
He was 3rd over the distance in a class 2 race last time ending a run of 4 consecutive wins. A real talent, he has a strong chance to give his sire Pico Central a Derby win in the year of his untimely death.

13. Speedy First [Menifee – Speedy Deedy (Victory Gallop)] (5/4/0/1) Kim Young Kwan – Kanichiro Fujii
Cracking little filly who has won her last 4 starts. Untested at distances greater than 1500 metres, the Oaks in August may be a more realistic target, however, while a win may be asking too much, she shouldn’t be discounted.

14. Last Mudae [The Groom Is Red – White Aloa (White Muzzle)] (13/1/4/1) Ji Yong Cheol – Yukio Abe
Still at class 4 after 13 starts, there seems little to suggest that he is going to rectify that here.

15. Amell’s Atom [Menifee – Amell (Boston Harbor)] (10/4/3/0) Peter Wolsley – Jo Sung Gon
4th in the KRA Cup Mile, he dead-heated for victory in his last start. A talented horse, he has an outside chance of giving Aussie Peter Wolsley his first Derby winner. Champion jockey Jo Sung Gon gives up a weekend of rides at Busan to partner him, which is a good sign.

16. Fantastic Jazz [Menifee – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] (7/4/0/3) Kim Young Kwan – Darryll Holland
3rd in the KRA Cup Mile, the half-brother of 2008 Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm has since been moved from Peter Wolsley’s stable to that of Kim Young Kwan. Hasn’t won at further than 1300 metres but looks to have a lot more to give. Darryll Holland, who was second on Raon Boss in the KRA Cup Mile, gets his 1st Korean Derby ride.

Four-Timer For Form Man Fujii at Busan

Joe Fujii was on top form at Busan this afternoon, taking 4 winners on a day when the entire on-track foreign contingent scored victories.

Four-timer : Joe Fujii

Four-timer : Joe Fujii

Fujii’s winners came in race 4 on Sinheung Gangpung (Yankee Victor) followed by race 6 on First Touch (Volponi).

He completed his treble in race 7 on Miss Quick (Menifee) and wrapped things up with his fourth in race 9 on Yeonseung Gangho (Simon Pure).

It was the Japanese rider’s biggest one-day haul since arriving in Busan in May last year and takes him to 54 winners in all. 24 of these have come in 2013 and he now lies in 3rd in the Jockey Championship.

Fujii’s stint in Korea has been so far – controversial 9-day ban for a slow start aside – a great success including winning the nation’s most prestigious race, the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul last December.

He studied Korean racing in detail before arriving on the peninsula and his committed approach continues to win admirers. Just the previous evening, Briton Darryll Holland, who began riding at Busan in March had been praising the 30 year-old Fujii through Twitter:

Holland himself was in the winner’s circle today although not necessarily in the manner he would have liked, dead-heating in the feature race on hot favourite Amell’s Atom (Menifee) with 2nd favourite Sand World (Star Dabbler). Amell’s Atom gave Peter Wolsley his 3rd success of the day, following up wins in race 1 with Strong Rain (Turbulent Storm) and race 8 with Heukdancer (Vicar).

To complete a good day for the foreigners on the south coast, Fujii’s countryman Ureshi Katsunori also grabbed a winner, taking race 3 on Plein Soleil (Exploit).