Seoul

Seungniuihamseong Steals The Governor’s Cup

13/1 chance Seungniuihamseong produced a fine late run to win the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup, one of the top races of the autumn for Korean bred fillies and mares, at Seoul Race Park yesterday.

The four-year old overcame leader Golden Rose in the final strides to take the prize with odds-on favourite Cheonun only managing third.

Gyeonggi Governor’s Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 2000M (fillies & mares only – October 7, 2012

1. Seungniuihamseong (KOR) [VIcar – Hug And Kiss (Commander In Chief)]- Cho Kyoung Ho – 13.0, 2.6
2. Golden Rose (KOR) [Buster’s Daydream – Pop’s Apple (Digangi’s Grinder)] – Ham Wan Sik – 3.1
3. Cheonun (KOR) [Ft. Stockton – Restless Patricia (Born Restless)] – Jang Chu Yeol – 1.1
Distances: 0.5 lengths/1.75 lengths – 10 ran

Long Shot Yeouiju Takes Donga Ilbo Stakes

Sydney Jewelry on target again / Schlechter and Fujii score at Busan

20/1 outsider Yeouiju upset the favourites to take a narrow victory in the 16th edition of the Donga Ilbo Stakes at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Yeouiju and Oh Kyoung Hoan in the Donga Ilbo Winner’s Circle

The four-year old filly got the best of a tight finish to claim the prize ahead of fellow unfancied runners Chowon Yeoje and Cheondungbeonjjeok in the nine-furlong all filly and mare Stakes race.

Yeouiju now has four wins from eighteen career starts while it was a fifth Stakes victory for trainer Woo Chang Gu and a ninth for jockey Oh Kyoung Hoan who won this race last year riding Sen Girl.

Donga Ilbo Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – September 23, 2012

1. Yeouiji (KOR) [Revere – Chayu Mankkik (Pro For Sure)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 21.6, 4.4
2. Chowon Yeoje (KOR) [Forest Camp – Navigation (Big Sur)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 3.3
3. Cheondungbeonjjeok (KOR) [Capital Spending – Whosis (Trempolino)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 4.3

Distances: 0.5 lengths/Nose – 14 ran

In other races at Seoul, there was another impressive win for young Aussie import Sydney Jewlery (Lion Heart-Rivendelle. The three-year old landed his fifth victory in eight career starts by taking out the 1900 metre race 10 in style.

Hitting the front on the home turn, Sydney Jewelry stretched away for a six length win in the class 2 handicap to confirm his position as one of the most exciting imports of the year.

It may be slightly too late for him to make the big end of season races – although he will surely be on the ballot paper for the season ending Grand Prix Stakes (in which the runners have to be voted in by the punting public) but if he stays sound, next year he surely will be.

Down at Busan, US four-year old Viva Ace (Macho Uno-Dancing Lake) led from gate to wire to win the feature race while earlier in the card there were wins for jockeys Gerrit Schlechter and Joe Fujii.

South African Schlechter won race 1 on debut making filly Fine Gongju (Tiz Wonderful) while Japanese rider Fujii was on target in race 3 on Marina’s Boy (Ecton Park) which, owned by Isidore Farm and trained by Peter Wolsley, was pretty much a 100% foreign winner.

Racing in Korea takes a break next weekend for the Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) holiday and returns on October 5.

Tongjesa, Alpha Myeongjang Step Up

Three-Year Olds On Form

Judgement is being well and truly reserved over this year’s crop of three-year olds. Gyeongbudaero won the KRA Cup Mile in April but did little else before finishing second to Dangdae Bulpae in last week’s Owners’ Cup. Likewise Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan came back into form last week for the first time since his Classic victory.

As for the rest, there’s not been much to cheer so far. However, today two colts who have been kept off the Classic trail were in fine form at Seoul and Busan respectively. Tongjesa scored a convincing win in the Ilgan Sports Stakes in the capital, while down on the South Coast, Alpha Myeongjang was similarly convincing in seeing off a class 1 field.

Tongjesa (Creek Cat) was sent off as the even-money favourite for the Ilgan Sports, which was run over the Derby distance of 1800 metres. Under Oh Kyoung Hoan he was kept close to the lead throughout and took control with two furlongs to go, crossing the line with plenty in hand of fast finishing Yaho Pilseung (Exploit) in second.

With six wins from nine Korea starts and, more relevantly, five consecutively now, Tongjesa must be considered for the Minister’s Cup. the final leg of the Triple Crown, in a month’s time.

Ilgan Sports Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – September 16, 2012

1. Tongjesa (KOR) [Creek Cat – Namdoui Gangja (Greenwood Lake)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 2.1, 1.2
2. Yaho Pilseung (KOR) [Exploit – Pilseung Gangja (Adjudicating)] – Lee Sang Hyeok – 2.3
3. Jeumeundeungi (KOR) [War Zone – Taraxacum (Meadowlake)] – Won Jung Il – 5.2
Distances: 2 lengths/5 lengths – 12 ran

It’s unlikely that Alpha Myeongjang (Pico Central) will be joining him in the capital next month, however, as for now he looks like a sprinter. A very good one too. Today he went 1400 metres and looked very comfortable in putting four lengths into a class 1 field.

It was another big feature race win for Gerrit Schlechter, following his Gold Circle Trophy victory on Fine Fine last week. The South African jockey has picked up where he left off following his immigration department-enforced break last month and is the man to beat at Busan at the moment.

One man who can beat him is Joe Fujii. The Japanese jockey with the Australian accent was on target twice today to add to his winner on Friday.

Dangdae Bulpae Owns Busan

Easy win for Dangdae Bulpae in Owners’ Cup / Gerrit Schlechter wins Gold Circle Trophy in Fine Fine / Jigeum I Sungan takes victory in Seoul / Game On Dude’s half-brother debuts

It was one of very few Stakes races he was eligible for that he hadn’t won but today, Dangdae Bulpae added the Busan Owners’ Cup to his massively impressive resume in almost contemptuous fashion at a rainswept Busan Race Park.

Sent off as the overwhelming favourite in the 12-strong field, the two-time President’s Cup champion was taken straight to the front by jockey Jo Sung Gon and the pair never looked like giving up that position, Jo easing Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) to a 2 length victory on the line.

Behind them, KRA Cup Mile winner Gyeongbudaero (Menifee) got the best of a competitive battle for second place, just edging out Powerful Korea (Distilled).

Dangdae Bulpae moves on to 17 wins from 26 starts and with today’s victory he becomes the first Korean horse to win more than US $2Million in prize-money and has won a record-breaking 8 Korean Stakes races. His next target looks set to be an attempt on a third consecutive President’s Cup at Seoul in November, after which connections will have to decide whether to pit him against Tough Win in the Grand Prix Stakes.

Busan Owners’ Cup (KOR.G3) – Busan Race Park – 2000M – September 9, 2012

1. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] – Jo Sung Gon 1.2, 1.0
2. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) [Menifee Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – Narazaki Kosuke – 1.5
3. Powerful Korea (KOR) [Distilled – Bound To Score (Quick Score)] – You Hyun Myung – 4.5
Distances: 2.5 lengths/0.5 lengths – 12 ran

Dangdae Bulpae isn’t the only one with an impressive record in big races. Before today, two of Gerrit Schlechter’s 30 Korean winners had come in Stakes races – the KNN Cup and Geyongnam Governor’s Trophy. Today the South African jockey added a third, appropriately enough in the Gold Circle Trophy, a race sponsored by South Africa’s Gold Circle Turf Club.

Schlechter guided second favourite Fine Fine (Forest Camp) to an extremely comfortable 7 length victory in the 1400 metre race.

Longest shot on the board Pull Queen (Giacomo) was second while pre-race favourite Myeongun Jewang (Forest Camp), who fetched the highest bid at last year’s Jeju Sales, was third. Fine Fine now has 6 wins from his 13 starts and looks set to be in class 1 company next time.

Gold Circle Trophy – Busan Race Park – 1400M – September 9, 2012

1. Fine Fine (KOR) [Forest Camp – Dream Fantasy (Manlove)] – Gerrit Schlechter – 3.4, 1.4
2. Pull Queen (KOR) [Giacomo – Gold Buzz (Touch Gold)] – Jo Chan Hoon – 11.1
3. Myeongun Jewang (KOR) [Forest Camp – Fully Approved (With Approval)] – 1.3
Distances: 7 lengths/0.75 lengths – 9 ran

Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan back in the winner’s circle at Seoul

It may have been a dreadful day weather-wise at Busan but up in the capital Seoul, it was quite beautiful. In the feature race, Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since his victory in the Korean Derby in May.

The colt was far too quick for his rivals in his first attempt among older class 1 company and stretched away for a 4 length victory.

Jigeum I Sungan will now be prepared for the final leg of the 2012 Triple Crown, the Minister’s Cup at Seoul next month, when he will likely meet Gyeongbudaero, who ran second to Dangdae Bulpae today, as well as Oaks winner Rising Glory.

*There was a notable debut at Busan today. Two year old gelding My Key (Macho Uno) is a half-brother of American champion Game On Dude. He is one of two foals to be delivered by their dam Worldly Pleasure during her time at Nokwon Farm on Jeju Island before she was sold to Japan’s Shadai Operation just prior to Game On Dude’s second place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year.

My Key’s debut today was low-key. He finished was 5th of 12 over 5 furlongs in the opening race at Busan

Weekend Preview – Busan Owners’ Cup

Dangdae Bulpae at Busan, Jigeum I Sungan at Seoul while Game On Dude’s little brother debuts

It’s a big weekend on the south coast as Metropolitan City Stakes winner Dangdae Bulpae heads the field for a competitive renewal of the Busan Owners’ Cup.

Dangdae Bulpae will most likely be back in the winners’ circle this Sunday

Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) is a two-time President’s Cup winner and beat both Smarty Moonhak and Tough Win to claim the Metropolitan in July. He should be a strong favourite to take his sixth Stakes win but that doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily have it all his own way.

KRA Cup Mile winner Gyeongbudaero (Menifee), who was third in the Korean Derby, takes his chance as does another three-year old with a good set of wins to his name, Himchan Jilju (Kwaedo Nanma). The evergreen Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) is there while Peter Wolsley’s tough Khaosan (Sunday Well), winner of this race last year after the disgqualification of Cheonnyeondaero, is always due respect.

The big race is off at 15:50 on Sunday afternoon and is immediately followed by another Stakes race, the Gold Circle Trophy.

Up at Seoul, Korean Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) heads Sunday’s feature race in what will be only his second start since claiming the Classic in May. He was second in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup in July and is the only three-year old in a ten furlong test.

Back at Busan, there is a notable debut on Sunday as two-year old gelding My Key (Macho Uno-Worldly Pleasure), a half-brother of US Champion Game On Dude, makes his racecourse debut over five furlongs in race 1.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday September 7

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 12:50 to 19:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 14:30 to 18:35

Saturday September 8

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:15

Sunday September 9

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45

Weekend Preview: Tough Win Returns

Grand Prix Champion Back at Seoul

In December last year, Tough Win crossed the finishing line of the Grand Prix Stakes just ahead of the previous year’s winner Mister Park and the two-year old phenom, Smarty Moonhak.

Tough Win – back at Seoul

Racing fans looked forward to a year when “The Troika” would do battle against each other for the biggest prizes the peninsula has to offer.

Fast forward eight months and Tough Win is the only one left. Mister Park lost his life after a race in June and then less tragically last month, Smarty Moonhak was diagnosed with tendinitis following his defeat in the Busan Metropolitan Stakes.

Tough Win has not been without his problems though,. Suffering a bleeding attach in June, he was a long way of his best as he ran fourth in that same Busan Metropolitan but this Sunday, he’s back on home sand in the feature event at Seoul Race Park.

If he’s at anywhere near his best, he will win although the ever dangerous Jumong is likely to give him a good race while it will be very interesting to see what young US import Haedongcheorwang (West Acre), with 6 wins from his 8 starts including 2 at the elite level already, can do with a big weight advantage against a really top class horse. It should be a fascinating race.

Busan has a pair of class 1 feature races on Sunday while all three south-coast based foreign jockeys; Gerrit Schlechter, Narazaki Kosuke and Joe Fujii all have plenty of decent looking rides over the weekend.

Here’s what’s happening when and where on what looks set to be a very wet weekend:

Friday August 31

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:40 to 17:30

Saturday September 1

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

Sunday September 2

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 17:50
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:35

Weekend Preview

Night racing draws to an end this weekend as Seoul, Busan and Jeju all play host to their final twilight cards of the year.

Evening racing at Seoul is for everyone!

There’s no Stakes racing this week but still plenty to keep us occupied. Feature races at both Seoul and Busan are on Sunday. In the capital, Prime Galloper (Strodes Creek) is on a four-race winning streak and will be favourite as he faces nine class 1 rivals, headed by Singgeureounachim (Exploit) over 1900 metres.

Meanwhile at Busan, it’s imported horses who take part in the big race. Smoking Gun (Hat Trick) did well to finish fifth behind Dangdae Bulpae and Smarty Moonhak in the Buan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Stakes last month and has every chance of getting back to winning ways in a competitive race over 2000 metres.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday August 17

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 15:00 to 21:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:40 to 21:00

Saturday August 18

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 20:50
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21:00

Sunday August 19

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:25 to 20:45

KB Soo, Ozcan Yildirim Give International Team Big Lead On Day 1 Of Jockey Challenge

The Rest Of The World team hold a big lead over their Korean hosts at the end of the first day of the 2012 Seoul International Jockey Challenge.

Soo Khoon Beng got things rolling for the visitors under the floodlights at Seoul Race Park, coming down the outside on 25/1 outsider Ganghanyeosin to claim a narrow victory over Daejangjeong, ridden by Jo In Kwen, with New Mighty and Ireland’s Ben Curtis a further two lengths back in third.

International Jockey Challenge Race 1 – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – August 11, 2012

1. Ganghanyeosin (KOR) [War Zone] – Soo Khoon Beng (Singapore) – 25.0, 3.4
2. Daejangjeon (KOR) [Menifee] – Jo In Kwen (Korea) – 1.4
3. New Mighty (KOR) [Exploit] – Ben Curtis (Ireland) – 3.9

Distances: 0.5 lengths/2.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Seungcheon Jisu – M. D’Silva (Brazil) 5. Molly Way – Karis Teetan (South Africa) 6. Winette Dancer – Cho Kyoung Ho (Korea) 7. Golden Impact – Moon Se Young (Korea) 8. Prete Ingran – Hayato Yoshida (Japan) 9. Eunbitjeonsa – Park Tae Jong (Korea) 10. Huimangbuksori – Ozcan Yildirim (Turkey) 11. Perfect Tiger – Kim Hae Sun (Korea)

The second race of the challenge was a tight affair but in the end it was Turkey’s Ozcan Yildirim on 6/1 shot Victory, who stretched away from the pack in the final furlong. Jo was second once again on
Haneoldo while South African Karis Teetan guided Major Girl, the longest shot on the board, to third place.

International Jockey Challenge Race 2 – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – August 11, 2012

1. Victory (KOR) [Osumi Jet] – Ozcan Yildirim (Turkey) – 6.7, 2.1
2. Haneoldo (KOR) [Distilled] – Jo In Kwen (Korea) – 5.2
3. Major Girl (KOR) [Duality] – Karis Teetan (South Africa) – 16.4

Distances: 2 lengths/Neck
Also Ran: 4. Bon RIsing – Hayato Yoshida (Japan) 5. Beauty Icheon – Park Tae Jong (Korea) 6. Victory Camp – M. D’Silva (Brazil) 7. High Well – Soo Khoon Beng (Singapore) 8. King Field – Ben Curtis (Ireland) 9. New And Best – Cho Kyoung Ho (Korea) 10. Ft. Green – Moon Se Young (Korea) 11. Nicole Windsor – Ham Wan Sik (Korea) 12. Sharp Concept – Kim Hae Sun (Korea)

That leaves the standings after Day 1 as follows:

1= KB Soo (Singapore) – 21
1= Ozcan Yildirim (Turkey) – 21
3. Jo In Kwen (Korea) – 20
4. Karis Teetan (South Africa) – 9
5. Ben Curtis (Ireland) – 7
6. Manoel Nunes D’Silva (Brazil) – 6
7. Hayato Yoshida (Japan) – 5
8. Park Tae Jong (Korea) – 4
9. Cho Kyoung Ho (Korea – 3
10= Moon Se Young (Korea) – 2
10= Kim Hae Sun (Korea) – 2
10= Ham Wan Sik (Korea) – 2

The overall team scores are:

Korea: 33
Rest Of The World: 69

There will be two more races Sunday to complete the challenge. They are race 6, a 1400 metre handicap at 16:50 and then the finale, the YTN Cup, which is race 9 at 19:35.

Sunday August 12

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:15
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:35 to 20.50

Seoul International Jockey Challenge 2012 Preview

The Seoul International Jockey Challenge 2012 is the highlight of the weekend’s action on the peninsula as six visiting riders take on six of the capital’s best in the annual four-race challenge.

Clockwise from top right: Ben Curtis, Karis Teetan, Ozcan Yildirim, Hayato Yoshida, Soo Khoon Beng, Manoel Nunes DaSilva

The jockeys will compete against each other in four races, two on Saturday and two on Sunday, culminating in the YTN Cup Stakes. In addition to the team prize, the leading jockey overall will take home an additional $20,000 prize.

Neither the United States nor Australia have sent riders this year so instead, the visitors hail from countries that the Korea Racing Authority has been forging close links with in recent years. Ireland and South Africa send young up and comers, while Macau, Turkey, Singapore and Japan’s entrants are all more experienced.

The Korean team is about as strong as it could possibly be with champion jockey Moon Se Young captaining. Kim Hae Sun becomes the first female rider to represent Korea in the challenge. Here is a full run down on the entrants. The draw for mounts was conducted on Thursday and appears to have thrown up a reasonably fair spread of chances:

International

Ben Curtis (Ireland) – 1840 rides / 122 wins – Former champion Irish apprentice, the 23-year-old is an American citizen and has also ridden in the USA, and UK.

Manoel Nunes D’Silva (Brazil) – 7831/1269 – Representing Macau in the challenge, the Brazilian learned his trade in Sao Paolo but has been riding in Asia for almost a decade. He’s won numerous Stakes races in Macau and has also ridden in Hong Kong and Dubai.

Soo Khoon Beng (Singapore) – 4139/519 – The 2005 Singapore Champion jockey spent a short but uneventful time riding at Busan in 2008. He’s won a number of Stakes races in his homeland.

Karis Teetan (South African) – 3581/445 – Born in Mauritius, he rides mainly in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. He won the Cape Derby on Jackson earlier this year.

Ozcan Yildirim (Turkey) – 7481/744 – He has 28 Graded Stakes victories in Turkey and 72 winners in the past year.

Hayato Yoshida (Japan) – 5781/443) – Ninth in the JRA standings this year with 41 winners, Yoshida is Japan’s only representative this year.

Riding for the Koreans are: Moon Se Young, Cho Kyoung Ho, Park Tae Jong, Jo In Kwen, Ham Wan Sik and Kim Hae Sun.

The four races involved in the challenge are as follows:

Saturday August 11
Race 9: 19:20, Domestic Class 3 Handicap, 1400 metres
Race 10: 19:50, Domestic Class 2 Handicap, 1900 metres

Sunday August 12
Race 6: 16:50, Domestic Class 3 Handicap, 1400 metres
Race 9: 19:35, Foreign Class 2 Handicap for fillies & mares, YTN Cup Stakes Listed, 1900 metres

Scoring: 1st: 20 points, 2nd: 10 points, 3rd: 6 points, 4th: 4 points, 5th: 3 points, 6th: 2 points, 7th-: 1 point.

There’s plenty more going on up and down the peninsula over the weekend. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday August 10

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 15:00 to 21:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:40 to 21:00

Saturday August 11

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 14:20 to 20:50
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 16:20 to 21:00

Sunday August 12

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 14:20 to 21:15
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 16:35 to 20:50

Weekend Preview: Three Nights In Seoul

Seoul plows a lone furrow as the only Korean track hosting live racing this weekend, with Busan and Jeju taking a week’s break.

Twilight at Seoul

And for the first time in about ten years, there is racing in the capital on Friday in order to make up for the card that was lost to monsoon rain earlier this month.

That Friday card sees a pair of class 1 contests while Saturday also has some high-class action. However, the pick of the action is on Sunday evening in the shape of the Seoul Economic Daily News Stakes.

Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) heads a strong field of domestic bred horses going over 1400 metres in the non-Stakes feature race and should be favourite to overcome 10 rivals, including former champion mare Love Cat (Volponi).

Here’s what’s happening:

Friday July 27

Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 16:00 to 21:00

Saturday July 28

Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 16:00 to 21:00

Sunday July 29

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 15:00 to 21:00