New post on Horse Racing in Korea
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Horses in training in Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, France, UAE and Singapore have been nominated to run in the inaugural Keeneland Korea Cup and Keeneland Sprint at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday September 11, the Korea Racing Authority announced on Saturday.
Preliminary nominations closed last Friday and eight international horses have been accepted into each race. They will be joined by up to eight Korea-trained runners. For the first time, Hong Kong, France, the UK, Ireland and the UAE are set to send runners to Korea.
Among the best known names are Hong Kong’s Gun Pit, who goes for the Cup against Japan’s Chrysolite and Great Britain’s Franklin D, a winner at Glorious Goodwood only last month. To add to the international theme, one of the French horses in the big race is the Moroccan bred star Famous Mark.
The Sprint, while less valuable, has also attracted well-known names. Hong Kong’s globe-trotting Rich Tapestry is entered alongside another Santa Anita Sprint champion, Wild Dude, who has recently been moved to Ireland.
Keeneland Korea Cup (1800M) Total Purse: 1 Billion Korean Won
France
Famous Mark (MOR) [Mr. Sidney - Empreinte Celebre (Peintre Celbre)] 4 year-old colt
A Moroccan bred who won all six of his races at Rabat and Casablanca before joining up with Pascal Bary in France. He has since finished 3rd in a Listed race on dirt in Sweden.
Hong Kong
Gun Pit (AUS) [Dubawi – Magic Tori (Ali-Royal)] 6-year-old Gelding
The dirt superstar of Sha Tin dirt, he’s practically unbeatable on his favourite surface. He managed a 2nd at Meydan in March before struggling on World Cup night. A previous trip to Chukyo at this distance didn’t work out but if he takes to the sand the way he does the dirt, he’s the one to beat.
Japan
Chrysolite (JPN) [Gold Allure – Chrysoprase (El Condor Pasa)] 6-year-old Gelding
A five-time Stakes winner, most recently claiming his second Diolite Kinen at Funabashi in March and was 3rd in the Group 3 Heian Stakes at Kyoto in May.
Singapore
Infantry (NZ) [Tavistock – The Nightingale (Stravinsky)] 4-year-old Gelding
He’s won four of eleven career starts and has a win and a 2nd in his last two both over a mile. He will tackle 1800M for the first time.
Order Of The Sun (AUS) [Encosta De Lago – Sequin (Lure)] 6-year-old Gelding
4th behind Quechua in the Chairman’s Trophy, his most recent win came at this distance in February. He is a front runner.
United Arab Emirates
Gold City (IRE) [Pivotal – Storm Lily (Storm Cat)] 7-year-old Gelding
A winner of two from ten in the UK before relocating to the UAE in 2013. Finished 2nd behind Frosted at 1800M on the dirt at Meydan in February
Need To Know (SAF) [Western Winter – Promisefrommyheart (Elliodor)] 8-year-old Gelding
Winner of four in the UAE, he scored back to back 2nd places on the Meydan turf this January.
United Kingdom
Franklin D (USA) [Medaglia d’Oro – Kissed By A Star (Kingmambo)] 4-year-old Colt
Winner of the Betfred Mile at Glorious Goodwood in July. That was his second consecutive win having landed a Newmarket handicap two weeks previously.
Keeneland Korea Sprint (1200M) Total Purse: 700 Million Korean Won
France
Love Spirit (GB) [Elusive City – Indian Maiden (Indian Ridge)] 6-year-old Gelding
An also ran in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville in August, he does have seven wins to his name. Trainer Louis Baudron has recently returned from a stint in Australia so is well acquainted with international racing
Ross Castle (IRE) [Bushranger – Bulrushes (Byron)] 3-year-old Colt
Young sprinter who has wins this year at Chantilly and Maisons Lafitte to his name.
Hong Kong
Rich Tapestry (IRE) [Holy Roman Emperor – Genuine Charm (Sadler’s Wells)] 8-year-old Gelding
A seasoned globe-trotter, he’s won at Santa Anita in the USA and twice at Meydan in Dubai, most recently in February this year.
Super Jockey (NZ) [Sandtrap – Pennies In Heaven (Pompeii Court)] 8-year-old Gelding
Beat Rich Tapestry when 2nd in the 2015 Golden Shaheen at Meydan; he was 5th in this year’s race Good – if limited – record on dirt.
Ireland
Wild Dude (USA) [Wildcat Heir – Courtly Choice (Doneraile Court)] 6-year-old Horse
The Florida bred has spent his career in the United States. He won the Group 2 Kona Gold Stakes over six and a half furlongs on the dirt at Santa Anita in May, his 8th win in 22 career starts. He was 6th in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Moved this summer to training in Ireland.
Japan
Grape Brandy (JPN) [Manhattan Café – Wine And Rose (Judge Angelucci)] 8-year-old Horse
A three-time Stakes winner earlier in his career, he was 3rd in the Negishi Stakes at Tokyo in January and 2nd in the Tokyo Sprint at Ohi in April.
Singapore
Super Winner (AUS) [Kaphero – Millie Rose (Testa Rossa)] 5-year-old Horse
He beat three Korea-trained horses when winning the KRA Trophy at Kranji last year. Has four wins in seven starts in 2016. Usually settles just behind the early speed.
United Arab Emirates
Art Wave (IRE) [Art Connoisseur – Musical Review (Jade Robbery)] 5-year-old Horse
Winner of an all-weather race in the UK before moving to the UAE in 2014. Landed three consecutive wins at Jebel Ali around the turn of this year.
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New post on Horse Racing in Korea
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Triple Nine returned to the winner’s circle in some style as he defeated Success Story and stablemate Rock Band to win a strong renewal of the Owners’ Cup at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.
Despite having suffered reverses to Diferent Dimension and Beolmaui Kkum in his last two outings, Triple Nine was sent off the slight odds-on favourite for the mile long race which was dominated by the favourites for the duration.
Success Story and Rock Band started quickly as expected but under Kim Yong Geun, Triple Nine was always handy and comfortably got the best of them in the home straight, running on to win by a length from Success Story with Rock Band a further half back in 3rd.
Success Story keeps his run of solid performances going since returning from Dubai. He is yet to win but has two 3rds and now a 2nd racing in very tough company. Rock Band, three races into a comeback following a lengthy spell out through injury also showed he is back to near his best.
Triple Nine and Success Story were both among preliminary nominations for September’s Korea Cup at Seoul. Given the strength of some of the overseas nominations, they are going to be very much up against it. Success Story was up against it in Dubai too though and he exceeded expectations. Hopefully they can both exceed expectations next month.
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Rogue Angel (left, blue cap) won a thrilling Irish National in 2016, PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
Irish Grand National to be worth €500,000
BY RICHARD FORRISTAL, 16 AUG 2016
THE IRISH GRAND NATIONAL is set to become the third richest jumps race in Ireland or Britain with a massive prize fund of €500,000 after Boylesports yesterday committed to backing the Fairyhouse race for another three years.
When the bookmaker took over the sponsorship of the famous 146-year-old handicap in 2014, the total purse stood at €250,000, so next year’s pool will double that figure.
During Boylesports’ initial three-year promotion of the Irish Grand National, the fund grew to €275,000, which is what next year’s winner will earn following this latest injection of cash.
The most recent edition was won by Mouse Morris’s Rogue Angel on March 28.
In recent years, although the most valuable steeplechase in Ireland, the Irish Grand National has trailed the Guinness Galway Hurdle (€300,000 this year) as the country’s richest jumps race. It is now poised to leapfrog the Ballybrit showpiece as the most valuable jumps race in the country, with only the Grand National and Gold Cup offering more lucrative rewards in Britain.
Boylesports first took the National on in 2014 and extended their backing of the race via a two-year deal in 2015.
The prestigious Fairyhouse event has been dominated by high-profile owners for the past few years, with Rogue Angel’s triumph a second in succession for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud following that of the Sandra Hughes-trained Thunder And Roses in 2015.
JP McManus secured the spoils courtesy of Jonjo O’Neill’s Shutthefrontdoor in 2014. In the previous two years, Tom Gibney and Dot Love enjoyed Irish National glory with Lion Na Bearnai (2012) and Liberty Counsel (2013), respectively.
Mecca’s Angel won last year’s Nunthorpe but could miss out this time
PICTURE: Getty Images
Dods delays decision on Mecca’s Nunthorpe run
BY MARK SCULLY, 16 AUG 2016
MICHAEL DODS will wait until Friday before making a decision on the participation of Mecca’s Angel in that day’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The trainer walked the course on Monday evening but did not make a final decision on whether last year’s winner will bid to defend her crown, instead opting to take another look on the morning of the race.
RELATED LINKS, Nunthorpe Stakes entries
Dods agrees with the current going description of good to firm, with Mecca’s Angel having sidestepped any such ground since her sole defeat on it at Redcar in October 2013.
“I thought the course was in great order, it looks tremendous, and it really depends what happens between now and the end of the week – I just wanted to see where it was at,” said Dods.
“It’s good to firm basically and I’ll walk it again on Friday and decide then after we see what the weather does.
“I couldn’t say what I’d do if I had to decide now but what I would say is that the ground, in my opinion, didn’t look as quick as Ascot did last year when I took her out [of the King's Stand Stakes].
“When I took her out at Ascot that day, I thought that was the quickest ground I saw last year and I do look at a lot of ground.”
Others ‘in a better position’
Mecca’s Angel bounced back from a poor showing in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June with victory in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last month and Dods says the five-year-old is in good order.
While he may yet allow her to take her chance on Friday, he admits there are others in the field better suited by the conditions as they stand.
“It’s a tough race, especially with Limato coming in,” he said.
“What will benefit other horses, like Goldream and some of the others who want this sort of ground, won’t benefit us so they’re in a better position than we are at this stage but that’s racing.”
fonte : RacingPost
