Japanese Dominate Again in Korean Features

[Wandering Eyes]

Horses based in Japan had won three of the four combined runnings of the Keeneland Korea Cup (1800m) and Keeneland Korea Sprint (1200m) since their introduction in 2016 and the country’s strike rate was improved further still when London Town (Jpn) (Kane Hekili {Jpn}) romped home to successfully defend his title in the Cup and when Group 1 winner Moanin (Henny Hughes) scraped home first in the Sprint Sunday at Seoul Racecourse.

It was deja vu all over again in the Korea Cup, as London Town was well into stride from his high draw and showed speed enough to press second favourite Cheongdam Dokki (To Honor and Serve) through honest fractions. Yasunari Iwata allowed London Town to take up the running entering the far turn and the pair drew away effortlessly down the center to score by a pole. The lightly raced Dolkong (Afleet Alex) rallied up the fence for second, with the venerable Clean Up Joy (Purge) an honest third.

Moanin was backed into 8-5 favourtism for the Sprint, but lagged well behind early as Perdido Pomeroy (Pomeroy) established a good tempo after an alert break from the inside barrier. Wild Dude (Wildcat Heir) attended the pace three abreast and looked to be doing the best of anything in upper stretch, but Joe Fujii got after Moanin at the 300m mark and, despite racing on his incorrect lead, clawed home first. Hong Kong’s surprisingly well-backed Fight Hero (GB) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) was a gallant second ahead of the fast-finishing Doraonpogyeongseon (Kantharos).

Sunday’s Results:
KEENELAND KOREA CUP (NB), KRW1,000,000,000 (£689,615/€766,888/A$1,238,457/US$891,418), Seoul, 9-9, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.6 (NTR), gd.
1–LONDON TOWN (JPN), 126, h, 5, Kane Hekili (Jpn)–Fairy Banyan (Jpn), by Honour and Glory. (¥9,504,000 Ylg ’14 HOKSUM). O-Toru Makiura; B-Matsuura Bokujo; T-Kazuya Makita; J-Yasunari Iwata; KRW570,000,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn, 27-8-3-0, $2,335,324.
2–Dolkong, 126, c, 4, Afleet Alex–Swampoodle, by Broken Vow. ($52,000 Ylg ’15 FTKOCT; $35,000 2yo ’16 OBSAPR). KRW210,000,000.
3–Clean Up Joy, 126, g, 7, Purge–Greta’s Joy, by Joyeux Danseur. ($1,400 Wlg ’11 KEENOV; $7,000 Ylg ’12 FTKOCT; $14,000 2yo ’13 OBSJUN). KRW130,000,000.
Margins: 15, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 0.70, 10.60, 48.30.
Also Ran: Cheongdam Dokki, Forest Ranger (Ire), Cheonji Storm (Kor), Tosconova Cat, Maximus, Dynamic Dash, Great King, Dongbang Daero, Places to Go, Final Boss (Kor), Riven Light (Ire). Scratched: Ennobled Friend. VIDEO

KEENELAND KOREA SPRINT, KRW700,000,000 (£482,535/€536,780/A$866,952/US$623,995), Seoul, 9-9, 3yo/up, 1200m, 1:11.5, gd.
1–MOANIN, 126, h, 6, Henny Hughes–Giggly, by Distorted Humor. ($90,000 Ylg ’13 FTNAUG; $335,000 2yo ’14 OBSMAR). O-Yukio Baba; B-Empire Equines LLC (NY); T-Sei Ishizaka; J-Kanichiro Fujii; KRW399,000,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Jpn, 21-8-2-2, $2,576,748.
2–Fight Hero (GB), 126, g, 7, Footstepsinthesand (GB)–Jarhes (Ire), by Green Desert. (€3,000 Ylg ’12 ARQOCT). KRW147,000,000.
3–Doraonpogyeongseon, 126, h, 5, Kantharos–Smartybegone, by Smarty Jones. ($14,000 Ylg ’14 OBSAUG; $50,000 2yo ’15 OBSAPR). KRW91,000,000.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.60, 4.20, 8.50.
Also Ran: Chublicious, Ace Korea, Wild Dude, Wonder Bolt, Geuma Rapid (Aus), Zentenary, Perdido Pomeroy, Today (Kor), Morning Daero, King Malpic (Fr). VIDEO

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