It’s a big weekend of racing in Korea with a host of trophy exchange races at Seoul on Saturday followed by the SBS Korea/Japan Cup and the Ttukseom Cup on Sunday.

Here’s what’s happening where and when this weekend:

Friday June 3
Busan Racecourse: 10 race from 12:40 to 19:00 – Full race-by-race preview will be up as usual on Friday morning.

Saturday June 4
Seoul Racecoure: 12 races from 10:50 to 18:00, including three Trophy Exchange races. Brief notes on those and also the Cargill Agri Purina Trophy race below:

Race 8: The Japan Racing Association (JRA) Trophy (Class Open) / 1400M (15:30)

Just eight runners but competitive. (3) TAEYANGWANG, a class 2 winner over 1200M last start is set to be favourite with champion Moon Se Young on board. The in-form (4) BLACK TRAIN along with (6)ALWAYS WINNER look next best.

Selections: (3) Taeyangwang (6) Always Winner (4) Black Train (8) Haerangangja

Race 9: Selangor Turf Club Trophy (Class Open) / 1800M (16:30)

Thirteen fillies & mares will line up here and a good number will be vying for favourite status. (6) SMART TIME has placed in Listed and Stakes company this year already and is the narrow first choice. (11) MENI MONEY was behind her in both races but will challenge again while (4) TOUCH FLYING and (12) THE QUEEN SILVER both enter following class 3 wins at this distance. (8) SIMSIN JIRYEO may also get some backing.

Selections: (6) Smart Time (11) Meni Money (8) Simsin Jiryeo (12) The Queen Silver

Race 10: The TJK (Turkey) Cup (Class Open) / 2000M (17:00)

(1) AREUMDAUNDONGHAENG, a proven class 1 and Listed winner in the past, is set to be favourite here but will face challenges. (8) WINNING ANDY is chief among those while  (10) CINDERELLA MAN makes his first start for Brian Dean. The Aussie trainer has made a remarkable start in very challenging circumstances and the five-year-old gelding must be respected.

Selections: (1) Areumdaundonghaeng (10) Cinderella Man (8) Winning Andy (7) Space Port

Race 11: Cargill Agri Purina Trophy (Class 3) / 1400M / (17:30)

Selections: (3) Fix Time (7) Boeun Yongsa (1) Big Mountain (4) Knighthood

Sunday June 5
Seoul Racecourse: 10 races from 10:50 to 18:00
Busan Racecourse: 6 races from 13:00 to 17:30

It’s the big day at Seoul. The SBS Korea/Japan Cup will feature three visiting Japanese-trained horses along with some of the best known names in Korea racing such as Gamdonguibada and Choegang Schiller along with up and comer Perdido Pomeroy.

Also at Seoul on Sunday is the Ttukseom Cup, the first leg of the Queens’ Tour for fillies and mares. We will have a full runner-by-runner preview of both races posted on Saturday.