International horses have begin arriving for next weekend’s Keeneland Korea Cup & Sprint with Hong Kong’s Circuit Land and Lucky Year, The Truth Or Else from the USA and Wimbledon from Singapore already in residence at the international stables Seoul Racecourse. We still have a weekend of racing to get through before our attention can turn to that though and it begins on Friday at Busan with 10 races from 11:30 to 18:00. Time to get stuck in:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
(5) HAEDONG YEOGEOL enters in the best shape having disposed of both (4) YEONGUNG JEWANG and (8) CHOEGOREULHYANGHAE on her way to 2nd place over this distance on August 6th. She was just beaten a neck that day and can finally get it right here. Yeongung Jewang should be on the early speed and could well be the biggest threat but there are others in with a chance too. (6) THUNDER DOME put in an encouraging debut in May before fading on re-appearance over 1200M. He’s had eleven weeks off since and gets a fresh start here. (2) OKDAN YEOGEOL also enters off the back of consecutive 4th places and can match those.
| Selections | (5) Haedong Yeogeol (6) Thunder Dome (4) Yeongung Jewang (2) Okdan Yeogeol |
| Next Best | 8, 1 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million
Nine of the twelve race for the very first time but it will be one of the three with prior experience who begins as favourite. That’s (9) HAWK KING, who was 3rd on debut four weeks ago, showing enough in the process to suggest that he has wins in him. (12) MAY STAR also demonstrated some ability on his debut and will need to be considered although the other one to race before, (11) ROYAL RIVER, didn’t. That leaves us with the first-timers and among them (8) THUNDER STRUCK looks the pick. He beat (2) KOREAN ANGEL and (6) TAGONAN JILJU in trials and has to be considered first-up. Likewise, Bart Rice’s (1) NINA impressed in her heat behind a couple of experienced racehorses and could have some potential.
| Selections | (9) Hawk King (8) Thunder Struck (1) Nina (2) Korean Angel |
| Next Best | 12, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 8, 12 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
With a 3rd and a 2nd from two starts so far, (9) THUNDER ALLEY is top pick to go one better today. (6) SEUNGSEUNG JANGGUN ran on nicely for 2nd last time, his best result so far and has to be given a chance while. He beat (10) BEONKWAE JANGGUN on debut all the way back in April but the latter has only run once since and it was an improved 3rd which can be matched here. (2) FIRST SHINHWA was better than expected on debut on August 6th and the extra furlong today could suit. (11) ROCK HARD SEVEN is half-brother to last year’s Oaks winner and showed promise on debut in May. He was indifferent in a trial earlier this month but shouldn’t be ignored.
| Selections | (9) Thunder Alley (11) Rock Hard Seven (6) Seungseung Janggun (10) Beonkwae Janggun |
| Next Best | 2, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1. 8 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
One way or another, this should be (4) SAMSEONG BLADE’s final outing at class 6 and he should really be coming home a winner here. He has been well behind the winner in each of his three outings to date but those winners have been better than anything he’s likely to encounter here and he could well lead from gate to wire. (2) MALIBU RULER and (3) BATTLE READY look to have the best chance of stopping him. The latter beat the former on debut on August 5th but Malibu Ruler went on to record a very solid 2nd place, just beaten a nose, 2 weeks ago. Thomas Gillespie’s (9) GOLDEN TROPHY also showed signs of being on the improve in his latest effort and is one to look out for.
| Selections | (4) Samseong Blade (3) Battle Ready (2) Malibu Ruler (9) Golden Trophy |
| Next Best | 1, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) GOLDEN KINGS has shown signs of coming back into form and seemed to especially enjoy dropping back to 1000M for the first time ever on August 6th. She was a strong 2nd that day, ahead of four of those who also go here, and has every chance today. The other stand-out is (6) GOP DDA. She’s been 2nd on both outings so far which is enough to see her up in class here. She led in both of those before being overhauled close to home and should get off to a fast start once more. (2) PERFECT DIVA didn’t give a great account of herself when well back behind Golden Kings last time but is better than that performance suggested while another also-ran that day, (1) BUYEONG TOWER can also go better today.
| Selections | (3) Golden Kings (6) Gop Dda (2) Perfect Diva (1) Buyeong Tower |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 9 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Competitive race but (8) CHARYONG is the pick. He almost got up over 1000M on August 5th and is likely to be ridden prominently here. (2) METELITSA was 6th that day and followed up with a solid 3rd place 2 weeks ago, also at 1000M and is one of the dangers here although stiffer opposition may be provided by (1) JILJU DAEJANG and (11) WOLHADOKJAK. Both are proven money winner at this class and can go close again. (3) K O BARAM is up in class following a maiden win at the 12th time of asking. He doesn’t look overmatched though and gets an eye-catching jockey booking.
| Selections | (8) Charyong (1) Jilju Daejang (11) Wolhadokjak (3) K O Baram |
| Next Best | 2, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 8, 10 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million
It’s about time (6) TOKYO BLUE won a race. He’s been consistently close over six outings to date but has so far always run into at least one too quick. However, over the course of those six efforts, he’s beaten plenty of these and this could be his day. (5) DAMNYANG JANGGUN has had a string of setbacks across his career so far but when he does race, he’s got plenty of talent. He showed sharpness when dominating a trial last month and if he’s at his best, he has every chance here on what is his first start since February. (1) KWAEHAN TANSAENG beat a couple of these three weeks ago and should be in the placing frame along with (debut-maker (3) COTTON MILL and the reliable but still maiden (9) CHARTERED DREAM.
| Selections | (6) Tokyo Blue (5) Damnyang Janggun (3) Cotton Mill (1) Kwaehan Tansaeng |
| Next Best | 9, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million
With two 2nds and two 3rds from his latest four, this one looks like it is for (7) YEONGGWANGUICOUNTRY to lose. He’s run to his market expectation in each of those and today he can run to expectations by winning. In a racecaller’s dream, the similarly-named (2) YEONGGWANGUISINHWA looks to be the main danger having scored at this class over 1000M two weeks ago while (4) YEONGGWANGUICHUBOK, a non winner of forty-two but a runner-up on no fewer than nine occasions can also add to the fun. Incidentally, all three have different owners. Challenges too from (1) BANJIUI JANGMI and (6) BETTER THAN YOU.
| Selections | (7) Yeonggwanguicountry (2) Yeonggwanguisinhwa (4) Yeonggwanguichubok (1) Banjiui Jangmi |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5 |
Horse Racing in Korea 