It’s back! After a week’s break for this year’s rather lengthy “Chuseok” holiday, racing returns to Korea this weekend. Things get underway at Friday for an 11-race card with the first at 11:30 and the last at 18:00. Time to get stuck in:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

Competitive opener. (1) CHANG GONG and (2) BELLAMY GONGJU raced 5^th and 6^th at 1200M a month ago. It was Chang Gong’s debut and he showed enough to suggest he has some promise, leading early. There were no expectations on (3) DONE IT MY on his debut the same day but he managed a very creditable 3^rd and won’t be overlooked this time. (4) SEOGANG JILJU didn’t enjoy the extra furlong last time and may be better dropped back in trip today while the Bart Rice pair of (5) CHRISTIANO and (8) CLOVER QUEEN may also have a say.

 

Selections	(1) Chang Gong (4) Seogang Jilju (8) Clover Queen (3) Done It My
Next Best	5, 2
Fast Start	1, 6, 2

 Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million

Half the field have raced before while the other half make their debuts here. We’ll go with experience and a number of them raced each other last time. (8) SMART DANCER, (9) YEONGGWANGUI BOSS and (5) DIVIDE WIND ran 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th on their own debuts on September 15^th. Punters will likely make Kim Young Kwan’s Divide Wind favourite to overturn that today, especially given the draw should allow him to get on speed early but there’s no reason why the other two can’t put in a strong performance again. Of the first-timers, both (3) BIRYONGUI HUYE and (4) JEIL MUJEOK won their trials and can be supported first-up. Watch the local market with those two.

Selections	(8) Smart Dancer (5) Divide Wind (9) Yeonggwangui Boss (3) Biryongui Huye
Next Best	4, 11
Fast Start	5, 11, 1, 3

Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million 

Juvenile race with enhanced prize money and only three have raced before and in what is a very tricky contest, we’ll go with one of those as our top pick. That’s (1) RAON POWER, 5^th of 8 in a modest race over this distance on September 8^th. Hopefully he’ll have come on for that experience. (10) KING’S POWER showed a bit of improvement running 4^th on his second start last month but then we’re into the debut-makers. Based on trials, (8) SMART BANK and (9) YONGGU look to have claims, putting in decent times and they will be backed as will (6) UNSEOK. As ever with this kind of race, watch the local market with the debut-makers.

Selections	(1) Raon Power (8) Smart Bank (10) King’s Power (9) Yonggu
Next Best	6, 5
Fast Start	1, 9

 Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

Kim Young Kwan’s (4) EXPRESSIVE has taken a couple of goes to find his feet but he looks to be getting there and comes in following a good 3^rd last time out at 1300M. He stretches up to a mile today and that could be just what he needs to get off the mark. Of course, he’s not the only one that could possibly apply to. Both (3) SUPER SUPREME and (6) BEONKWAE JANGGUN have shown signs of wanting further and should go well while there is a case to be made too for (10) TONGHAP BULPAE and (11) ROYAL TRIPLE. The latter has raced a couple of times at this distance before but looks nicely in here.

Selections	(4) Expressive (3) Super Supreme (6) Beonkwae Janggun (10) Tonghap Bulpae
Next Best	11, 9
Fast Start	6, 10

Race 5: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(2) BOUND TODAY is up in class following her maiden win at the fourth attempt a month ago. She’s been particularly quick so far but has shown progress each time and can be competitive here. (3) YES QUEEN was 2^nd that day and while she still seeks her first victory, she’s also up in class and with a good start can be involved once more. (1) KEUN MABEOP comes in off a useful 3^rd place on September 8^th. (4) EORIN YEOWANG was well back that day but has a strong of recent near-misses and can be in the placing frame again with (6) MIO another who can improve. Looks to be one for the low draws here and it could be whoever wins the start, wins the race.

Selections	(1) Keun Mabeop (2) Bound Today (4) Eorin Yeowang (3) Yes Queen
Next Best	6, 12
Fast Start	1, 2, 3

Race 6: Class 4 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million

Imported juveniles only so big prize money on offer. Only three of the eight have raced before and it’s one of those three that is going to be favourite. That’s (8) YEONGGWANGUIFACTOR, who came very close on his first two starts before struggling when well backed on September 22^nd, finishing a weakening 3^rd. He’s back down to 1000M today and should really win. The other two who have raced before didn’t go well so we’ll turn to the newcomers to fill out the places. Peter Wolsley comes in with two and both (1) CHOEGANG BEONGAE and (6) JILJU CHOEGANG looked useful in trials. (3) MAGIC POINT and (5) KASBAH PRINCE also worth keeping an eye on.

Selections	(8) Yeonggwanguifactor (6) Jilju Choegang (3) Magic Point (1) Cheogang Beongae
Next Best	5, 2
Fast Start	8, 1, 2

Race 7: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(1) KING JJANG was impressive when an all-the-way winner on September 15^th. That was just his second start and he’s up in both class and distance today but he is the pick to score again. (3) MAY STAR and (11) NURI ACHIM are similarly stepping up today and the latter looks the more equipped of the pair to be competitive. Indeed, it’s from the wide gates where the stiffest challenges to the pick will emerge from with both (10) SEOGANGDAERO and (12) U S MAN entering off useful class and distance 2^nd places last start. If the favourite gets a good start though, they may have too much to do.

Selections	(1) King Jjang (10) Seogangdaero (11) Nuri Achim (12) U S Man
Next Best	6, 3
Fast Start	1, 6, 3

 Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million

Not a strong race this so it makes sense to side with the one that’s done the least amount wrong. That’s (7) ROAD TO WARRIOR, who was 4^th on debut at 1200M on September 8^th. He can have learned from that and if he shows just a little bit of progress today, he can win. (12) KWAEDO SINHWA is a solid type who should find the money in this company while it’s a similar story with (10) YEONGGWANGUI PARK. (3) CHEONNYEON BIMA steps back in trip and can get closer today while (5) GO JJANG appears to have found her level but should beat a fair few of these.

Selections	(7) Road To Warrior (12) Kwaedo Sinhwa (3) Cheonnyeon Bima (10) Yeonggwangui Park
Next Best	5, 6
Fast Start	3, 7, 2

Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million

Competitive contest this. (9) PERFECT SINHWA is looking for a hat-trick of victories and races here for the first time at further than the minimum distance. He also comes in after two months off but he won first-up then after six months out and he is very much in the frame once more. Favourite, however, could well be (3) MAKING SEUNGNI, who is moving rapidly through the classes with two wins from three outings to date. He was 3^rd on his first try at the distance a month ago. He’ll battle Perfect Sinhwa for the early lead and if he gets it, may be hard to beat. (7) FIRST KING enters following back to back 3^rd place finishes in similar company and can at least match again while (6) ADELE STAR and (10) OHO DAEJANGGUN, the latter up in class, are others in the hunt.

Selections	(9) Perfect Sinhwa (3) Making Seungni (7) First King (10) Oho Daejanggun
Next Best	6, 5
Fast Start	9, 10, 3

Race 10: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

It took (10) BOUND KOREA a few goes to figure things out but once he did, he’s looked a talent. He’s up in class today having won each of his latest three, all of them at a mile. He’s also up in distance but has run on each time well enough to suggest that won’t be an issue and he’s very much the one to beat. (5) PRIZE KING is also up in class after a few too many near misses at class 4. He’s proven at the distance and the light weight is attractive. On the other hand, (8) YEONGWON CHUKJE is a winner at this class already but has never looked overly comfortable around two turns. Nevertheless, he gets another chance here. (7) GANGHAN NAMJA and (9) FEISTY are others to look out for.

Selections	(10) Bound Korea (9) Feisty (8) Yeongwon Chukje (5) Prize King
Next Best	7, 11
Fast Start	5, 11, 3

Race 11: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

Two standouts in the last. (5) PHANTOM BLADE stepped up in class on September 22^nd but came through late to record his second consecutive win and sixth in total. He carries an extra 4kg today but still has every chance. The danger is (4) HYPER LOOP. He finished 5^th of 12 on his first try at this level just two weeks ago and he should be on the early speed here. (2) BARAMUI JEONSEOL was 4^th behind Phantom Blade last time and can get a little closer today while (1) BARAMUI HEUNJEOK and (9) GREAT SONG are others to consider.

Selections	(4) Hyper Loop (5) Phantom Blade (2) Baramui Jeonseol (9) Great Song
Next Best	1, 8
Fast Start	1, 2, 4