Bitter cold gave way to snow on Saturday but Sunday should be fine and there’s plenty of racing to keep us occupied at both Seoul and Busan. New Citadel and Sinjo Daehyeop face off in Seoul’s feature race while Today is favourite to land his eighth win in ten outings in the main event at Busan. Seoul runs 11 races from 10:45 to 18:00 and Busan 6 from 12:40 to 17:05. The previews follow but first here’s a picture of jockey Park Tae Jong participating in the Olympic Torch relay in Incheon this past week:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

Moon Se Young may not be champion jockey now for the first time that anyone can remember but he looks nailed on to win on what will be his first ride of 2018. (1) THE JIJON has a 2^nd, 3^rd and a 4^th in three outings to date and surely leads all the way to get it right this time. (3) YONGUI JUDO and (4) M.J. CAPTAIN have shown glimpses of ability so far and look the most likely to chase the favourite home – and give him problems if he slips up. As for the others, (2) SPEED HWANGNYONG didn’t really do anything wrong on debut last month so he gets another chance here while (11) GAJA GAJA returns to action for the first time since last July, trialled up in a reasonable manner and has the new champion jockey, Djordje Perovic on board. 

Selections	(1) The Jijon (3) Yongui Judo (4) M.J. Captain (11) Gaja Gaja
Next Best	2, 5
Fast Start	1, 4, 5, 10

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million 

This looks a much more open affair. Not a huge amount of experience on show but one or two have shown promising signs. Chief among those is (4) BAEKDUI TAEYANG, an improved 4^th when stepped up to this trip in his second start on December 2^nd. (5) ACE CANT goes at 1300M for the first time today and looks as though he may benefit from it. (6) EMERALD KING struggled in what was a slightly harder race than this time when resuming from an eight-week spell having previously run close at 1200M and can go better here. (3) LAST CONCERT and (8) MENI SMART are others in the hunt.

Selections	(4) Baekdui Taeyang (5) Ace Cant (8) Meni Smart (6) Emerald King
Next Best	3, 11
Fast Start	1, 2, 8

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million 

(4) JEJUI HEUKSEON was a good 2^nd on debut (albeit ten-lengths behind an impressive winner) at this distance in November. She was unable to follow up two weeks later in a stiffer contest at 1200M but looks in good shape to go close in this all-filly affair. More experienced is (8) FIRST QUEEN and she’s not been too far away in recent efforts. She tends to leave herself just a little too much to do but could get it right here. (7) CHEON YUN and (1) KYU JEU came home 4^th and 5^th at the distance last time and can figure while (6) TAMNA YEOSIN comes in off an encouraging run over 1000M last time and can improve.

Selections	(4) Jejui Heukseon (8) First Queen (6) Tamna Yeosin (7) Cheon Yun
Next Best	1, 3
Fast Start	3, 5, 6

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million 

Wide open this one and although there are a couple up in class coming off good wins in the shape of (7) CHAPEL ACE and (9) PRIMO, it’s going to be the ones who have experience of this level who are favoured. (10) SWEETLY HUMOR was a good 2^nd, having briefly led close to home, over the distance on December 17^th and can at least match that today, likely leading from the start. (2) HANSEONG KING also comes in having placed at the distance last time while (11) LIVE POWER drops back in trip after a good 2^nd at 1700M back in November. (8) GWACHEON TUHON was well back behind Sweetly Humor last time but has done enough in the past to warrant a further look.

Selections	(10) Sweetly Humor (2) Hanseong King (11) Live Power (9) Primo
Next Best	8, 6, 12
Fast Start

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

(5) SAUVIGNON looks a likely warm favourite in this fill. A maiden winner at the distance in November, she then ran a good 4^th on her first try ay this class a month ago. This field looks eminently beatable. (2) VICTORY STAR finds herself up in class here despite remaining a maiden. Two 3rds and a 2^nd see her promoted but there’s little to (more…)