Big fields in the capital this weekend. There are 12 Saturday races at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Weak contest to begin with and (2) SKY MARINE has probably shown the most ability among these so far. She has a 2nd and a 4th among four prior outings and from a decent draw can get forward early. (3) ENJOY MY SHOW improved last time and should be similarly prominent while (4) RUN AWAY may benefit from dropping back to this trip which is where she recorded her previous best finish of 3rd. (1) ACE TROPHY could make the most of the inside gate to get on speed early and if he does, he should be looking for a career-best finish while (12) CHOWON GUNJU didn’t do anything especially wrong on debut three weeks ago and may improve.
| Selections | (2) Sky Marine (3) Enjoy My Show (4) Run Away (1) Ace Trophy |
| Next Best | 12, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 9 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-olds only and eight of the twelve are first-time starters with one of them set to be favourite. That’s (2) JANGSAN WILD won a December trial and then went through another in good order last week and is expected to win first-up here. Other debut-makers who caught the eye in their heats include (1) DALLYEORA GWANGSAN and (8) DANGYEON HAJI, whose slow qualifying times can be excused by the track condition on those days as well as (9) DANCING BLADE, who was well back behind an exciting type (Musa) but seemed to know what she was doing. Of the four who raced before, only (6) DAE UNHA looks an attractive proposition. He debuted solidly enough in a better race than this in December and can build on it today.
| Selections | (2) Jangsan Wild (6) Dae Unha (9) Dancing Blade (1) Dallyeora Gwangsan |
| Next Best | 8, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(9) CLEAN UP SECRET beat three of these on his way to 3rd place over this distance on January 6th. True, it was the third time in a row he’s come up slightly short when sent off as favourite but he’s going to be favourite again and this time can get it right. (4) DOUBLE GOLD and (6) BAEKDUUI JEONGSANG came home in 4th and 6th in that race wand will be among those with the best chance of getting close this time. Speaking of favourites coming up short, (2) CHONGAL GACHI did exactly that on January 7th at the distance, finishing 2nd having led briefly close to the finish and he too gets another chance today.
| Selections | (9) Clean Up Secret (4) Double Gold (6) Baekduui Jeongsang (2) Chongal Gachi |
| Next Best | 8, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 9 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(6) RAISE ME UP improved with a close 2nd place in a similar all-filly race to this on January 6th with two of her rivals here behind her and with Moon Se Young on board for the first time, she can make the breakthrough here. (9) ARGO UNIQUE returned from three months off to show a big improvement at this distance in December, coming home 2nd and should be on the early pace here. Hansen filly (1) CLAY WIND also improved on what was just her 2nd start on Christmas Eve, again coming home in 2nd having run on nicely. She steps up in distance for the first time as does (4) DAECHEONUI SARANG and must be considered. More experienced is (3) MIGHTY COOL and she should be capable of repeating the 4th place she achieved in a very similar strength race to this four weeks ago.
| Selections | (6) Raise Me Up (9) Argo Unique (1) Clay Wind (4) Daecheonui Sarang |
| Next Best | 3, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 9 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
You’d not put your mortgage on many of these but (7) GONSEOL and (5) WOOSEORA ICHEON ran well enough when coming home 3rd and 4th respectively at class and distance in a better race than this on January 7th and this time have every chance of contesting top honours. There were three lengths between them that day but Wooseora Icheon has a better draw today and could well make it to the front early. (3) POWER 
MOVE and (11) COMPLETE HIGH come in after encouraging 3rd places in their latest outings and can challenge for places again as can (4) DICE KING, who drops back in trip. (9) CONKER is up in class following his maiden win in December and while he showed no aptitude for this distance on his only previous try at it, this is such a weak race he can’t be completely ruled out.
| Selections | (7) Gonseol (5) Wooseora Icheon (11) Complete High (3) Power Move |
| Next Best | 9, 4, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6 |
Race 6: Class 4 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Just imported three-year-olds here. (8) NEORANEUN CHUKJE was a class and distance winner on what was just his second start on January 6th with (1) CHEONGDAM JEWANG and (5) JEONGSANG CHAMP, both of whom were better supported, behind him. More respect is due here and having made all the running that day, he can repeat. Those two he beat are among the primary contenders to beat him here, however, the main danger is (3) MANHATTAN MUSIC. Tough beaten by Cheongdam Jewang in October, she returned stronger three weeks ago running a solid 2nd place in a better race than this and she can get close. There is one debut maker. That’s (6) HINES RULES and she did nothing wrong in trials.
| Selections | (8) Neoraneun Chukje (3) Manhattan Music (1) Cheongdam Jewang (6) Hines Rules |
| Next Best | 5, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(2) HAEORABI comes in having run 4th, 3rd and 2nd in three outings to date the Into Mischief colt could go one better once more and make a winning breakthrough today. He’s not the quickest of starters but is well drawn to just sit behind the only speed and run on well. That early speed is likely to be set by (5) TIZ GLEE, who beat to of these on his way to 3rd place at class and distance on January 7th and (7) WHANGHORAN JILJU. The latter can be forgiven his run around 1700M in December and drops back to a more suitable trip today – one he beat Tiz Glee at in November. There is one debut-maker and he looks promising. Malibu Moon colt (11) MALIBU BULPAE comfortably won his trial last month and with Perovic aboard, can get his career off to a good start.
| Selections | (11) Malibu Bulpae (2) Haeorabi (5) Tiz Glee (7) Whanghoran Jilju |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5, 7 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
It does seem a little odd to be enthusiastic about a twelve-race maiden who is up in class but that’s exactly what we’re going to be about (1) RAON ROCKY. Since returning from five months off in December, he’s run 2nd and 3rd (hence the promotion) and looks very nicely in here. French jockey David Breux has impressed and he can win this from the front. (2) KING PLUCKY steps back in trip following two decent efforts around 1700M and should join Roan Rocky on the early speed with every chance of going all the way. Settling just behind them is likely to be (7) ALPHAWA OMEGA, who ran on well to register a good 2nd place at class and distance four weeks ago. (4) SANGBIGUN and (6) HAEKHANGGONGMOHAM are others in at least the placing frame.
| Selections | (1) Raon Rocky (2) King Plucky (7) Alphawa Omega (6) Haekhanggongmoham |
| Next Best | 4, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3 |
Race 9: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Five of these raced each other at class and distance on January 7th and it was (10) AJU PAEWANG, racing at this level for the first time following a maiden win in December, who was somewhat surprisingly the best of them, coming him in 2nd place. He’ll be much better backed today and a repeat is not impossible. Nor is it impossible that the form could be overturned with (5) DAESEUNG BIBEOB most capable. He was 3rd in that race and has Moon Se Young on today. (7) BAEKSAN GUNJU was a little disappointing when favourite on what was his first try at this distance on January 13th. He went right back at one stage and although he made it up to 2nd at one point, didn’t offer much late on. Hopefully he’ll have come on for that though and can go better today. (6) ÉCLAIR BEAUTY was an also-ran in that race behind Aju Pawang last month but is better than that and worth another go – she’s likely to try to win leading from gate to wire. (4) BULSA BULPAE and (11) BIG ACE are both up in class following wins at this distance with the former looking the more promising.
| Selections | (7) Baeksan Gunju (5) Daeseung Bibeob (6) Éclair Beauty (4) Bulsa Bulpae |
| Next Best | 10, 3, 11 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6 |
Race 10: Class 3 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(10) TAEYANGUI HUYE beat (7) HWAGANG as the pair pulled off an unexpected 1st and 3rd at this class over 1800M on December 17th. For Taeyangui Huye it was a second consecutive win and while he does carry a bit more weight today, he has every chance of completing his hat-trick. Hwagang has claims too as does (1) TOGETHER HUG, who was 4th that day when much better fancied and can be looking to improve. In his last six outings, (5) DAEGUNHAM has finished no worse than 4th. He’s up in class to day but is nicely weighted and should be competitive. (12) SKY VELVET’s recent form is encouraging, and he can match the 4th place he managed at class and distance a month ago.
| Selections | (10) Taeyangui Huye (5) Daegungham (7) Hwagang (1) Together Hug |
| Next Best | 12, 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 10 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Having finished 2nd to Korean Oaks winner Jejui Haneul in a competitive race at 1900M in November, (1) CUPID FLOWER was well backed when five of these faced each other at 1700M on January 7th. Drawn in the widest gate, however, he never looked wholly comfortable and ended up finishing well down the field. At this distance today and having drawn the inside, he should go much better. Of the others who went that day, (8) VALLEY STAR can be relied upon to not miss by much and that should be the case again today. The bigger danger though is (4) LION ROCK. A winner of four from seven he didn’t finish off especially well when favourite at this class over 1700M just before Christmas but is talented and Triple Nine’s full brother will get plenty of backing. (10) JINGYEOGUI CHEONMA steps up to two turns for the first time and is to be considered while (12) YONGCHONG, 5th behind Lion Rock last time, can also be in the hunt for a place.
| Selections | (1) Cupid Flower (4) Lion Rock (10) Jingyeogui Cheonma (8) Valley Star |
| Next Best | 12, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4 |
Race 12: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
With a win and two 2nd places from his latest three outings, (1) GOLD MUSIC enters in good form and with strong claims to win this concluding sprint. It won’t be easy though. Gold Music will be one of a number looking to lead from the gate and they include fellow contenders (5) BIG TRIO and (11) P.K. PARTY and it’s the latter of those two that is the pick. P.K. Party won her first six starts including the Nonghyup Chairman’s Trophy in November. Her run came to an end just before Christmas when she was 3rd in a strong juvenile race. She can get back to winning ways here. (7) TOUR ROSE and (12) PRETTY BOY are others in the hunt although (3) JUNGL DRUMMER, back in a class that’s more his level, could go well too.
| Selections | (11) P.K. Party (1) Gold Music (5) Big Trio (7) Tour Rose |
| Next Best | 12, 6, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 6, 8, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 