Racing returns to the Korean capital on Saturday with a big 12-race card at Seoul. The first race is at 10:45 and the last at 18:00. It’s going to be a mild day so come racing! Here are the previews:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old fillies only to begin with and exactly half of the field are racing for the very first time with the other half each having raced just the once or in one case, twice. It’s from that latter group where the top picks come from with both (3) BIG THUNDER and (10) RAON PRIMER having shown ability. Big Thunder has raced twice and while indifferent on debut, she ran well for 2^nd on her reappearance on January 27^th and will be favourite to win here. Raon Primer led for much of her debut on January 20^th and while she’s drawn wider today, she can still get to the front and should be the main danger. With none of the others who have raced before having shown much we’ll look for the newcomers to fill out our tickets. Best looking in trials was (7) SUPER YEOWANG and she will be expected to be on the early speed too while (9) BRAVO ILSIN and (12) LEADER’S CAMP are others who ran well in their heats and may be considered.

Selections	(3) Big Thunder (10) Raon Primer (7) Super Yeowang (12) Leader’s Camp
Next Best	9, 2
Fast Start	4, 7, 10, 12

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

A maiden restricted to three-year-olds. (11) DREAM INDY hasn’t been especially well fancied in either of his two starts to date but he’s outperformed expectations both times with a 3^rd and a 2^nd, the latest being a front-running performance over this distance on January 21^st. He led for much of that race only succumbing in the closing stages and while he’s drawn much wider today, he can go close. (3) WILD DRAGON may have a better shout of getting on the early pace though. He’s also shown improvement across three outings and was a close 3^rd last time at the distance. (5) GARA GARA GA was a creditable 4^th on debut a full eleven weeks ago and returns here up in distance but for a stable and a jockey who went into the brief Lunar New Year break in good form. (7) EMERALD KING and (8) BAEKDUUI JEONGSANG, the latter a good 3^rd in a similar race at the distance three weeks ago are also in the hunt.

Selections	(11) Dream Indy (3) Wild Dragon (7) Emerald King (5) Gara Gara Ga
Next Best	8, 6
Fast Start	3, 4

Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Fillies (and three mares) only here and (4) MIRACLE HANSEN caught the eye, to say the least, when romping home on debut over this distance on December 23^rd in a decent time on a very slow-running track. She hasn’t raced since and returns today up in class but with little reason to oppose her.  However, if we do wish to take her on, (9) VICTORY STAR looks the best prospect. She’s yet to win in four attempts but ran well for 2^nd in a similar race to this on January 14^th and can at least repeat. An alternative would be the more experienced (10) DALDARI although her best two results – her win and her 2^nd place last start – both came at 1000M. (2) DONGSEO GADEUK is a winner at the distance, albeit at class 6 – (1) BAEKDU MIR was a close 2^nd that day – and may come under consideration too.

Selections	(4) Miracle Hansen (9) Victory Star (10) Daldari (2) Dongseo Gadeuk
Next Best	1, 7
Fast Start	3, 4, 8, 9

Race 4: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Fillies again but a more competitive looking contest which could go a number of ways. (3) SMARTY ZIF was a surprise 2^nd in a useful event at class and distance on January 14^th. She’s been inconsistent across her ten starts but could go well again. Running a touch disappointingly in that race was (4) WAWA YEOJANGBU but she has shown her competitiveness at this level with a 2^nd place at the distance the time before and can reverse the form here. (2) CHEON YANG and (9) FIRE FOX came home 2^nd and 3^rd over 1200M on January 28^th. The latter is a deep closer so does require conditions to be right.  (11) SIMON MISSILE steps up in class having come close a few too many times at class 5 and shouldn’t have anything to fear. (12) DANGDANGHANYEOGEOL has been beaten by both Wawa Yeojangbu and Fire Fox in her latest two but rarely misses by much and should be close again. Wide open but we’ll go with Wawa Yeojangbu, who is much better drawn today, to get in front and lead all the way.

Selections	(4) Wawa Yeojangbu (11) Simon Missile (12) Dangdanghanyeogeol (2) Cheon Yang
Next Best	9, 3, 5
Fast Start	3, 4, 12

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

Another competitive race although with perhaps some clearer standouts. (8) THE JIJON steps up in class today having achieved his maiden victory at the fourth time of asking on January 14^th. It had been coming too with him being no worse than 4^th in his three prior trials and he made all to win by a length and a half over this distance. Today is tougher but he can improve too and if he gets a good start, can win. Still a maiden is (3) CHEONJI BOBAE but he found herself up at this level earlier following back to back 2^nd places at class 6. She made it three runner-up finishes in a row last month on her first try at this class and she’ll be challenging The Jijon for the early lead and could well go one better today. (10) YAHO SMART CAT is up in class today following victory on January 13^th. He was sent back to trial afterwards for his racing manners which have been notably poor to date including unseating his rider on debut. If he behaves himself, he can go well. (2) MIRAE DEUNGBUL returns for the first time since last August and looked sharp winning a trial two weeks ago while (7) PYEWOL SUHWA returned to the money with a solid 2^nd place in a similar race to this at the end of last month.

Selections	(8) The Jijon (3) Cheonji Bobae (10) Yaho Smart Cat (2) Mirae Deungbul
Next Best	7, 9
Fast Start	2, 7, 8

Race 6: Class 4 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Not ready on debut last August, (1) CYBER had three months off and since returning has won two in a row to rapidly make his way up to this level. Today’s will be a sterner examination, but the manner of his five-length win last month suggests he can cope with it. He has a fast start but he’s by no means the only one here and (3) HEUNG BARAM joins him up in class following a similarly impressive win last time. He too has won two from three so far and comes in fresh off an eleven-week layoff with solid claims. Completing the group of up in class prospects, the slightly more experienced (5) GOLD LEG ran well to win over the distance last month and has claims here too. Of the ones who have raced before at this level, (11) TONGIL DAERO was a four-length class and distance winner on January 28^th, his second consecutive win and while he is carrying significantly more weight today, he must be respected. Meanwhile, (8) SOKBO TAEJA comes in off three consecutive 3^rd place finishes and can repeat.

Selections	(1) Cyber (11) Tongil Daero (3) Heung Baram (5) Gold Leg
Next Best	8, 7
Fast Start	1, 2, 3, 6, 12

Race 7: Class 6 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

Competitive maiden which if not of the highest quality, should offer plenty of betting interest. (5) WONDERFUL LUCKY is the pick having gone close at the distance on January 13^th, running on strongly to be beaten by less than a length with (2) SUPER SAVE a further four-lengths back in 3^rd. He may be ridden a little closer today and Wonderful Lucky could well get lucky here. (8) ONNURI ALBA also comes in following a 2^nd place at the distance last month and should be in the frame again while (9) HANSEN BAROWS ran poorly over 1300M last start but did well on his only previous try at this trip and can improve today. (6) DUAL CHOEGANG has run well in his starts for Luigi Riccardi so far and can be a factor back up in distance today while the afore-mentioned Super Save and (10) MORE RICH are two among a number of others in at least the placing hunt.

Selections	(5) Wonderful Lucky (6) Dual Choegang (9) Hansen Barows (10) More Rich
Next Best	8, 2, 11
Fast Start	1, 9

Race 8: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

After a 3^rd and a 2^nd in his first two starts it had been coming and (4) LET’S YEONGCHEON delivered on January 20^th, winning by eleven-lengths over 1300M. He’s up in class and distance today but neither should be too much of a problem and he can win again. It won’t be easy though. (1) MIDAS WAY remains a maiden after eleven attempts but has finished 2^nd on no fewer than four occasions including last time out. He too steps up to two turns for the first time and it could well be what he needs. The same applies to (7) WONDERFUL CHAMPION, who also finds himself up in class but winless and stepping up in trip to look to make the breakthrough. (5) SAMDA BULKKOT is up in class having won at this distance last month. It wasn’t a strong race even for class 6 and he will need to improve here but it won it well enough to suggest he shouldn’t be ignored. (12) ROYAL TANK is another maiden but has raced at this class and distance before, running well on January 20^th running 3^rd in similar event to this and has every chance of at least repeating.

Selections	(4) Let’s Yeongcheon (12) Royal Tank (1) Midas Way (7) Wonderful Champion
Next Best	5, 2
Fast Start	1, 2, 4, 11

Race 9: Class 3 (1900M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(9) JEONGAN KINGDOM produced a very good, if unexpected, performance over 1700M last month to defeat not only highly-rated three-year-old Choinma, but also (7) SARYEONI HEALING and two others who go here, making all to win by two-and-a-half lengths. He needs plenty of respect today but with an extra furlong to play with, the advantage may well shift here to Saryeoni Healing. He’s one of just three in the field to have raced at this distance before and he’s gone well at it. (11) SPECIAL ROAD HILL is another who has tackled this trip before and showed signs f returning to form last time albeit at 1200M and comes in very nicely weighted. (8) MR. FORTUNE races for the first time since winning at 1300M last November and is up to this distance for the first time but not without chances. (3) HAPPY SENSATION has run creditably in defeat in stiff company in both her latest two and may improve today.

Selections	(7) Saryeoni Healing (9) Jeongan Kingdom (11) Special Road Hill (3) Happy Sensation
Next Best	8, 4
Fast Start	1, 2, 9, 12

Race 10: Class 2 (2000M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

(4) SINGGEUREOUN GEOM and (8) DAEBAKIDA ran 2^nd and 4^th over 1900M on January 20^th in what was arguably a tougher race than this and accordingly they can battle it out for the top two places today with Singgeureoun Geom predicted to come out on top again, likely from a prominent early position. The rest will all need to find a bit more if they are to compete but (5) DANGDAE GEOLJAK and (7) NACHOUI GOHYANG came home 3^rd and 4^th at 1800M on January 7^th and they can both run well again. (2) DAEIL SHINHWA has been up and down in recent starts but has beaten a number of these and can be involved at the business end too.

Selections	(4) Singgereoun Geom (8) Daebakida (5) Dangdae Geoljak (7) Nanchoui Gohyang
Next Best	2, 9
Fast Start	4, 5, 9, 10

Race 11: Class 1 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 110 Million

(2) CHEONGDAM DAERO is up in class following a convincing win over this distance four weeks ago. He’s nicely weighted and looks to be ready for the challenge of class 1. He tends to start slowly but has a strong finish and could well win here. The rest are by and large old-stagers at this level so it’s a question of which ones can step up to challenge. (6) SUPER COMMANDO’s recent form reads well and he should have a say while (9) THEME DEUNGGEUK is frustratingly inconsistent but beat three of these when running 3^rd over 1400M last time and can bring that form back up to two turns here. (7) CHEONMA and (12) CHANMA almost always run against each other with Cheonma entering looking the slightly more convincing this time while (5) YAHO SKY CAT comes in having run 5^th in the Segye Ilbo Cup last month and isn’t completely without a chance.

Selections	(2) Cheongdam Daero (9) Theme Deunggeuk (6) Super Commando (7) Cheonma
Next Best	5, 12
Fast Start	3, 9, 11

Race 12: Class 3 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Really good race for this level to finish with and lots in the hunt. (6) ICHEON SSAL has been a touch disappointing since making an impressive start to his career. He didn’t have the best of luck on his first try around two turns last time and accordingly gets dropped back to 1300M today. We’re giving him another chance. (5) GLOBAL BANK has raced in stiff company in each of his outings so far and while he only managed 5^th when favourite over the distance last time, the margins were tight, and he surely has more wins in him. While Icheon Ssal will come from the back, Global Bank will likely be on pace early. (10) SAMSAM VICTORY must be respected following a win at this class over 1200M last time while (9) GEUMSUN YOU is up in class having come too close at domestic class 5 and should be competitive here. (2) NAMCHON ARTIST and (7) WHIZ REINA others who can go close.

Selections	(6) Icheon Ssal (5) Global Bank (9) Geumson You (7) Whiz Reina
Next Best	10, 2
Fast Start	5, 8, 10