It’s KRA Cup Mile Day! However, there is also the matter of an eleven-race card at Seoul to get stuck into. The first race is at 10:45 and the last at 18:00. Cup Mile Preview will be in a separate post above:
Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(8) DORAON ACHIM HAE was 2nd to a good winner last start on March 11th and should have too much for this field of three-year-old maidens. He should get to the lead early and will be hard to beat. (5) ROYAL PRINCE was 4th in that same race and probably has the best chance of getting close to the favourite along with two others who come in off the back of 4th place finishes last time, (6) DAE UNHA and (7) FINE HEART, both of whom were racing for just the second time. (1) JUMBO CAPTAIN also ran in that March 11th race and didn’t go well but he has shown ability before, landing a 2nd place finish at the distance in February and could improve today.
| Selections | (8) Doraon Achim Hae (5) Royal Prince (6) Dae Unha (7) Fine Heart |
| Next Best | 1, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 8 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(8) MIR PARK has shown improvement across three starts so far, culminating in 2nd place at the distance on March 3rd. She came from well back that day and if given a slightly better chance this time, she can win this all-filly maiden. Also improving is (11) VALLEY MOON. She is still yet to win after fifteen starts but has been getting closer and comes in following a career-best 2nd at the distance on March 10th, beating a couple of these in the process and she can get close again. (1) GOLDEN WEDDING and (3) ARGO UNIQUE also enter in reasonably promising form although the latter was some way back behind Mir Park last time, while (4) SPECIAL GOLD steps up in trip for the first time following a good 4th at 1000M last time.
| Selections | (8) Mir Park (11) Valley Moon (1) Golden Wedding (4) Special Gold |
| Next Best | 3, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 8, 10, 12 |
Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(7) KING EXPLOIT may still be a maiden, but he was only narrowly beaten in a fast race at class and distance on March 10th and with a similar performance could take some beating this time. He’ll sit close to the early lead and should be too strong late on. Plenty of others in the hunt though. (6) CALLING KING and (3) SEUNGRI NARAE came home 2nd and 3rd respectively when they raced each other at class and distance last month and both can get close again. (2) BULSA BULPAE interestingly steps back in trip following some good efforts at 1700M, including her maiden win, and she shouldn’t be far away. (4) ARES THUNDER is up in class as a result of an all the way win at this trip last time. He’ll likely try to lead again and should be a factor.
| Selections | (7) King Exploit (3) Seungri Narae (2) Bulsa Bulpae (4) Ares Thunder |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 4 |
Race 4: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(2) OK DEURIM was a surprise winner at this distance last time and is accordingly up in class today. There really isn’t much to fear here, however, and she has every chance of making it two in a row. (6) JEJUI BARAM hasn’t found things easy in two starts at this level since her maiden win in January but could be worth another chance today with the services of David Breux for the first time. It’s slim pickings among the rest so we really are looking for something to improve. (1) LUCKY MISS hasn’t gone well in two starts at this level but comes in off two months off and could be capable of reproducing the form she showed on debut last October. (3) NEW WORLD STAR and (5) DAESEONG RUBY are other possibles.
| Selections | (2) Ok Deurim (6) Jejui Baram (1) Lucky Miss (5) Daeseong Ruby |
| Next Best | 3, 10, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 6 |
Race 5: Class 4 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(1) SUPER SOCKS made all to win at the distance on debut in January before trying to repeat the trick when stepped up to 1300M for his first reappearance a month ago. He weakened late on that day but dropped back down in distance again here, he should be a different prospect and can win. (2) JEONGSANG CHAMP was 3rd in a quick race at the distance on March 3rd and should be in the frame here. (10) LEADING RACER was further back that day but didn’t run badly and can get closer this time. (6) MANHATTAN MUSIC should be better dropped back down to the minimum today. (4) GEUMA ANNUITY didn’t look ready when debuting on Christmas Eve. He looked much more like a racehorse when re-qualifying here weeks ago and could go well first-up today. The other “socks”, (3) AMAZING SOCKS, looks best of the rest.
| Selections | (1) Super Socks (2) Jeongsang Champ (4) Geuma Annuity (3) Amazing Socks |
| Next Best | 6, 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(1) I B S MAN was a good 2nd over 1300M three weeks ago behind a winner who made all. This time, he should be the one getting out into an early lead and looks the one to beat. (4) SPEED CHEONGNYONG has a 2nd and a 4th from his latest two, both at class and distance and both in useful company and be should be a threat here. (9) KING MESSENGER was 6th in the most recent of those and can also improve. (6) ONLY GO registered a decent 3rd over 1700M last start and drops back into trip and into the frame. (5) DOUBLE GOLD had a poor day at the office on his first try at this level last time but can be given another chance here.
| Selections | (1) I B S Man (4) Speed Cheongnyong (5) Double Gold (6) Only Go |
| Next Best | 2, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 8 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A few standouts here but it’s (3) SIMPLE LIFE who gets the nod by virtue of 2nd place – albeit well back behind a good winner – at the distance on March 3rd. He’s shown plenty of speed across his six starts so far and can get his third win here. (8) HANSEONG KING beat (2) SWEETLY HUMOR as the pair raced 2nd and 3rd respectively over 1300M in January. Both have run once since then with Sweetly Humor putting in the slightly better performance, but both should be in contention once again. (1) ROYAL PARK is up in class after obliging when favourite over this distance on March 4th. She’s had a stop-start career but looks to be benefitting from getting a string of runs under her belt and she could go well again. (5) SUPER TRICK and (6) CHARMING GOOD look best of the rest.
| Selections | (3) Simple Life (2) Sweetly Humor (8) Hanseong King (6) Charming Good |
| Next Best | 5, 1, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6 |
Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(6) HAPPY SENSATION was a good 2nd over 1900M at this class on February 24th. She carries an additional 3kg today but her stable has come into top form of late and she can go one better today. (3) MR. FORTUNE and (2) LUCKY HEART came home 4th and 5th in that race and both have chances to overturn that form today. For Mr. Fortune that race was his first time around two turns and he took to it well while Lucky Heart may benefit from the services of David Breux this time. (7) DAEGUNHAM stepped up to this trip last start and registered a solid 3rd, some way behind a good winner but an encouraging performance nonetheless and one he can build on here. (5) BOLT SIGN should be at least matching the 4th and 5th he’s achieved in his latest two efforts.
| Selections | (6) Happy Sensation (2) Lucky Heart (3) Mr. Fortune (7) Daegunham |
| Next Best | 5, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 8 |
Race 9: Class 3 (1900M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
Absolutely wide-open handicap with only four of the twelve having raced at this distance before. Of those four, (4) SMOKEY VALE was a winner at it, at this class, in February. He only carried 52.5kg that day and made little impression when carrying similar to today on his reappearance three weeks ago. However, that was a tougher race and was at 1700M so he is probably worth another chance today. (12) GIANT KILLER is another with a good result at this distance and is one of a number who will probably look to come from well off the pace today. Among those tackling 1900M for the first time, (9) LONG WAY enters off a win over 1700M and then a good 4th in a tough race over 1400M at the end of February and should be in the frame. (8) JANGSAN CHEONHA and (7) WANGUI DAERO came home 2nd and 3rd respectively when they raced each other and a couple of others who go here over 1800M on March 3rd and both can go close again.
| Selections | (4) Smokey Vale (9) Long Way (7) Wangui Daero (12) Giant Killer |
| Next Best | 8, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6 |
Race 10: Class 1 (2000M) Handicap / KRW 150 Million
Very competitive class 1 race which is restricted to horses with a rating of no more than 100. (8) YAHO SKY CAT races at the distance for the first time and comes in following a very good 4th in the Owners’ Trophy last month. He’s run well at 1800M in the past and is beautifully weighted here. He may well try to lead from gate to wire. (1) SUPER COMMANDO hasn’t quite kicked on from winning the JRA Trophy last September and was well back behind Yaho Sky Cat last start. However, he ran a solid 5th at this distance behind Cheongdam Dokki in January and could go well in this kind of race. (10) CUPID POWER is another who finds himself carrying very little weight and can improve. (5) MIGHTY GEM was 4th at this distance in the final leg of last year’s Queens’ Tour in Busan and could be dangerous getting up late on. (3) SOTONG SIDAE can never be ruled out.
| Selections | (5) Mighty Gem (8) Yaho Sky Cat (1) Super Commando (10) Cupid Power |
| Next Best | 3, 11 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 8 |
Race 11: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) JIGONG BULPAE comes in following a string of 3rd and 4th place finishes in each of which she has run on nicely but has each time been left with a bit too much to do. Instead of being bumped up in trip, she’s been dropped back to 1200M today and will perhaps be ridden a touch further forward. She looks the best of these and can win. (9) HYEONMU is up in class having come too close too many times at class 5 and he should be in with a shout. (1) SOKBO TAEJA and (6) BLACK MUSIC haven’t shown their true ability in their latest couple of outings but are capable of ore and could improve in this company. (4) MONTRACHET showed signs of coming to grips with this level last start at 1000M and could go well today.
| Selections | (7) Jigong Bulpae (9) Hyeonmu (4) Montrachet (6) Black Music |
| Next Best | 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 8, 9 |
Horse Racing in Korea 