Playtime is over. The Seoul jockey room has had its fun over the past couple of months but the big boys are back in town on Saturday with both Moon Se Young (jaw and ribs) and Kim Yong Geun (ankle) back in the saddle after breaking bones earlier in the year. There are 11 Saturday races in the capital from 10:45 to 18:00.
Back – Moon Se Young
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Top jockeys Moon Se Young and Kim Yong Geun return after lengthy injury absences and its Kim who should get back in the winner’s circle first as he rides (10) SIMON FRUIT, set to be favourite here. He was 2nd on debut at this distance before coming up short when favourite on his reappearance two weeks ago but dropped back to 1000M today, should have too much. (1) DAECHEON HERO was an improved 2nd on what was his third outing a month ago and he looks clear second best here. As for the rest, they are going to need to improve. (7) INDIAN ECO and (8) GANGSANUI ACHIM have offered glimpse of talent across their starts so far and could go close while (11) SOKBO ONGJU hasn’t been too far away in her latest two and could play a role.
| Selections | (10) Simon Fruit (1) Daecheon Hero (7) Indian Eco (8) Gangsanui Achim |
| Next Best | 11, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens only here. (3) RAON ZEUS was 2nd in a close and quick race at the distance on what was his second start on March 11th. He returns after ten weeks and should be on pace from the start and should win this. (4) HANIL DREAM just missed out by a neck on what for him too was a second career outing four weeks ago and he’ll likely be the main danger. Those are the only two who have raced more than once. (8) GWACHEON JANGSA and (9) MACH CHEONHA didn’t disgrace themselves on their respective debuts and can improve today while among the four first-time starters, (11) GREEN PARK looks most promising based on trials.
| Selections | (3) Raon Zeus (4) Hanil Dream (8) Gwacheon Jangsa (9) Mach Cheonha |
| Next Best | 11, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 8 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(5) HANSEN BAROWS drops back in trip following a couple of useful efforts around 1700M. He’s drawn in the middle today so is likely to look to get on speed right from the start and today could be his day. (6) CUPID GANGJA and (11) BAEKDUI TAEYANG both come in with recent form reading positively, the latter looking very much like he’s figuring things out and while he was twelve-lengths behind a good winner in 3rd last time, he looks the biggest threat. (2) HUIMANG STAR was 2nd at the distance last time and while that race was slightly weaker, could repeat here. (1) POX RANGER is best of the rest.
| Selections | (5) Hansen Barows (11) Baekdui Taeyang (6) Cupid Gangja (2) Huimang Star |
| Next Best | 1, 3 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 8 |
Race 4: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(2) OK DEURIM beat Raon Zeus, who we saw in race 2, on her way to her maiden win in March. She was favourite on her first try at this level on April 8th but could only manage 2nd place over this distance having led for much of the race She’s well worth another chance today. It’s a competitive race though. (3) VICAR SCOOP finally makes her class 5 debut after having to be scratched a couple of weeks ago – she was a very good winner at the distance in February. (6) GLOBAL NEWS beat (5) J.S. STORM as the pair ran 3rd and 5th respectively at class and distance and both should be a factor here. (4) MALAKAS and (7) FLYING JOY ran together last time and both those also have the ability to go well. (1) BEST VICTORY is up in class following a maiden score last time but perhaps has a bit more to find.
| Selections | (2) Ok Deurim (6) Global News (3) Vicar Scoop (5) J.S. Storm |
| Next Best | 4, 7, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 9 |
Race 5: Class 4 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Wide open race for fillies and mares only which combines some experienced winners with a couple of imports making just their first and second starts. (3) GEOSEON MAPUNG certainly caught the eye with a five-length win at the end of March. She made all and has claims to repeat. (11) JEONGSANG MUJEOK was a three-length winner at class and distance last time and will be in the frame also likely from the front. (1) DALLYEORA LEO and (5) BLUE EMPIRE came home 2nd and 3rd at class and distance on April 28th. For Blue Empire that was her debut and she has every chance of building on it here. There is one debut-maker. That’s Simon Foster’s (7) WOMAN VOLT and she looked decent enough in trials to suggest she can go well first-up. (8) RICH MINE is rapidly up in class following back to back wins and can be considered too.
| Selections | (3) Geosen Mapung (11) Jeongsang Mujeok (5) Blue Empire (7) Woman Volt |
| Next Best | 5, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) BOLD SHINING beat a couple of these on his way to 2nd place at class and distance on April 22nd. It continued his positive form and he can go one better here. The two who were behind him that day, (9) WOOSERA ICHEON and (2) CHEONHA HYEONGGUK came home 4th and 5th and they should both be in the hunt to match or better that today with Wooseora Icheon once more favoured to get closer. (4) KKEULEOJUNEUN SON has perhaps lost her way a little but there remains some hope she can come good. (7) WITH FRIENDSHIP enters off of three consecutive 3rd place finishes and could well make it four today.
| Selections | (3) Bold Shining (9) Wooseora Icheon (7) With Friendship (4) Kkeuleojuneun Son |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 9 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(8) BRILLIANT might be more accurately titled “decent enough” but he shouldn’t need too much in the way of brilliance to at least get close here. He has been a touch disappointing in his latest two but should have the beating of plenty of these. (5) THUNDER MARINE didn’t go well at 1700M last start but can return to form dropped back in trip today. (1) HUIMANG POINT has run well in two starts back following a six-month layoff and can continue that here. (3) SEVEN’S LUCKY is inconsistent but has talent on his day while (7) DAEHAENG DAEBAK ran a solid 3rd at 1300M last time out and should be in at least the placing frame here.
| Selections | (8) Brilliant (5) Thunder Marine (1) Huimang Point (7) Daehaeng Daebak |
| Next Best | 3, 4 |
| Fast Start | 4, 7, 8, 12 |
Race 8: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(1) BROWN BOMBER has finished 2nd and 3rd in his latest two outings, both at this class and he’s favoured to get it right this time. He can settle just behind the early lead and have too much in the closing stages. (6) SPEED IS KHAN was 4th behind Brown Bomber last time and can go close once more. (11) ROYAL TANK was just a neck behind Speed Is Khan in that race and can be considered for improvement too. (3) THE KING was a very nice winner over 1300M on debut and is up in both class and trip here but should go well from the front. (12) BULSA BULPAE is a winner already at this distance at class 6 and comes in after a useful 3rd at this level last time.
| Selections | (1) Brown Bomber (3) The King (6) Speed Is Khan (12) Bulsa Bulpae |
| Next Best | 11, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 11 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(9) NAMCHON ARTIST stepped up to this distance on April 21st and it did the trick as he ran out a two-length winner with three of these some way back down the track. He made all that day and only carries an extra couple of kilos here and he can repeat. (8) SEONGEUN GANGJA is also a winner at this class and distance and has come close to following up in three starts since. He looks the main danger. (6) GEUMA FORTE ran a useful 6th in a tougher race than this over the distance four weeks ago and can go better here. (1) GWANAK HAMSEONG was 6th behind Namchon Artist last time and looks to have the best chance of those who went that day of getting closer. (4) SKY CITY’s recent form reads positively, and she should be in at least the placing frame too.
| Selections | (9) Namchon Artist (8) Seongeun Gangja (6) Geuma Forte (4) Sky City |
| Next Best | 1, 7 |
| Fast Start | 9 |
Race 10: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(1) SPERO beat (3) DANGDAE GEOLJAK and (2) SINGIPARANG as the three of them came home 2nd, 3rd and 5th in a similar race over 1900M on March 24th. All three of them were prominent throughout and will be expected to be on pace early here and battle it out once again. Spero was the most fancied among the three last time but Dangdae Geoljak has a significant weight advantage today and he gets top pick. Singiparang is the only one of the three who has raced since and he did well, running 2nd at 2000M on April 21st. An outsider in both those races, he’ll be much better supported today. Aside from those three, (5) ANYANG TIGER, well back behind Singiparang last time, and (6) NANCHOUI GOHYANG look the best.
| Selections | (3) Dangdae Geoljak (1) Spero (2) Singiparang (6) Nanchoui Gohyang |
| Next Best | 5, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(4) MUSA has won his latest three and four from six in total. He’s up in class here and faces his stiffest test since beginning this streak in January, but he can come through it. He’s well drawn to get on speed early and lead all the way. (10) STORM RYKER comes in having won his latest two in fine fashion. The most recent of those was at class and distance and while he carries an extra 4kg today, a repeat is possible. (11) GEUMAK YEOJE has a 3rd and 4th in two outings at this class so far, with a couple of her rivals here behind her last time and she should be a threat too. (2) CHEONG UN SIDAE and the up in class (5) YEONDARA look best of the rest.
| Selections | (4) Musa (10) Storm Ryker (11) Geumak Yeoje (5) Yeondara |
| Next Best | 2, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 10, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 