It’s Grand Prix Eve!! The big race is at Seoul on Sunday afternoon with the likes of Triple Nine, Cheongdam Dokki and Dolkong set to contest the traditional season-finale. We;ll have a full runner-by-runner guide 24 hours from now. In the meantime, it’s turned very cold on the Korean peninsula the past couple days but racing will be taking place on Saturday as usual in the capital with 13 races from 10:45 to 18:00:
A reminder of warmer months – it’s freezing in Seoul now!
Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
A weak maiden to begin with and (1) BLUE FIRE has shown enough across four starts to date to suggest he can live with better company than this and should really be making the breakthrough. He should be able to get an easy lead here and go all the way. (6) CHEONJI GISANG was a much-improved 3rd last time out at this distance and if he continues to progress here, he can better that (8) PUNGMUNEURO too has been getting lately and comes in off the back of consecutive 4th place finishes. (5) HARD PRINCESS and (7) SPECIAL BIRD look best of the rest.
| Selections | (1) Blue Fire (6) Cheonji Gisang (8) Pungmuneuro (7) Special Bird |
| Next Best | 5, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(3) CHEONGDAM QUEENS ran a good 3rd place at this distance in October and then led part of the ay round over 1300M last start before weakening. Dropped back to the minimum today, she can win. (2) JILPUNG GANGJA raced three times without distinction in spring and early summer. She’s been off since June but has trialled up twice over the past month looking in much better order and is set to be much improved first-up here. (9) SEMYEONG GISANG improved on his second start a month ago and while he’s yet to show much in the way of speed, can continue his development here. (7) WHITE VELVET has offered little in three outings so far but raced very keenly over 1300M last time. He may be better dropped back in trip today. (8) ULTRA MISSILE has got two 3rd placed to his name and offered a hint of coming back into form with a 5th place on his most recent start.
| Selections | (3) Cheongdam Queens (2) Jilpung Gangja (7) White Velvet (8) Ultra Missile |
| Next Best | 9, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 9, 10 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Maiden juvenile fillies with six of the twelve racing for the first time. It’s the experienced ones who will be favoured. (1) SAMAE JILJU ran 2nd on debut, well-beaten by a good winner, but showing enough to suggest she has plenty of potential. From the inside gate she’ll be on pace early and can win. (3) CHARON BLADE also ran well for a 2nd place of her own four weeks ago and is the main danger for a bang in-form stable. (5) GREEN SARANG improved to 2nd on what was her second outing on November 10th, finishing just over four-lengths in front of (10) HAE SAEM CHAN in 4th The latter may well overturn the form here. The wonderfully-named (2) HORSE QUEEN looks best of the rest.
| Selections | (1) Samae Jilju (3) Charon Blade (10) Hae Saem Chan (5) Green Sarang |
| Next Best | 2, 12 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 12 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
More juvenile maidens with six of the ten racing for the first time. The ones with experience haven’t really impressed with only (3) DAE YONGWANG and (4) DASHING CANOE hinting at any ability. That means we’ll turn to the newcomers for top picks with (10) ECO BROTHER looking the best. He looked competent when just being beaten a head in a fast trial last month and if he runs like that in an actual race, he’ll win. (2) DRAGON BOAT similarly caught the eye in his heat as did, to a slightly lesser extent, (7) IL MARE. As ever in these races, the market may end up being the best guide.
| Selections | (10) Eco Brother (2) Dragon Boat (4) Dashing Canoe (3) Dae Yongwang |
| Next Best | 7, 9 |
| Fast Start | 7, 10 |
Race 5: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
More juvenile maidens and this time seven of the ten have raced before. (3) RAON PATRICK is one of those and he raced abysmally, standing flat-footed in the gates and losing a lot of ground. Accordingly, he was banned for two months and ordered to do two trials. He did them and moreover, he made all in both of those trials. We should see a very different horse today than the one we saw in September and he’s the one to beat. Luigi Riccardi’s (2) MAMMA ROMA has hinted at ability across two starts so far and drops back in trip after a useful 4th last time out. She’ll be a threat as will (7) BLADE STORM, who raced greenyl on debut in October but still managed to finish 3rd. Among the first-timers, (6) GREEN CINDY caught the eye in trials.
| Selections | (3) Raon Patrick (2) Mamma Roma (7) Blade Storm (6) Green Cindy |
| Next Best | 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(6) HANIL DALBIT has run well in two starts at this level since getting his maiden win in August. He’s had eight weeks off since his most recent start, when he was beaten less than a length over 1000M and back up in trip today, he’ll be the one to beat. (8) BEST EVER was a five-length winner on debut in October but ran poorly when favourite on his return last month. There were excuses involving a poor start and the horse resenting the kickback and it’s too soon to write him off. If he runs like he did on debut, he’ll go close. (2) REVELSIMMARD and (3) GLORY VERN both come in off useful latest starts and should be in at least the placing frame while (7) GOD OF SOCKS is up in class after a solid maiden win and can be competitive at this level.
| Selections | (6) Hanil Dalbit (8) Best Ever (7) God Of Socks (2) Revelsimmard |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 7 |
Race 7: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(1) STEEL RUN remains a maiden after eleven attempts but her latest couple of outings have been encouraging. She tends to leave herself too much to do which is a concern at this distance but there’s little to fear in this field and so long as she gets away well, this could be her day. (8) JUYEON came home 6th last time but with a bit of luck it could have been 3rd. She looks to be on the improve and can get closer here. (6) YAHO M J CAT went well on debut at this distance and while she had a hard time at 1300M on her reappearance, she should be better today. (4) CHOWON YEOJEONSA and (10) CUPID CHOICE are others who should be in at least the placing frame.
| Selections | (1) Steel Run (8) Juyeon (6) Yaho M J Cat (10) Cupid Choice |
| Next Best | 4, 9 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 9 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(7) LOVELY NUTE won on her first try at this class two weeks ago over this distance. And while she carries an extra 3kg today, there’s no reason why she can’t repeat in this very similar all-filly affair. It will be harder though. (1) NEUNGRYEOK SIDAE ran 5th on her first try at this level over 1700M three weeks ago. She was a very good winner at this distance on October and can go close here. (3) FIORE actually beat Lovely Nute when the pair came home 2st and 2nd back in September. She ran reasonably well on her only start since and can have a say here. (4) DAESEONG MALLI and (8) YORI JORI are also both capable of making an impact in this company.
| Selections | (7) Lovely Nute (1) Neungryeok Sidae (3) Fiore (4) Daeseong Malli |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 7, 9 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(4) GARA GARA GA has had four attempts at this level now and is surely ready to win. She ran 3rd last time in slightly tougher company last start three weeks ago and looks the one to beat. (2) SIMCHEONG SADAL ran 3rd behind Gara Gara Ga, just a neck back when they raced each other in October. He returns from six weeks off and can give the favourite a run for his money. (1) RAON PRIMER and (6) GIDONG DAEJANG are both better than recent form suggests, and both could improve here while (3) GWANGMA HILL has had a couple of months off after bleeding last time out. She trialled up competently and can go well.
| Selections | (4) Gara Gara Ga (2) Simcheong Sadal (3) Gwangma Hill (1) Raon Primer |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4 |
Race 10: Class 4 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(8) STRONG CAPTAIN beat three of these on his way to 2nd place over class and distance on November 10th when he was less than a length behind the winner. He went close the time before as well and could well get it right today. It’s a competitive race though. (2) HAETSAL WANGJA beat Strong Captain the last time he raced at this distance and will be a danger while (11) CAPTAIN POWER ran a good class and distance 2nd last time and can go close as well. (1) SKY CITY and (6) HAPPY TODAY are others in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Strong Captain (2) Haetsal Wangja (11) Captain Power (6) Happy Today |
| Next Best | 1, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 11 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
Six of these raced each other over class and distance on November 3rd and it was (3) JISANGMYEONGRYEONG who took the spoils, winning by two-lengths from (8) FLYING MUNNING and (5) IGYEOJUMA. They were the top three in the market that day and they most likely will be again. Jisangmyeongryeong will have to deal with an additional 5kg today and while he can overcome that, it’s enough to slightly favour the other pair. Among the also-rans that day, (10) WANGUI DAERO could improve while of the ones who didn’t run in that race, (12) NAMCHON ARTIST, a touch disappointing last start, could be one to step up.
| Selections | (5) Igyeojuma (8) Flying Munning (3) Jisangmyeongryeong (12) Namchon Artist |
| Next Best | 10, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 7, 12 |
Race 12: Class 1 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 110 Million
Wide open class 1 handicap and (5) SINGGEUREOUN GEOM is favoured to bounce back from a slightly disappointing effort in the President’s Cup and return to winning ways. Longest but one shot in that President’s Cup was (4) YAHO SKY CAT and yet he managed to pull off an unlikely 2nd place. He has beaten plenty of these before and must be afforded more respect today. (9) DAEIL SHINHWA pulled off a shock class and distance win on November 3rd with plenty of these trailing in behind, including (1) GAEULI JEONSEOL and (11) SOTONG SIDAE. Both those will be expected to overturn that form today. (2) WILD THUNDER was another also-ran that day and he too can give a better account of himself here.
| Selections | (5) Singgeureoun Geom (4) Yaho Sky Cat (2) Wild Thunder (1) Gaeuli Jeonseol |
| Next Best | 11, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 6 |
Race 13: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(5) FLYING CHAMP was a class and distance winner on October 20th, with a couple of his rivals here behind him and while he does carry an additional 3.5kg today, he can repeat. (1) PRIME GOLD beat for of these on his way to 2nd a month ago, closing strongly. From gate 1 he can sit just behind the early lead and finish off well. (12) NOVEMBER MORNING was 3rd that day and can aim to at least match here. (2) MUSIGNY races for the first time since September and is a proven class and distance winner. (9) BEST ROAD was well back behind Flying Champ last start but can improve today.
| Selections | (5) Flying Champ (1) Prime Gold (2) Musigny (12) November Morning |
| Next Best | 9, 11 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 