It’s the Eve of the 2019 Keeneland Korea Cup & Korea Sprint and ten overseas-trained horses are at Seoul for Sunday’s big races. Saturday’s warm-up program sees 13 races scheduled from 10:45 to 18:00 including valuable trophy exchange races. There is of course the specter of Typhoon Lingling that is set to skirt the South Korean coastline not far from Seoul during the afternoon. In hope, rather than expectation, here are the previews:
Scenes like this on Saturday would be considered a lucky outcome…
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(12) BLADE STORM ran five times around the turn of the year registering a couple of 3rd place finishes in the process. He’s not been seen since March but trialled well in August and looks set to go well first up here. (9) JANGSU NABOM was an improved runner-up on what was just his second career start in July and can continue to make progress here while (11) CHOEGANG CAMP also showed some improvement when retuning five months after his debut in August. (5) J.S. POWER should be on pace early and can hold on for some money while (7) HAE SAEM CHAN looks best of the rest.
| Selections | (12) Blade Storm (9) Jangsu Nabom (11) Choegang Camp (5) J.S. Power |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 9 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens with just three of the twelve having raced before. One of those three, (2) WINNER BLUE, did rather well on debut running a good 3rd over this distance on August 10th. He’ll be expected to be on speed here and can win. The dangers are the first-timers, principally (7) GEOSEON JILJU. He was just beaten a head in a good trial a month ago with a couple of these well back down the track behind him. Top jockey on ang big chance. (6) DANAEUN SUCCESS also went well his trial, as did (11) COMPLETE CAPTAIN and (12) BAEKDUSAN CHEONJI. As ever, watch the market.
| Selections | (2) Winner Blue (7) Geoseon Jilju (6) Danaeun Success (11) Complete Captain |
| Next Best | 12, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) OUR SIMON raced a couple of times without distinction last December and this March before finally returning to trial in August. She looked much better on her return, trialling well and will be expected to run well first-up today. (7) ARASHI and (8) GEUM NORAE were both significantly improved runners-up in their respective latest outings and both can go close here. The former ran on well after a poor start last start while Geum Norae’s improvement was attributed by his stable to his manners improving. (9) RAPIDO BOLT did nothing too wrong when 4th on debut in July and can build on it here while (10) CHEONNYEONUI GODO looks best of the rest.
| Selections | (2) Our Simon (8) Geum Norae (7) Arashi (9) Rapido Bolt |
| Next Best | 10, 12 |
| Fast Start | 2, 8 |
Race 4: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(8) BISAYEON is up in class having been an eye-catching eight-length winner, making all over 1200M at the end of June. He’s had a couple of months off since and drops back in distance here but is firmly in the hunt. (1) UTGE HAEJULGE didn’t have the best of trips when running 5th last start, his first at this class, and he can be given another chance today. (11) GEUM ROYAL comes in after a useful runner-up finish at class and distance and won’t need much improvement to be in the mix here. (12) AN MOK HANG was a solid maiden winner a month ago and while up in class today, is another who should be competitive.
| Selections | (8) Bisayeon (1) Utge Haejulge (11) Geum Royal (12) An Mok Hang |
| Next Best | 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5 |
Race 5: Class 4 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
Eight previously unraced imported juveniles go around here. Favourite will be (3) BRAVE QUEEN, a Khozan filly who won her trial by a full ten-lengths a month ago. She’ll be expected to be on pace from the start and lead all the way. (5) CHARLIE STYLE also won his trial, albeit in slightly less emphatic fashion, beating a couple of these in the process and he looks to be the main danger. (6) SUN FO RE was 2nd on that trial, four-lengths back but looked competent enough. (4) MUNHAK KING and (7) GLOBAL ACE others who caught the eye in trials.
| Selections | (3) Brave Queen (5) Charlie Style (4) Munhak King (7) Global Ace |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(2) CHOIN GANGJA will be hot favourite for this. After winning on debut, he was beaten into 2nd when favourite for his first try at this class at the end of July. While he probably wouldn’t have beaten the winner anyway, he made a bad start but ran on well and today should make no mistake. (1) TAEPUNG EYES has proven consistent at this level and should be aiming for a place while (4) MISSILE CANDY was just beaten a neck at class and distance last start and should be close again. (9) COILRO was never involved after getting crowded at the start on his latest appearance but should improve here. (11) P.K. (more…)
Horse Racing in Korea 