It’s one of those rare Saturdays where both Seoul and Busan hold cards. Both meetings are behind closed doors with no legal betting available to punters in Korea. Blue Chipper and Doctor Carson face off in the feature at Busan. There are 9 races in Seoul from 11:00 to 18:00 and 6 in Busan from 11:30 to 16:30. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maidens kick us off with five of the ten making their racecourse debuts. We’re going to put a couple of ones with experience on top though. (5) BENCAL PRINCESS was a trial winner in June and then Debuted on July 3rd when the Cowboy Cal filly settled midfield before running on strong for a good 2nd place finish in a fast time behind a good winner who ran 3rd at class 5 level last weekend. Three of today’s rivals were behind her. With natural improvement out of that race, she can win today. (9) YUKWAEHAN SEONTAEK ran 3rd on own debut at this distance back on June 20th. He settled close to the pace that day and ran on and can go close again with Antonio Da Silva climbing aboard. (1) ROAD ACE was 5^th behind BENCAL PRINCESS running on pleasingly enough from a midfield position. He can improve today. There were a few promising trial performances from the newcomers with (6) SPEED GALLOP and (8) GEOLJAK DREAM the main eye-catchers.

Selections	(5) Bencal Princess (9) Yukwaehan Seontaek (1) Road Ace (6) Speed Gallop
Next Best	8, 7
Fast Start	1, 5, 8, 9

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maidens go around here with six of the eleven making their racecourse debuts. One of the first-timers is set to be the favourite in the shape of (8) AGAIN TOUCH. A half-sister to last year’s KRA Cup Mile and Minister’s Cup winner Touch Star Man through their dam, Korean Oaks winner Useung Touch. She trialed very nicely in a fast time on a good rated track on July 17th finishing a very close 2nd to a horse that went on to win first-up a couple of weeks ago. If she brings that form to the races, she will win. Among those with experience, (2) GREAT BLUE is the pick. He didn’t catch the eye in his trial but came from well back to run 6th on debut at this distance in a decent time and with a couple of today’s rivals behind him. With a bit of natural improvement, he can get closer today. (11) MONGTTANG, a stablemate of Again Touch, was 7th on debut in that race and will also be expected to improve second-up. Returning to the first-timers, both (6) B.K. MARSHALL and (7) UNJU BULPAE registered decent times and competent performances and are worth keeping an eye on.

Selections	(8) Again Touch (2) Great Blue (11) Mongttang (6) B.K. Marshall
Next Best	7, 4
Fast Start	3, 4, 6, 8

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

(3) SOEWAKKOT was a winner at start number two over 1000M on June 12^th when he made all in a fast time on a wet track. He then lost his way from the widest gate on his reappearance over 1200M on July 11^th but still rallied well enough to finish in 4^th place. He draws much better today and looks very much the one to beat. Korea’s all-time leading jockey in terms of winners Park Tae-jong returns from injury and on his first ride back has a decent prospect in the shape of (6) GEUMGUKHWA. She’s posted the fastest time among these at the distance and should be looking for a career best finish here. She will challenge Soewakkot for the early lead as will (5) K N TEUKGEUP, who has a 3^rd place to her name at this distance. Her last start was underwhelming but she comes down in the weights with an apprentice aboard and into the frame. (7) SINUI HANSU and (1) OKDONG GONGJU are others with placing hopes.

Selections	(3) Soewakkot (6) Geumgukhwa (5) K N Teukgeup (7) Sinui Hansu
Next Best	1, 10
Fast Start	3, 5, 6, 11

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 45 Million

More juvenile maidens here this time with five of the ten racing for the first time. There are a couple of standouts and to choose between them we will side with experience and (7) YEONGGWANGUILEGEND. He won a May trial before placing 2nd in a fast time on debut on July 16th at this distance when he sat handy and then ran on. He draws the same gate today and should have come on for that debut run. The primary danger is a first-timer. (4) GOLDENTHUNDERBOLT was a front-running 2nd in his trial on July 24th coming home in a good time. From a nice draw he can be on pace again and will be running on strong at the business end of the race. The rest will have to be taken on trust somewhat. (8) SEOGWI POINT was on pace early but weakened for 6th over 1200M on debut on July 9th. She drops back in trip today and may improve for that run. (6) BARBELL STORM went through a couple of trials improving in the second of them and he may go ok here. It was hard to judge (3) ADELE BOSS on his trial as it was very slowly run but the trainer/jockey combination will tempt some.

Selections	(7) Yeonggwanguilegend (4) Goldenthunderbolt (8) Seogwi Point (6) Barbell Storm
Next Best	3, 9
Fast Start	4, 5, 7, 8

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

(3) IMUGI has been getting closer over the course of his five starts so far and comes in having run 3^rd over 1400M when he led until the closing stages. He comes back in trip here and draws very nicely to lead again with solid claims to break through. (11) ROSEDAY MARINE has by some margin the quickest time of any of these at the distance, recorded when 2^nd back in April. Since then she has three consecutive 5^th places to her name, all at this distance and having led in two of them. While the gate may not be ideal if she can sit close to the pace, she will be in the finish. (6) DDATTEUTHANBIT and (10) YAS both showed signs of figuring things out in the respective latest outings. Ddatteuthanbit comes up in trip after running on well for 3^rd over 1000M on June 12^th while Yas comes down after running 4^th at 1300M on July 10^th. Both have placing claims here. Along with Roseday Marine, (7) MEOTJIN GUY is the only other onw in the field with a runner-up finish to his name, achieved three starts back at 1300M and while his times have not been spectacular, that in itself puts him in the frame.

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