Three months of Stakes action gets underway on Sunday with both Seoul and Busan hosted Listed races for the top juveniles from this year’s crop, the Munhwa Ilbo Cup at Seoul and the Areumdaun Jilju Stakes at Busan. There are 9 Sunday races at Seoul – with the great Cheongdam Dokki also putting in an appearance – from 10:45 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 12:10 to 17:30. The Seoul meeting will be run behind-closed-doors but Busan will be open for customers with a reservation made on the MyCard app. Here are the Previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens go around here with eight of the twelve racing for the first time. We’ll side with experience and (4) SARYEONI FIRST who ran 2^nd to – and well beaten by – Aspen Taeyang on debut on August 21^st. He settled back and then ran on, finishing in a fast time on a wet track and with some natural improvement for that experience, he can be the one to beat today. (3) MENI WONDERFUL is a colt for whom there are high hopes. He’s the first foal to make the track from his dam Meni Money, a winner of eight races and herself out of a one-time track record holder here over the 1800M. He ran pleasingly enough for 4^th on debut at this distance on August 15^th and it would be no surprise if he improved sufficiently to win this. It would be a surprise if the quinella featured anything other than these two but there are one or two first-timers to keep an eye on. (6) COSMO will be third-favourite in the market having won her trial on a wet track on September 10^th. She was always prominent and while her time was no better than fair, she can acquit herself well. (1) RAON THE JET and (10) YONGAM BOSS others who went reasonably well in their heats.

Selections	(4) Saryeoni First (3) Meni Wonderful (6) Cosmo (1) Raon The Jet
Next Best	10, 11
Fast Start	3, 4, 69

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

It’s hard to go far past (5) BYEOLUI SUNGAN here. He’s run 3^rd and 2^nd in two starts so far, both times only beaten by similarly promising animals and both times running on strong over 1000M. The additional furlong should suit and he’s the one to beat. If anything is to beat them, then the prime candidate is the sole previous winner in the race, (9) GREEN FEELSTAR. Her victory came two starts back over this distance when she settled towards the front of midfield and then ran on well in a fair time. She returned on August 28^th to beat a couple of these on her wat to a decent enough 5^th place. (11) JANGSAN LASER ran 6^th on his only start to date which was all the way back in January. He finally returns here having looked well in a September trial alongside some good horses and has placing claims. So too (12) NEW STAR YEONGCHEON, who improved significantly at his second start on August 29^th when he was always prominent before ultimately finishing 3^rd. The draw may not be kind here, but he can go close. There are two first time starters and (10) NEW SMART perhaps has the best chance of making an immediate impact. He showed at the front in his trial, finishing 5^th in a decent enough time.

Selections	(5) Byeolui Sungan (9) Green Feelstar (11) Jangsan Laser (12) New Star Yeongcheon
Next Best	10, 6
Fast Start	4, 9, 10, 12

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

A race of many chances. We’ll take a chance on (6) BORI BORI overturning a bit of form from her latest start when she got the worst of a tight three-way finish over this distance. She has run some consistent times and draws nicely here. The one she needs to upend the form on is (9) KOREA GIJEOK. The Hansen gelding ran 2^nd in that race to Bori Bori’s 4^th, his best finish to date in a fourteen-race career. He can sit handy here and run on with a maiden win not out of the question. (1) SEOUL DAY gets in nicely with an apprentice jockey keeping the weight low. From the same gate last start he led until the closing stages over 1400M, ultimately finishing 2^nd and he should be in this one for a long time too. (2) MIGHTY SUNSHINE may be an interesting outsider. He improved at start number two when 3^rd over 1000M and his first time up in trip today may suit. (4) K N UNDERKING ran a useful enough 5^th on debut on September 9^th and can build on that today.

Selections	(6) Bori Bori (9) Korea Gijeok (1) Seoul Day (2) Mighty Sunshine
Next Best	4, 11
Fast Start	1, 3, 5, 10

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

(12) MAN OF THE YEAR has run 4^th on both his starts so far, most recently on September 5^th when after jumping well, he went right to the back before running on strong over 1200M. He comes up in distance today, Perovic knows him well having ridden him both times, and the wide draw shouldn’t matter. He has a real chance. (11) CHEONGHO LEADER comes in off a strong 2^nd at class and distance when he led into the straight. That was his best performance to date and a similar run today will put him in the finish. In that race, Cheongho Leader overturned the form on (5) CATCH THE SUN, who finished 3^rd and had previously beaten him in July when they came home 4^th and 6^th respectively at today’s distance. Catch The Sun has been consistent across her four outings to date and with the draw in her favour this time, can go close. (2) SAEMANGUIVISION ran 5^th, splitting Catch The Sun and Cheongho Leader in that July race and returns for the first time since then today. She too draws nicely and has placing claims. (4) ANNIKA GIRL, an improved 2^nd at her latest start is another in the hunt.

Selections	(12) Man Of The Year (11) Cheongho Leader (5) Catch The Sun (2) Saemanguivision
Next Best	4, 6
Fast Start	4, 9, 10, 12

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(2) SEUNGBUSA is a two-year-old colt with a solid class 6 win before a 3^rd place in the Rookie Stakes over 1200M on September 5^th when he dwelt slightly at the start before racing keenly to be up and on the pace and running on resolutely. He is up in trip slightly today but that shouldn’t be an issue and the fact that he skips today’s Munhwa Ilbo in favour of this, may be telling. (11) RAON CHAMPSELY returns to action for the first time since May. Still a maiden, she has registered three runner-up finishes from five starts and posted some very good times along the way. She prefers to be a front-runner – although one of her 2^nd places did come from the back – so the draw may not be ideal and there is the obvious question about race sharpness as well, but she looked well when recording a fast time in a September trial. (4) REMEMBER WHEN is a mare who must be considered on her consistency. At her last start, when advancing to class 5, she was wide and on the pace most of the race and ran on well for 3^rd. She is a placing chance here. So too (8) EUNHYE PADO, who is finding her feet in class 5. She ran 2^nd on her latest start over 1400M, making up good ground in the straight. She hasn’t got a lot of early speed but will be closing. (3) SOARA BABA similarly settles back and often needs luck in running but can offer some each-way value.

Selections	(2) Seungbusa (11) Raon Champsely (4) Remember When (8) Eunhye Pado
Next Best	3, 5
Fast Start	2, 4, 9, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

No fewer than eight of the twelve raced against each other at class and distance on September 10^th so there’s the race of reference. None of them won – that was Honey Star by a full three lengths – and there wasn’t much between quite a few of them.  (5) SEONGSAN BULKKOT was 4^th that day, having reached 2^nd in the straight but ultimately being edged out. That came off the back of a career best 2^nd over 1400 the time before. He can be close to the pace here and has much chance as any of coming out on top. (12) SINBIHAN GANGA came him in 6^th place in that race having been one paced throughout. The time before though he beat several of these when 2^nd at this class and distance and with Seo Seung-un climbing aboard today, he is worth another chance. (9) SINJIN GANGHO was the best of these on September 10^th. Coming from well off the pace to make up a lot of ground in the straight. That was a significant improvement on anything he had done in his previous twelve starts but he warrants more respect today. If you don’t rate that September 10^th race at all then (6) DONGBU STAR or (2) YEONSEUNG BRAVO are probably the one to go for.

Selections	(5) Seongsan Bulkkot (12) Sinbihan Gangja (9) Sinjin Gangho (6) Dongbu Star
Next Best	2, 10
Fast Start	2, 5, 6, 11

Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(5) VICEROY was a big winner in class 6 and is now adapting to class 5. He put in a good effort last start when a little awkwardly away before settling on the pace and battling on for a close 3^rd in a good time. A repeat of that performance puts him right in it. (2) GEOSEON POWER is up in class on his last start win at this distance. He was wide all the way, so the win was perhaps a bit better than the narrow margin suggested. He draws well for an easy run here and should enter the calculations. (1) CHOIN SPARK remains a maiden but comes up in class based on his 2^nd place to Geoseon Power on September 4^th. With this race being run under handicap conditions, he meets him at slightly better weights, and he could cause an upset. (6) HWA SSI BYEOK could be an interesting outsider. On the face of it there’s not much to go on but she has been running times that are competitive in a field such as this and she could run into a place. (11) RULES CLASS another in the placing frame.

Selections	(5) Viceroy (2) Geosen Power (1) Choin Spark (6) Hwa Ssi Byeok
Next Best	11, 4
Fast Start	2, 5, 6, 9

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