Will this be the last Saturday of behind-closed-doors racing in the capital? With baseball allowing 100% capacity attendances for its post-season beginning this week, one would hope so. But there have been many many false dawns since the start of the pandemic, so we shall see. This Saturday they are 9 races at Seoul from 11:00 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

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

Juvenile maidens with four of the nine racing for the first time and while it is a small field, it is a pretty good race with three or four who would have started favourite in similar affairs in recent weeks. (2) HWASUBOON is the slight top pick. She ran 2nd to Purple K on debut on October 2nd, well beaten by that good winner but looking competent and finishing in a fast time. She draws better today and with a similarly good start, will be the one to beat. (8) ALL FOR YOUR DREAM came from well off the pace on his debut to run 2nd to Byeolbit Maru at this distance on September 19th. He was really motoring at the end of that race and if he can put himself in a better position here, he has a winning chance. (1) CHEONGSAN YEONGUNG came from off the pace in the same race to run 3rd, again in a good time. He draws well again and should be in this a long way. (4) P N S LUCKY was a good 2nd on debut which allowed him to take his chance in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup. He finished down the field in that but didn’t do much wrong and in shallower waters today should get closer. Among the first-time starters, (5) EUNHYE DREAM was a fast 2nd in trials and looks best place for an immediate impact.

Selections	(2) Hwasuboon (8) All For Your Dream (1) Cheongsan Yeongung (4) P N S Lucky
Next Best	5, 3
Fast Start	2, 4, 5, 8

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Maiden juvenile fillies and a tricky one too. We’ll take a chance with (10) P N S HER, who ran 4th in a decent time at this distance on debut in August before finishing a good 5th in the Munhwa Ilbo Cup over 1200M on October 3rd. She has settled midfield both times and should have come on for the experiences and she can make her breakthrough here. The favourite will be (1) JAY TROSS. Having won an August trial, she ran 4th on debut on September 18th in a decent time on a good-rated track. From a top stable and with a great draw on the inside, she will have plenty of supporters here and every chance. (11) JEONGSANG Z also finished 4th on debut, behind Aspen Taeyang on a very wet track, which may account for the fast time and with a couple of today’s rivals behind her. She ran on very strongly and the wide draw shouldn’t matter here. (8) TRIPLE RUN and (2) DIA POWERCAT are among others in at least the placing hunt.

Selections	(10) P N S Her (1) Jay Tross (11) Jeongsang Z (8) Triple Run
Next Best	2, 9
Fast Start	3, 4, 8, 9

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

(5) PRINCESS DAY is set to be a warm favourite here. She’s run 3rd In her latest two starts, both of which were slowly run races at this distance. She has a better draw today and should be on pace or handy and in a race of not many chances, she won’t need to improve much to win. (1) FLYING KARA raced twice around the turn of last year, most recently in January, both times finishing 3rd at this distance. She trialed up in August and while it isn’t easy to get a handle of where she is at in terms of progress, this is a good race to come back in and from a good draw on the inside she can go well. (3) APPLE MINT put in an inauspicious debut back in May but looked much better when winning a trial earlier this month. He will be in the frame here. (6) MIGHTY SUNSHINE hinted at ability when running on well two starts back and while he was poor in his latest outing, is perhaps worth another chance for a place here. (2) EURO QUEEN offered some evidence of progress at her second start on October 3rd and she too may get better here.

Selections	(5) Princess Day (1) Flying Kara (3) Apple Mint (6) Mighty Sunshine
Next Best	2, 4
Fast Start	5, 6, 7, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

(3) JEONGMUN PRINCE beat a couple of these on his way to 3rd place over 1400M on October 2nd. He has been knocking at the door for some time now and from a nice draw today, he can make his breakthrough at start number thirteen. He, along with every other horse in the race, is tackling two-turns for the first time and (7) SHINE MUSIC is one it may benefit. He has been finishing off his recent races in good fashion and can sit midfield and run on here. (12) BEST FORCE has similarly run on and has the fastest final furlong average time for any of the field. The draw shouldn’t matter too much here and he should be in the finish. So too should (6) JEONGMUN POKJU, the only runner in the race to have a win to his name. That came on a wet track over 1400M when he came from well off the pace and while he hasn’t come close to repeating in three starts since, in this kind of company, he must be considered. (11) OKCHUMA is another in the hunt.

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