Saturday’s racing is at Seoul where there are 9 races from 10:45 to 18:00. All betting locations are open but attendance should be pre-booked though the MyCard app. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
A small field of maidens line up in the opener with four of the eight racing for the very first time. (3) BLOOD MOON significantly improved on her third start, coming home in 3rd place at this trip on March 13th. While the time was good, it was assisted by the wet track, but she won’t need to go much better to win this. Two of the first timers enter having won their respective trials in identical times. (4) KINGS EYE and (6) GOLDEN HONOR both sat back in their heats before working through the line well and this looks a very suitable first assignment for both, (8) PURPLE STORM has gone quite far in his two races so far but has finished off well enough to run 5th and 6th. Once again, he draws the widest gate but in this smaller field, it should be less of a concern, and he can improve. (5) HERA BLADE another who has hinted at ability and can aim for some money.
| Selections | (3) Blood Moon (4) Kings Eye (6) Golden Honor (8) Purple Storm |
| Next Best | 5, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 5 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(7) TOUCH NINE registered his best finish on debut last November when 3rd over 1000M. Most recently he ran 4th in a small field at this distance having led for much of the race. Today he can sit handy and run on and in this modest company has every chance of a maiden win. (8) FAMILY CAPTAIN overcame a wide draw to finish a career-best 2nd at this distance on a sloppy track on March 13th. He goes back up a bit in the weights without an apprentice aboard, but that was an encouraging performance, and a similar showing today will have him right in this. (2) ORGALIM has five top-five finishes from seven starts. He draws well to be on pace here and will be in this a long way. (5) BLACK KING and (3) TIZ FIGHTING are among others with the potential to improve and challenge for the places.
| Selections | (7) Touch Nine (8) Family Captain (2) Orgalim (5) Black King |
| Next Best | 3, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 8 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Tricky race this. On the grounds that he perhaps has better potential for improvement, we’ll side with (5) APPLE MINT, who will be the likely favourite having run 3rd over this distance on his latest start on March 13th when handy throughout and registering a time faster than any of today’s rivals have achieved. He draws a good gate and won’t need to go much better to win. (8) CLOUTER comes back in trip following back-to-back 3rd place finishes over 1700M. Those were his best finishes from sixteen starts and he was ridden much more forward than he had been in previous outings. Another career-best finish is possible here. (1) DIVINE POWER actually beat Apple Mint when they raced over 1700M three starts back. He has since finished twice behind Clouter but comes back to a distance at which he has posted a good time and from the inside gate can be considered. Another back in trip following a pair of decent efforts at 1700M, including a runner-up finish, is (7) COUNTRY ROAD, and he along with the returning (3) SWEET JUICE BAR, who races for the first time in almost a year, are others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (5) Apple Mint (8) Clouter (1) Divine Power (7) Country Road |
| Next Best | 3, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5, 9 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (7) SUNNY BLADE got her maiden win two starts back over 1200 at class 6 level before running 5th on her first try at this level over 1300M on February 20th. She was handy throughout and while there was a good winner that day, Sunny Blade was only half a length behind 2nd. She should be close to the pace here again and, stretching out to 1400M for the first time, has solid claims. It’s been a while since (3) FORT SEUONE’s solitary win but at this level she regularly picks up a cheque. She too comes up to this distance for the first time and she too has every chance. (9) CHEONGDAM WICKED is two starts into a comeback following eight months out. She has previously run well at this trip and third-up today could be coming back to peak fitness. (1) CHEONSA PARK and (12) CUPID WONDER are others who can be in the placing frame.
| Selections | (7) Sunny Blade (3) Fort Seuone (9) Cheongdam Wicked (1) Cheonsa Park |
| Next Best | 12, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 7, 9, 12 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(2) WONPYEONG COD was an all the way winner over 1000M at class 6 level on debut in January before coming back out on March 13th and running a good 2nd to the promising filly Baekdu Girl. He can run on strongly and should be winning here. There are a couple of dangers though. (5) CUPID WAY was a winner at start number two over 1200M on February 27th when she was sent off as the odds-on favourite, sat handy and ran on to win comfortably. She comes up in class and slightly up in trip today, but she should measure up and can be a threat to the favourite. So too (1) RAON THE WEEKEND. She got her maiden win two starts back at this distance when handy throughout and then ran 6th of thirteen in a challenging test over 1200M. when she had to overcome the widest gate. Back up in trip and with a much better draw, she can go close again. (6) JANGSU NABOM and (10) COWBOY KING among the others in the hunt.
| Selections | (2) Wonpyeong Cod (5) Cupid Way (1) Raon The Weekend (6) Jangsu Nabom |
| Next Best | 10, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 8 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(3) FOREVER DREAM got back-to-back wins at 1000M and 1200M at the end of last year to get rapidly promoted to this level. He had a hard time on his first crack at it over 1400M in January but returned to form with a runner-up finish when dropped back to today’s trip on March 5th when he led for much of the way. He has never been sent off in single digit odds, but he could well be odds-on today. (4) DUSON FANTASTIC looks to be the most logical rival. He comes up in class following an all the way score in a fast time over 1300M a month ago. He will be on or close to the pace again and can measure up. (7) ANYANG HORANGI can mix her form, but she has run some really good times at the distance and on her day she can go close. (8) CHEONDUNGSEJA comes in following a good 4th place at class and distance. He comes down 2kg from that day and can be competitive again. (1) DALRINEUN BITKKAL’s recent form is cold but he comes back in trip and draws a good gate and might make for interesting outsider.
| Selections | (3) Forever Dream (4) Duson Fantastic (7) Anyang Horangi (8) Cheondungseja |
| Next Best | 1, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 7, 9 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(2) QUICKLY RUN has won both starts today over 1000M and 1300M. She comes up rapidly in class and significantly in distance too but there’s no reason why she can’t cope with both, and she has every chance of maintaining her 100% record here. This won’t be easy though. (6) WINNER TEMPLAR comes slightly back in trip following two very solid showings at 1800M, when 2nd and 3rd, both in good times. She tends to go right back in her races but has a strong finish and will be a danger at the business end here. (7) WONDERFUL K comes up in class following a win over this distance on March 12th when he was on pace throughout. He had been working back up towards that victory and should be able to measure up at this level. (9) SARYEONI FIRST got rapidly promoted to this class and comes in off a useful 6th of thirteen over 1800M on his first try at the level in February. He should have come on for that and can get closer today. (4) TIZ ENERGY the best of the rest.
| Selections | (2) Quickly Run (6) Winner Templar (7) Wonderful K (9) Saryeoni First |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 7, 9 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Competitive race here. Four wins in a row is an extremely tough ask but we’ll give (7) HI HI a chance of doing it. This is his first try at this class having completed his hat-trick wit a smart win at this distance on March 6th when he came from off the pace. He comes down in the weights on that and there could be more to come. The big danger is (5) BALVENIE. He is well established at this level and comes back in trip having done his recent racing at 1800M. He has won at this trip before, he is a front runner who draws well, and he has every chance here. (9) CHOEGO RACE was a good winner at this distance in a fast time at class 3 level on March 6th. He is up in class here but that’s balanced with a significant drop in the weights, and he can be competitive. (10) WILDLY ROMANTIC and (11) ROCKUI JEWANG are others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (7) Hi Hi (5) Balvenie (9) Choego Race (10) Wildly Romantic |
| Next Best | 11, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 9 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(1) CLEAN UP HAPPY is ultra-consistent and comes in having run a good 2nd to Jangsan Clear at his latest start on February 26th, with some of today’s rivals back down the track behind him. He runs good times, draws well, will be on pace while he is up slightly in weight, will be in this a long way and start as favourite. (4) CUPID MISSION came home in 7th place in that February race having drawn gate thirteen. While he still carries plenty of weight, the barrier is much kinder today and he can get closer. (5) LADY KELLY comes up in class after a good win at 1400M in February. She has a light weight and should be able to fit in at this level. (8) CLEANUP SHINE has plenty of experience at class 2 and is rarely too far away. She is very nicely weighted today and is likely to be on pace. (11) MENI CHAMP another in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Clean Up Happy (4) Cupid Mission (5) Lady Kelly (8) Cleanup Shine |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 