Sunday is KRA Cup Classic day at Seoul with Raon The Fighter heading a field of thirteen, six of whom come out of September’s international Korea Cup. See here for a runner-by-runner preview of the big race. There are 11 races in total at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 12:15 to 16:45. Here is the race-by-race:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maiden fillies in the opener with all but three of the twelve racing for the very first time. (7) SHINE ON ME came through two trials, posting decent times in both. She should be nice and fit for her debut outing here and with Moon Se-young aboard, is sure to have plenty of backers. (4) SEONGSILGONGJUPINK is a Hansen filly who won her trial at the end of September coming from off the pace. She draws well here and also looks set for a bold showing. (3) DASI TAEEONADO was on pace in her trial, ultimately crossing the line 2nd. She draws well to get forward again and can be considered first up. As for the experienced ones, (12) JEONGSANG LUCKY posted the fastest time while (6) GLORY AND HONOR didn’t do too much wrong and both can hope for improvement here.
Selections | (7) Shine On Me (4) Seongsilgongjupink (3) Dasi Taeeonado (12) Jeongsang Lucky |
Next Best | 6, 5 |
Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 12 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens. (7) META BLADE came from off the pace to run 2nd on debut over 1000M on August 20th. He should have come on for the experience, and the additional furlong can suit. It certainly suited (4) WONDERFUL INDY, who is the only one in the field to have tackled the distance. Having run 9th on debut at 1000M, he came back out on September 4th and ran a strong 2nd, settling midfield and running on. From a good gate and with that experience, he will surely be a big danger here. (2) SECRET PLAY is another who has been coming from off the pace in his two previous outings, both over 1000M. He should be doing his best work late on here and is another to consider. (3) G MOTION, a likely front-runner, and (5) SUPEREME STAR others in the hunt.
Selections | (7) Meta Blade (4) Wonderful Indy (2) Secret Play (3) G Motion |
Next Best | 5, 12 |
Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Competitive maiden. It’s not often we take a chance on the only first-time starter in this kind of race, but we’re prepared to do precisely that here with (3) BLACK CHOCOLATE. He trialed up twice, running 2nd in the first of them before winning the second in September when handy throughout and running on well. The 1200M should suit first-up and he draws well. If you prefer experience, then (2) MAGIC MOCCASIN could be the one. She led for part of the way around over this distance on September 25th, her second runner-up finish. She draws well to lead again and can be in this a long way. (9) GOLD KAISER has the fastest time among those who have tackled the distance before. She returned from eight months off to run a solid 4th at this distance on September 18th and should have come on for it. She is another who likes to be on pace. (8) TOP POSITION and (6) YEONHUI SARANG are among other placing chances.
Selections | (3) Black Chocolate (2) Magic Moccasin (9) Gold Kaiser (8) Top Position |
Next Best | 6, 5 |
Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 9 |
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens open at Busan with three of the eight racing for the first time. Here we will side with experience and (2) BARAMBARAM, who came from the back of a similarly small field on debut on September 23rd over this distance. He should have derived benefit from that and can go one better today. (4) ONE MIND similarly showed ability on her debut in late August when from a handy position, she ran on well for 3rd place, also at 1000M. She looks set to be on pace here and has solid claims. (7) HOTFLEX has run fairly in both starts so far, only beating a couple home each time but with the margins in front not too big. He can improve here. (5) DALLILLAEYO won a trial in September, running on pace throughout and looks to have the best chance among the first-time starters of making an impression. (3) ROAD TO DREAM too put in a fair time in his trial and can go well first up.
Selections | (2) Barambaram (4) One Mind (7) Hotflex (5) Dallillaeyo |
Next Best | 3, 8 |
Fast Start | 3, 4, 5, 7 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(2) GOMANARU has improved across three starts so far, culminating in a runner- up finish over 1300M on September 18th when settling back in midfield and running on. He stretches out to 1400M for the first time, and it could be what he needs to land himself in the winner’s circle. After an indifferent debut, (1) PERFECT GUN MAN has hinted at ability with back-to-back 4th place finishes in fair times at 1000M and 1200M. He too has been running on in his races and may appreciate the step up in trip today. (8) SARANG DAMOA is one of four racing here who does have experience of the distance already and among those, she has the fastest time. She is yet to win in eleven, but her recent form reads well, and despite being drawn widest, she can settle close to the pace here and she will run on. (7) PAX NURI and (3) TWO ACE the others in the placing frame.
Selections | (2) Gomanaru (1) Perfect Gun Man (8) Sarang Damoa (7) Pax Nuri |
Next Best | 3, 4 |
Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 8 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(9) ETERNAL ACE has made steady progress across nine starts so far and registered a 3rd place over this distance on September 18th having led throughout and posting a time almost a second faster than anything else here has managed over the distance and he should be hard to hold out here. (5) COME ON FIRST races for the first time since running 2nd at start number two back in May. He looked well when coming through a fast trial at the start of September and has every chance of a bold showing first up here. (1) POLE TO WIN also returns from a spell out having not raced since July. He ran fairly in September trial and can get on pace from the inside gate and be in this a long way. (4) ECTON POWER and (2) FLEX SHINHWA both need their latest starts (in the same race) forgiven, but both can go better here.
Selections | (9) Eternal Ace (5) Come On First (1) Pole To Win (4) Ecton Power |
Next Best | 2, 8 |
Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 9 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(7) ALL FOR YOUR DREAM returned from nine months out to run 3rd at this distance on September 17th when handy throughout. He should have derived plenty of benefit from that run, strip a bit fitter here, and he can get his maiden win. (1) EUREKA had four 4th placed finishes from seven starts so far. He suffered a reverse behind a couple of these last time out on September 3rd but draws nicely here and can be aiming for improvement. (8) LUXSEN was one of those who finished ahead of Eureka on September 3rd. He subsequently ran 6th over 1200M three weeks ago but this can suit a little more and he can go close again. (3) ROCK IMPACT comes up to this trip for the first time and it may well suit, while (4) P N S KING has mixed his form across twelve starts so far but can enter the calculations in this company.
(more…)