Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with 10 races from 10:45 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens. (11) RAON THE QUALITY has raced twice so far, doing nothing on debut but improving significantly at start number two on September 18^th when 4^th over 1000M, running on well. The step up in trip can suit and she can win here. (7) FARCIARZ ran well on debut over the minimum trip in early September before finding things tough in the Munhwa Ilbo Trophy against the track’s best juveniles and drawing the car park in gate fourteen. He comes back into much shallower waters here and has strong claims. (9) VISION STAR and (8) WINNER DRAGON both ran 4^th on their respective debuts with both running on well over five furlongs. They too may appreciate the additional furlong today. (2) BULUI NALGAE, who overcame a wide gate last time to run a decent 4^th, is another in the hunt.

Selections	(11) Raon The Quality (7) Farciarz (9) Vision Star (8) Winner Dragon
Next Best	2, 10
Fast Start	3, 7, 10, 11

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

More juvenile maidens and (4) GEUMBITMA is the one to beat. After running 2^nd on his second start over 1000M in August, he was given his chance in the Munhwa Ilbo Trophy against the track’s best juveniles and defied big odds to run a creditable 6^th of fourteen over this distance. A repeat of that performance will make him hard to beat here. (3) DRAGON STAR comes up in trip for the first time after three solid efforts over 1000M. He has been running through the line well on each occasion and from a good gate, today may well suit. (8) RAON AMERICAN stepped up to this distance for his second outing on September 25^th and having settled midfield ran on well for 2^nd. Of those who have tackled the 1200M already, only Geumbitma in the Munhwa Ilbo has posted a faster time and he can be in contention here. (9) HUNTER BLADE and (2) HIGH GRAND among plenty of others with placing chances.

Selections	(4) Geumbitma (3) Dragon Star (8) Raon American (9) Hunter Blade
Next Best	2, 6
Fast Start	4, 7, 8, 10

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW25 Million

Fillies (and one mare) here. (5) ANOTHER LEVEL debuted in March, posting two 3^rd place finishes before not racing again until October 9^th. She won a trial in the lead up to that event but having drawn wide and worked to a position behind the leaders, she weakened in the closing stages. She should have derived much benefit from that run and looks the one to beat here. The rest have patchy form. Under a light weight with an apprentice claiming 2kg, (10) GOLD KAISER might be worth a place chance. She has run fairly in two starts this preparation since returning from eight months off and could be peaking fitness wise here. (2) SHOOTING REVERSE has mixed her form across four appearances to date but does have a runner-up finish to her name at this distance and that’s enough to put her in the frame here. (6) DAESEUNG GAON and (3) RUFFIAN EAGLE are others who may enter the calculations.

Selections	(5) Another Level (10) Gold Kaiser (2) Shooting Reverse (6) Daeseung Gaon
Next Best	3, 9
Fast Start	1, 3, 7, 10

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

Moon Se-young climbs aboard another favourite here in the shape of (1) STRONG CHARM. He got his maiden win in comfortable fashion on October 9^th when settling midfield and running on over 1200M. That was his third start and he had shown improvement on each of them and while up in class and distance today, neither should be a problem. The main danger looks to be the similarly well-drawn (2) MAPARAM. She was sent off at big odds last time out on October 8^th but led for much of the way around, ultimately finishing 2^nd. That was the first time in a while that she had been ridden forward and the draw couple with the small field should enable her to do similar today. (7) HUIMANG OREUM comes up in class having got her maiden win at the fourth time of asking on October 8^th. That was a big improvement but was it was over this distance in a fair time, and she can hold her own in this company. (8) HIDDEN BLADE and (5) GEUMSEONG SEGYE others with at least minor money chances.

Selections	(1) Strong Charm (2) Maparam (7) Huimang Oreum (8) Hidden Blade
Next Best	5, 3
Fast Start	2, 5, 6, 8

Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(2) NAOL CHEONJI made all to win on debut over 1000M on October 1st. She is up in class and in distance here but neither should be a problem and with Moon Se-young climbing aboard, she is sure to be well backed. It could be the battle of the “Naols” and (4) NAOL SESANG is up in class following her own maiden win on October 1^st. She had made three indifferent starts at the beginning of the year but returned following over six months off looking much more the part and her win came at this distance. She was on pace all the way around and will be aiming to do similar here. (9) SAENAE QUEEN was a winner on debut in August before running 2^nd from a wide gate on her first try at this class and distance on September 24^th. She gets no favours with the barrier again but looks a strong place chance, nevertheless. (1) ELITE RULES and (10) BURUI GASOK among others to consider for the minors.

(more…)