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 18th when 4th 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 4th 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 4th, 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 2nd 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 6th 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 25th and having settled midfield ran on well for 2nd. 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 3rd place finishes before not racing again until October 9th. 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 9th 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 8th but led for much of the way around, ultimately finishing 2nd. 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 8th. 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 1st. 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 2nd from a wide gate on her first try at this class and distance on September 24th. 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.
| Selections | (2) Naol Cheonji (4) Naol Sesang (9) Saenae Queen (1) Elite Rules |
| Next Best | 10, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 6, 9 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Small field here and (7) EUNSEONG MARU is set to be a warm favourite. Ignore her run two starts back when overmatched in a decent Trophy race on international day and instead go on her form in similar company to this, especially her last start 2nd at class and distance on October 1st. An apprentice keeps her weight down and she may take some beating. While we are in an ignoring mood, we shall extend the same courtesy to (2) NAMSAN CHOCOLATE for her latest when settling midfield and then running wide around the corner and finishing back in the pack. Instead, we’ll go on her run two starts back when 2nd from a similar barrier to today and give her another chance. (5) IMUGI overcame gate twelve to run 4th behind Eunseong Maru at his latest start. It’s fair to say he mixes his form, but a similar run will see him close here. (3) SAENAE POWERFUL and (1) GLOBAL SUN are others to keep safe.
| Selections | (7) Eunseong Maru (2) Namsan Chocolate (5) Imugi (3) Saenae Powerful |
| Next Best | 1, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Big field and one of the few races today without a clear-cut favourite. (10) YAMUJIN JAESU remains a maiden and really didn’t show much at all in his first four outings. That changed at his latest on October 2nd when sent up to this trip for the first time and running a good 2nd, coming from well off the pace. He does come up 2kg in the weights but David climbs aboard and he could go one better here. (2) OCHEONBOK is a local-bred who has won her way up to this class with two victories from five starts including last time out on September 18th when handy throughout and finishing nicely over 1300M. A previous attempt at this distance didn’t go well but she is nicely drawn and weighted today and can go close. (5) SILVER STAR was a winner at class 5 level two starts back before running 5th on her first attempt at this class at 1200M on October 1st. This is her first try at seven furlongs and given she finishes off her races well, she is worth a place line. (1) TOUCH NINE and (11) CHEONSA PARK among others in the frame.
| Selections | (10) Yamujin Jaesu (2) Ocheonbok (5) Silver Star (1) Touch Nine |
| Next Best | 11, 12 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 8, 11 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 5 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(9) LUNAR SILVER was allowed to take her chance in the final leg of the Triple Tiara and she didn’t disgrace herself, running 6th of ten over the 2000M. Since returning to shallower waters she has run well with two runner-up finishes and a 4th from three tries, all at this class. She has been a beaten favourite in her latest two, but she has also beaten a could today’s rivals in the process. She likes to be on pace and while the draw is a touch wider than ideal, she should have too much for this lot. (3) SUN FIGHTING comes in off an uptick in form at her latest start when 4th at class and distance having sat midfield and run on. That was back in July, and she hasn’t trialed, so comes in fresh but draws well and has a smart finish on her. (10) GIMCHEON YEONGUNG returned from ten months off to run 2nd over 1400M on October 8th. He should have come on for that run and can go close here too on his first try at two turns. (4) ADELE MUSTANG and (11) JIGEUMYEOGIE others worth of thought.
| Selections | (9) Lunar Silver (3) Sun Fighting (10) Gimcheon Yeongung (4) Adele Mustang |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 6, 7, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 2 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 90 Million
(10) WONPYEONG GASOK ran out a class and distance winner on October 8h, making all and beating several of these in the process. He made all that day, and it is true he has a much less favourable draw this time, as well as coming up 2kg in the weights, but he has plenty of quality and it may well see him through again. (1) GRAY CAT was a touch disappointing in that race, settling back in the pack and running on but only making it up to 5th. He gets a nice draw on the inside today, Moon Se-young is up, and he can be given another chance. (9) WONDERFUL K comes rapidly up in class having won his latest two at classes 4 and 3. Both were over this distance, and he led most of the way around both times. He is nicely weighted and while this is a much stiffer test, he can measure up. (3) JANGSAN POISON didn’t finish off well on is first try at this class on September 25th but is another who can be given another chance, while don’t rule out a return to form from (5) RAON PINK. She may bot be a winning chance but could be place value at big odds.
| Selections | (10) Wonpyeong Gasok (1) Gray Cat (9) Wonderful K (3) Jangsan Poison |
| Next Best | 5, 4 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 10, 11 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(9) ASPEN TAEYANG returned to action following six-months out to win well at class and distance on October 1st. He comes up a full 5.5kg in the weights today but he should be equal to that ask and he can win again here. (4) VICS GO ran 3rd behind Aspen Taeyang in that October 1st race. That was his first try at this class following a strong win over 1300M at the end of August and from a good draw, he can be a danger again. Just like Aspen Taeyang, (5) YELLOW CAT has four wins from seven and comes in having run 2nd on her first run at class 3 level on September 25th over this distance. That day she settled back in the field and ran on, but she is versatile and can be on pace too. She carries a tiny weight and won’t be far away. (8) A TO Z needs to get cover but can be had on a place line. (6) CHOEGANG BALCK among others to be kept safe.
| Selections | (9) Aspen Taeyang (4) Vics Go (5) Yellow Cat (8) A To Z |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 9, 10 |
Horse Racing in Korea 