Sunday’s racing is at Seoul (11 races from 10:45 to 18:00) and at Busan (6 races from 12:15 to 16:40). The program at both tracks includes a number of trophy races for big prize money as part of the Retired Racehorse Benefit day. These are essentially just normal races at between class 5 and class 3 level (as noted below in the comments). Here are the previews:

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

Juvenile filly maidens in the opener and there are plenty of promising ones among them. Stepping up to 1200M for the first time, (9) MAESTRA gets the nod. She was 3^rd in both her previous starts, both at 1300M, first by leading and then by settling back and running on. Moon Se-young continues aboard and today can be her day. (11) NAOL HAENGBOK ran 2^nd in a fast time on a wet track over 1000M on debut on November 13^th settling handy and running on. She draws a touch wide for comfort here, but the trip can suit, and she can challenge. (1) TOUCH CHARM is the big winner from the draw. She was a strong 3^rd on debut over 1000M on November 26^th and is another who can appreciate the additional furlong. Plenty of others in the hunt including (7) DASI TAEEONADO and the first-time starter and trial winner (4) WONDERFUL SLEW.

Selections	(9) Maestra (11) Naol Haengbok (1) Touch Charm (7) Dasi Taeeonado
Next Best	4, 2
Fast Start	1, 5, 11, 9

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

(3) CHOEGANG MIRAE debuted without distinction back in April and then didn’t return until the end of October, only beating two home over 1300M. He had won a trial just the week before in a quick time demonstrating that he has some speed and was an improved 5^th when tried at this distance on December 3^rd. He draws much better here and third-up this could be his day. (4) TWO ACE has a runner-up finish to his name over this distance two starts back when coming from off the pace and followed up with a 4^th at his most recent outing. An apprentice takes 3kg off his back and he should be going close. (8) MIRACLE K beat a couple of these on her way to 4^th at this distance on November 20^th having led for much of the way around and that’s enough to bring her into contention here. (12) DAESEUNG GAON and (9) GOLD KAISER among others in the minor money hunt.

Selections	(3) Choegang Mirae (4) Two Ace (8) Miracle K (12) Daeseung Gaon
Next Best	9, 5
Fast Start	3, 5, 8, 9

Seoul Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

After three consecutive runner-up finishes, it’s about time (11) PURGE DAY won. He has finished 2^nd from the front, as he did two starts back at class level, and he has finished 2^nd settling back after a slow start and running on, as he did on his first try at this class on October 29^th. That latter performance was fast and suggests the wide draw won’t be an issue as he steps up to this distance for the first time. (7) MENI ACE comes up in class and in distance following a maiden win over 1200M on November 12^th when for the first time he was on or close to the pace throughout. He carries a light weight, can sit handy here and can run on to challenge again. (10) TOHO SKY comes in having finished a respectable midfield in Listed Nonghyup Chairman’s Cup for juveniles a month ago. He had previously run out a winner in a good time at 1200M and should go close in this company. (2) BICHUICA and (9) WONDERFUL INDY are among others in at least the placing frame.

Selections	(11) Purge Day (7) Meni Ace (10) Toho Sky (2) Bichuica
Next Best	9, 6
Fast Start	3, 6, 10, 12

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

Juvenile maiden fillies open proceedings on the south coast with five of the twelve racing for the first time. (2) SPECIAL ROAD is the favourite, having run 2^nd on debut on November 25^th over 1000M, having previously run a similarly quick time in a trial. She draws well, carries a very light weight and the additional furlong can suit. The biggest threat looks to be one of the first-time starters. (1) ACE HORANGI won her trial in double quick time, leading all the way. She draws the same inside gate for her first race start and won’t need to improve much on the trial to go very close. (5) MY MANTRA ran on pleasingly enough for 5^th place in a good time on debut at 1000M on November 11^th and with some natural improvement can go closer today. Debut-makers (11) NEXT MARINE and (6) AMAZING MOVE are others capable of putting in bold showings first-up.

Selections	(2) Special Road (1) Ace Horangi (5) My Mantra (11) Next Marine
Next Best	6, 12
Fast Start	1, 2, 5, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class Open (1600M) Allowance / KRW 150 Million

(9) MACH STAR is favoured here. A maiden winner at start number two over 1200M at class 6 level on October 23^rd, she than ran a good 2^nd over that same distance on her first try at this level on November 19^th. She has shown herself able to come from off the pace so the big step up in trip may be to her advantage and she is the one to beat. Plenty of others come in with recent form reading well. Chief among those is (8) LUCKY POWER, who was an also-ran in the Munhwa Ilbo Trophy in October but ran on well for 2^nd over 1300M at this class on November 6^th. He is another who can appreciate the additional trip and can be considered. (1) NUT PLAY started his career well but his latest two have seen him first get a long way back from a wide gate and then have a hard time in the Listed Nonghyup Chairman’s Trophy. From the inside draw and against more amenable company, he will have fewer excuses here. (4) HWARANG TODAY and (7) ROSE GOLD are among others to consider.

Selections	(9) Mach Star (8) Lucky Power (1) Nut Play (4) Hwarang Today
Next Best	7, 5
Fast Start	2, 4, 8, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

An extremely ordinary maiden which sees (8) SPECIAL JOHN, who has raced thirteen times and is yet to finish in the top-two, as the favourite. He has been getting better of late though, with two 3^rd places and a 4^th from his latest three and in the process set a time for this distance almost a full second faster than anything else here that has tackled the 1200M has managed. He won’t get a better chance than today to make the breakthrough. (2) MORNING MUSE comes back in trip and shapes as the logical danger having been on pace and then faded in her latest outings at further. She is up in the weights but that’s balanced by a good gate. The form, such that is, falls off after that with (7) WIDAEHAN SEONTAEK and (6) SPEED MAST the only others to have respectable showings among their most recent appearances which is enough to bring them into play here. (10) VELOCIRAPTOR did at least run on at start two over 1000M last time so may go better at this trip but is hardly convincing.

Selections	(8) Special John (2) Morning Muse (7) Widaehan Seontaek (6) Speed Mast
Next Best	10, 5
Fast Start	2, 5, 6, 11

Seoul Race 5: Class Open (1700M) Allowance (Rating 1-35) / KRW 150 Million

Competitive race here. (12) WONDERFUL JOY overcame the widest gate to sit handy and then run on to win at class 5 level (which is essentially what this is), with three of today’s rivals behind him over this distance on November 12^th. The set weight scale means he only comes up 1kg and that, combined with the widest gate again, might not be enough to prevent him winning again. (2) SPO BLADE is turning into a useful type. He got his maiden win at class 6 level two starts back over 1200M before running 2^nd at 1300M on his first try at class 5 on November 19^th. He has proven tactically versatile at the shorter distances and can go well on his debut over two turns. (5) FEDERAL KING and (7) K N TIZWON came home 2^nd and 4^th respectively behind Wonderful Joy in that November 12^th race and both can be looking to go close again. (4) GAMGOK SUNSHINE another who can enter the calculations.

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