Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with a big 12-race meeting from 10:40 to 18:00. The feature race is the last with Simjangui Godong facing a stern challenge from Chief Indy, among others, at class 1 over 2000M. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maiden fillies here with seven of the twelve racing for the first time. Three of those with prior experience debuted in the same race over 1000M on Christmas Day and it was (6) SARYEONI TYCHE who came out the best among them, racing just off the speed throughout and finishing in 3rd place. She has claims to come out on top here. Just a length behind there wasn’t much between (5) GREEN SHIELD and (10) TOP TIER, who came home 6th and 4th respectively. Top Tier had led until the furlong pole before being passed and while she draws wide today, should have enough early speed to get a good position. She doesn’t have the apprentice claim but Kim Yong-geun climbing aboard should balance that. The extended trip though may see Green Shield in overturning that form. She was doing her best work late in that race. Among the first timers, (3) WHITE DIA and trial winner (9) HAEJAE YEOGEOL perhaps best.
Selections | (6) Saryeoni Tyche (5) Green Shield (10) Top Tier (3) White Dia |
Next Best | 9, 11 |
Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 10 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens all of whom have raced before though none at this distance. (6) ILDONG BAKSU has finished 3rd in both her prior starts, most recently over 120M on Christmas Eve when handy throughout and finishing a length behind the odds-on favourite winner Jeomsuni Go. She’ll be exiting class 6 with any top-three finish and it could be a win. After a lot of trials (11) SINUI HAMSEONG ran well on debut on December 10th finishing 2nd over this distance to hot favourite J Motion. He was found to have bled after that so was stood down for a month and sent back to trial but he came through that successfully earlier in January and can go well again. (9) MONEY JANGGUN overcame a similarly wide draw to today to run 3rd over 1200M on November 19th. He also has a runner-up finish at 1000M to his name and can be a danger here. (5) FINE DAY and (10) HERO QUEEN others in the hunt.
Selections | (6) Ildong Baksu (11) Sinui Hamseong (9) Money Janggun (5) Fine Day |
Next Best | 10, 8 |
Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 12 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(5) ROCK IMPACT is the only one in the field who has raced at the distance before and it seemed to suit as he produced a much improved performance to run 2nd in a fair time on December 11th when settling just behind the speed and then running on. He won’t need to improve too much to go one better here. (7) MISS WIN STAR has steadily improved across his four outings to date, culminating in a runner-up finish over 1200M on December 17th when he led for a large part of the races. That was his first time on the speed and he may go forward again here. (11) GANGCHEOL YEOGEOL has been finishing off her races well, improving each time and she may benefit from the step up in trip. The wide draw shouldn’t be a problem and nor should it be for (10) ARCH MEMORY, another who has steadily improved and runs through the line well. The form drops off after that but in a race devoid of much early speed, (6) SINPUNG YEOGEOL may get an easier run to the front today and can be in this a long way at probable big odds.
Selections | (5) Rock Impact (7) Miss Win Star (11) Gangcheol Yeogeol (10) Arch Memory |
Next Best | 6, 3 |
Fast Start | 2, 6, 7, 12 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(11) ULTRA GALAXY has improved across his five starts so far with his latest over 1200M on Christmas Day being his best. He is yet to go further than that so this is a big step up but his running style – and today’s company – suggests he can be more than equal to the challenge. (7) HOUYHNHNM looked every much the perennial non-winner but capable of regularly picking up minor money, right up until his last start on January 7th when he stepped up to two turns for the first time and ran 2nd. It wasn’t a fast time, but he beat three of today’s rivals and won’t need to improve much to go close again. (4) STAR PRINCESS ran 3rd in that race, equalling her best finish so far. She went right back and ran on and with Johan climbing on today, may be further forward. (1) EUREKA and (5) SEMYEONG CAPTAIN are others with at least placing chances.
Selections | (11) Ultra Galaxy (7) Houyhnhnm (4) Star Princess (1) Eureka |
Next Best | 5, 12 |
Fast Start | 5, 8, 11, 12 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(5) HANGANGUI GISANG is a perfect four from four with his latest win coming on Christmas Eve when stepping up to class 3 for the first time, he made all to score by six-lengths over 1700M He comes up 3.5kg in the weights from that day but draws nicely enough at the unique mile start and he will be odds-on to strike again. (3) MIGHTY GOOD is on a win streak of his own, having taken his latest two both at class 4 and both over 1700M. He likes to come from off the pace so Antonio should be able to save some ground early while the others battle it out on the short run to the first corner. He is up in class but down significantly in weight and can measure up. Also down in weight is (1) DUSON MEONGGUN who benefits from an apprentice claim. He finished midfield behind Hangangui Gisang last time out but is a winner at this class over 1400M as well has holding a 3rd place at a mile. Don’t rule out a bold showing. (2) BYEOLUI SUNGAN is better than his latest two outings suggest and should be kept safe, while (9) YAHO GOLDEN CAT is another in the hunt.
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