Day: February 18, 2023

Raon The Fighter Returns – Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (February 19)

Raon The Fighter, runner-up in the Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes and second highest rated horse in Korea after his nemesis, Winner’s Man, kicks off his five-year-old campaign at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon. He goes around in the very final race of the day at class 1 over 1800M. There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:40 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 11:05 to 15:40. Here are the previews:

Raon The Fighter put daylight between himself and the field in last year’s KRA Cup Classic (Pic: KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maiden fillies. (2) ELITE ROYAL will be a warm favourite having been very slow going through the gears on debut but running on for 5th and then an on pace 2nd when stepped up to this distance at start number two on January 15th, beating a few of today’s rivals in the process. She draws nicely here and may tale some beating. (11) DALGEUM has raced fairly across three starts so far. The wide draw shouldn’t be a problem here and the slight step up in trip may suit. (7) DASI TAEEONADO was 4th behind Elite Royal on January 15th, settling midfield and running on. That continued a consistent start to her career that has seen her in the top0five on each occasion, and from a better draw today, she can go closer. (4) SEMYEONG LADY and (3) NAOL SKY others with potential to improve.

Selections(2) Elite Royal (11) Dalgeum (7) Dasi Taeeonado (4) Semyeong Lady
Next Best3, 6
Fast Start2, 4, 7, 11

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens and we’ll take a chance on one of the two first-time starters. That’s (9) LEMON DOKKI who after failing to qualify in his first trial last November, looked a much better prospect when running 2nd from off the pace in another in January, stopping the clock in a good time. The 1300M first-up should suit and he can win. (3) COOL RUNNING has a 3rd and two 4th place finishes to his name from three starts so far. That runner-up finish was at this distance in December when leading for much of the way around and from a good draw, he should be on pace again and has solid chances. (5) ROCK POWER was sent off as favourite on debut having won a trial. He ran 4th on his race day bow over 1200M when overcoming gate ten to sit handy. He should have derived benefit from that experience and can be considered for improvement here. (1) NAMYANG BOLT and (6) MORNING FLOW others in the placing frame.

Selections(9) Lemon Dokki (3) Cool Running (5) Rock Power (1) Namyang Bolt
Next Best6, 4
Fast Start3, 5, 6, 7

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens. (7) JANGSAN SPO is favoured. He was sent off as favourite on debut on January 29th having own a trial and though he led, he ultimately ran out of petrol in the home straight and ended up in 5th place. He should have benefitted from that run and is worth another chance today. (2) BAEDARI WANGJA also comes in having been a well beaten favourite in his latest outing over 1300M. Prior to that though he had registered back-to-back 4th place finishes over this distance and that form puts him in in the frame here. (4) AGAPANTHUS ran fairly on debut in December when on pace. He should be showing at the front here and with some natural improvement can be in the finish. (9) RUBY AGAIN has made progress across three starts so far and can continue her upward trajectory today while first-timer (12) BANFF might be worth a chance at an each-way price.

Selections(7) Jangsan Spo (2) Baedari Wangja (4) Agapanthus (9) Ruby Again
Next Best12, 1
Fast Start2, 4, 7, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens with four of the ten racing for the first time. (6) WONDERFUL PHONE will be favourite, having run 2nd and 3rd in her two prior outings at 1000M and 1300M respectively. Both times she has been slowly away and settled back before running on but from a central draw today, she may be a little closer and is the one to beat. Of the first timers, (8) NORTHERN BID is the pick. He went through two trials, winning the second of them on February 4th when settling back and running on, recording a fast time. If he brings that form to the races, he should be right in this. (2) POWER SOUND hasn’t raced since running 2nd on his debut at this distance last September. He looked well though when trialling up last week, stopping the clock in a fast time, and so long as he didn’t leave his race there, should be competitive. (5) GEMIJIN went through the same trial having not raced since an indifferent October debut. She crossed the line just a tenth of a second after Power Sound and can go well here. (3) QUEENS LANDING another in the frame.

Selections(6) Wonderful Phone (8) Northern Bid (2) Power Sound (5) Gemijin
Next Best3, 9
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 5

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

A standard maiden here and based on her debut performance on January 8th, when 2nd over 1300M having led from the gate, (2) HANGAWI SEONMUL should start a hot favourite. She draws well, Antonio remains aboard, and she can lead every step of the way this time against a very ordinary field. (11) BEST PLAN probably has the best chance of stopping her. She was 6th behind Hangawi Seonmul in that January 8th race and has subsequently raced once more, finishing 4th of twelve over 1400M on February 5th. She is yet to breach the top-two in sixteen tries but has plenty of minor money finishes and should be looking for a career-best finish here. The form really does drop off after those two. (6) MOON DUST hinted at potential improvement last start when 6th over 1200M and develop further here. (7) RAON JUMP and (3) MAGIC MOCCASIN, the later at least with a couple of 3rd places to her name, others to consider.

Selections(2) Hangawi Seonmul (11) Best Plan (6) Moon Dust (7) Raon Jump
Next Best3, 9
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 6

Busan Race 3: Class 4 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million

Three-year-old maiden fillies, all of them imported from the USA. (9) CARPE BABEL is probably the banker favourite of the meeting. She found her debut in the Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo a bot much too soon but has since finished runner-up in both subsequent starts and crucially has beaten plenty of these in the process. She has been on pace in both of those outings so may be drawn a touch wider than ideal, but she should have too much. (3) ALPHA THOR will be second favourite. She has run 3rd and 5th behind Carpe Babel in her latest two but did beat her when 5th in that DoMin Ilbo Trophy. She comes up 2kg in the weights but should be settling back and running on here. (11) ANOTHER MARINE finished 6th behind Carpe Babel and Alpha Thor on January 27th. That was her debut appearance and while she draws wide again, she can improve. (4) DAINYJI and (5) BABEL SUNSHINE are others to keep safe.

Selections(9) Carpe Babel (3) Alpha Thor (11) Another Marine (4) Dainyji
Next Best5, 2
Fast Start6, 8, 9, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

Another standard maiden. (5) GHOST CHARM has really figured out what he is supposed to be doing in his last couple, culminating in a runner-up finish when stepped up to this distance on January 15th, beating three of today’s rivals in the process. He sat midfield and ran on and can aim to do the same again today, this time going one better. (11) BADAUI KKUM enters with recent form reading well. A previous effort at this trip wasn’t great but he has been working home well in his latest efforts and can be a danger late here. (2) FINAL CHUKJE has finished in 5th place in three of his four outings to date. He comes up to this trip for the first time and it may suit. (9) STAND BY ME and (8) PURPLE STORM the other logical place hopes.

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