Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with 11 races from 10:40 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens in the opener with five of the twelve racing for the first time. The existing form isn’t hugely impressive so we’ll break the general rule of siding with experience in these kinds of races and take a chance on first-timer (5) PHOENIX CLASS. She settled handy in her trial and ran on well for a close 3rd in a fair time. She draws well enough here and she won’t need to improve too much to put in a bold showing. She won’t be favourite and may offer some value. (2) GIANT RULER ran pleasingly enough for 4th on debut over this distance on January 14th, settling midfield. She should have derived benefit from that experience and can go close here. She will dispute favourite status with (7) ARGO MIJEOK. He is the most experience in the race and does have a 3rd place in his record. An Apprentice takes the weight down and he should be aiming to match or better that 3rd here. Other first timer starters (11) CRAZY JACKPOT and (8) FYING ZEST may have a say in the minors.
| Selections | (5) Phoenix Class (2) Giant Ruler (7) Argo Mujeok (11) Crazy Jackpot |
| Next Best | 8, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 7, 10 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maiden fillies with three racing for the first time. (8) DANDI is the one to beat. She was well backed on debut on January 7th when she ran 2nd in a similar race over this distance. She should have some natural improvement here and Moon Se-young climbs on. The logical danger is (2) FINAL JILJU. After a midfield finish on debut, she improved to 3rd place having overcome a wide gate over this distance on January 28th. She draws much better this time and can go even closer here. The exposed form drops off precipitously after those two (the quinella will be an extremely short price) so we might as well look at the newcomers. (7) SOARA TO TO looks the most likely to make an immediate impact having looked all over the place n a string of failed trials at the back end of last year before suddenly coming out in January and running very pleasingly in a heat. If she brings that day’s form to the races, she can aim for 3rd here. (9) HONOR ROSE won her trial and while that time was slow, that’s enough to give her a chance here. (4) CUPID CHIC a potential improver.
| Selections | (8) Dandi (2) Final Jilju (7) Soara To To (9) Honor Rose |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 8, 9 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens. (6) HIGH GRAND has been consistent across his five starts to date and was a very good 2nd over 1200M two starts back when leading until the closing stages. He came up to this trip for his latest appearance on December 17th when he had to deal with gate ten but got to a handy position and ran on for 4th. (2) ARA MOA debuted last October in good fashion when an on pace runner-up over 1200M. She hasn’t reappeared since, but she came back to trial last Friday and won her heat. So long as she didn’t leave her race back there – and it wasn’t a particularly quick time so she shouldn’t have done – she can go well here. (5) GOLD MIGHTY is another who has shown promise across his three starts so far with the best being a 2nd place – well beaten by a good winner – over five furlongs in December. He came from off the pace to run 4th on his first try at this distance on January 7th and looks at least a place chance here. (8) GRAND SILVER and (7) WONPYEONG CHUKJE others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (6) High Grand (2) Ara Moa (5) Gold Mighty (8) Grand Silver |
| Next Best | 7, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 7 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 4 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million
Three-year-old imported fillies here. There is one previous winner and (7) MIGHTY LOOK is favoured to strike again. She ran 5th on debut but then scored in a very similar class and distance race on January 28th when settling towards the front of midfield and proving too strong with a couple of today’s rivals behind here. She comes up slightly in the weights but should be too good. There are three debut-makers and (10) POWER VICTORY is sure to be of interest. She ran a good 2nd in a decent time in her trial and the jockey booking will make punters take note. (8) MOONHAK SONG has mixed her form across four starts so far and was disappointing in that January 28th race. She has a 3rd and a 4th to her name though and can be given another chance here. (4) MEDICI WOLF too will need her latest one forgiven when she was never a factor over 1400M. She ran 3rd in the Gwacheon Mayor’s Trophy at this distance last October and she too gets another chance. (9) AKDONG ARGO another in the money hunt.
| Selections | (7) Mighty Look (10) Power Victory (8) Moonhak Song (4) Medici Wolf |
| Next Best | 9, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 8, 9 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
This is a really competitive race so it might be best to try to find one at odds. (8) BLACK MOTION was an eye-catching winner on debut over 1000M in December before weakening to last place on his first try at class and distance on January 28th. Since then he has been back to trial, which he won in a fast time two weeks ago and he looks worth another chance today. (11) EUNHYE just about warrants favourite status. He returned from ten months out to run a very solid 3rd in that January 28th race. He should have come on for that run and can go close here. Like Black Motion, (4) YONGBI SEOUL was a smart winner on debut over the minimum trip before struggling on his first try at this class and distance. He bounced back from that to finish 5th in a fast race on January 14th and from a nice draw he can be on pace and in this a long way. (2) BEAT RUNNER and (6) JEONGSANG FIGHTING among others in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Black Motion (11) Eunhye (4) Yongbi Seoul (2) Beat Runner |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 4, 7, 8, 12 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(4) GEOLJAK DREAM remains a maiden after ten attempts but has seven top-three finishes including each of her latest four. Her most recent was when she beat three of today’s rivals on her way to 2nd place on Christmas Eve having led for much of the way around and while she comes up slightly in the weights, she draws well to be on the speed again and this time can go one better. (5) POWERFUL SOCKS comes up in class following an all the way score over this distance on January 14th. She comes down a little in the weights, gets a good draw, and can measure up in this company. (8) BEAT UP comes up to this trip after running on well for 3rd place in both his attempts at this class to date, both over 1200M. He has been running through the line well and the additional half furlong may suit. (6) NAMSAN MUJEOK and the up in class (7) ARGO RICH among others with at least placing chances.
| Selections | (4) Geoljak Dream (5) Powerful Socks (8) Beat Up (6) Namsan Mujeok |
| Next Best | 7, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 9 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(5) GOOD NISEN returned from nine months out to record a comfortable win over 1300M at class 5 level on December 11th, settling just behind the early leader and then running on very nicely. He comes up in class here and without the benefit of an apprentice claim, up in weight too, but neither should be an issue and he can win again. (8) POWERFUL HWASEONG is rapidly up in class having won his latest two, both over 1200M in good fashion. He is well treated under the handicap conditions here and while he tackles the 1400M for the first time, his running style can suit and a hat-trick isn’t out of the question. (9) MAGIC HOUR put in a useful performance in the Listed NACF Chairman’s Trophy last November and ran a fair 5th on his first try at class and distance on January 28th. He too is nicely weighted and can go close again. (4) PIEONADA and (10) HWA SSI BYEOK among others to keep safe.
| Selections | (5) Good Nisen (8) Powerful Hwaseong (9) Magic Hour (4) Pieonada |
| Next Best | 10, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 5 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
A very competitive race but (6) RAON THE ARIA just about gets the nod. She got off to a bad start when favourite at class and distance on January 29th and while she did run on for 6th, she gave herself no chance. At the start prior, she ran a very close class and distance 2nd in a fast time and with a better beginning today she can win and potentially give Park Tae-jong his 2200th career winner. (2) JISANGUN was 5th in that January 29th race. She draws well to get to the speed here and in this company, we should be seeing an uptick on her recent results. (10) ULTRA KING has a 2nd and two 4th place finishes since being promoted to this class and has beaten a few of these (including Jisangun twice) in the process. He should be there or thereabouts again today. (4) GLOBAL BOBAE and (1) JILJU BORN others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (6) Raon The Aria (2) Jisangun (10) Ultra King (4) Global Bobae |
| Next Best | 1, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 8, 11 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Another competitive race. (5) BYEOLNARA JILJU returned from seven months out to run a good 2nd coming from off the pace at this class and distance on January 7th. He comes up slightly in the weights here but should have come on for that run and has every chance of going one better. (3) FOX POWER was a good winner over a mile at this class two starts back. While he could only manage 5th of nine on his latest appearance in December, he comes in here fresh after two months off and he has won at this distance in the past. (4) GREEN DRAGON tackles the 1400M for the first time. She was an on-pace runner-up on her first try at this class over 1200M on January 29th and will be expected to be on pace here and in this a long way. (8) BEOLMAL DAEJANG and (1) SECRET BOSS others in at least the placing frame.
| Selections | (5) Byeolnara Jilju (3) Fox Power (4) Green Dragon (8) Beolmal Daejang |
| Next Best | 1, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 5 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 5 (1700M) Special Weight B / KRW 40 Million
(6) ULTRA GALAXY comes up in class having secured his maiden win at start number six over this distance on January 28th when starting fast from an outside gate, getting shuffled back and then running on well to win by a big margin. Despite the class raise and from a better gate, he won’t need to improve much to win again. (4) WONDERFUL JOY has won at class and distance and although his latest two have resulted in indifferent performances, he has tended to get a bit far back and hasn’t missed by much. From a good gate with a better start, he can be in this. (10) OKCHEON CHOEGANG was a winner at class and distance two starts back before running a very close 3rd in a tight four-way finish, again at class and distance on January 14th having led. He goes best when on pace so the widest gate isn’t ideal but with a touch of luck at the start, he can be a danger again (5) RUNNER MONSTER, who beat Wonderful Joy last time out, and (2) CHEONSONGI others to keep safe.
| Selections | (6) Ultra Galaxy (4) Wonderful Joy (10) Okcheon Choegang (5) Runner Monster |
| Next Best | 2, 9 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8, 10 |
Seoul Race 11: Class 2 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 90 Million
A really good race to conclude the card. (6) VICS GO was a winner at this class two starts back over a mile before dropping back to 1400M and running 5th in a very fast race on a lightning quick track on January 15th. He tackles 1800M for the first time and carries his fair share of weight, but he consistently runs fast times and can come out on top here. (5) HANGANGUI GISANG went down to his first defeat on January 28th when leading almost until the line. He comes up in class and in trip but crucially comes significantly down in weight and he can measure up in this company. Also up in class is the winner of that January 28th race, (10) MIGHTY GOOD. That was his third consecutive win with the others coming over 1700M. The wide draw won’t be a problem here and while he may not be favoured to make it four in a row, he is at least a place chance. (1) DORAON POPEYE and (11) BALVENIE others to consider.
| Selections | (6) Vics Go (5) Hangangui Gisang (10) Mighty Good (1) Doraon Popeye |
| Next Best | 11, 2 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 8, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 