Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with 10 races from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens with two colts and nine fillies and five of them racing for the first time. One of these first timers will be the favourite. (5) LOVE COWGIRL (who for the benefit of those smirking in the back, is by Cowboy Cal and out of Love Minister) fairly bolted up in her trial, leading all the way and crossing the lengths fifteen-lengths clear of the rest. That was back in February, and it is fair to say that those she beat have not exactly caught the eye since, but the time speaks for itself and while it has been two and a half months, she will be eagerly anticipated here. Of the experienced ones, (9) GOLDEN FLYING is the only one to have placed. That was on her improved latest start when 3rd over this distance back in January. She’s been off fifteen weeks but should aim to match or better that in this company. (10) BARO CHAMPION looks to be close to figuring things out too with a 5th and a 4th from her latest two. She too won’t need to improve much to go close. (3) KING GO TAEYANG and (1) MUNHAK EAGLE are other potential improvers.
| Selections | (5) Love Cowgirl (9) Golden Flying (10) Baro Champion (3) King Go Taeyang |
| Next Best | 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 5, 10 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million
A regular maiden here. (4) HIGH BORN ME shapes as the one to beat following back-to-back 3rd place finishes from his latest two starts at 1300M and this trip. From a kind draw, he can sit just behind the speed and may prove too strong. (11) JANGHEUNG CLASS has shown improvement in his latest two, including a 2nd place over this distance last time out on April 23rd. He raced handy that day and while he does have the challenge of the widest gate, with a bit of luck at the start, he can go close. (5) JEONGSANG LUCKY came back to this trip and back into some kind of form on April 16th when close to the pace all the way for 3rd place. Kim Hye-sun, in town for Sunday’s group races, takes the mount and she should be a danger. (2) MY ONE and (7) BEST PLAN, the latter with the fastest time of any at the distance, are others to keep safe.
| Selections | (4) High Born Me (11) Jangheung Class (5) Jeongsang Lucky (2) My One |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
Back to three-year-old maidens, with three of the eleven racing for the first time. (4) CHEONJI SKY improved at start number two on March 11th when 3rd over this distance when settling midfield and running on. In this company and from this gate, he can be on pace here and has as good a chance as any. (2) PURPLE SHINHWA ran fairly for 5th on debut at this distance on April 9th when racing on the speed. He should have some natural improvement for that run and from a very nice draw, could get a soft lead. He’ll be in this a long way. (3) SHARP SUNSHINE has shown some progress in her latest two most recently when 4th of eleven on April 16th. In the process she set a time for the 1200M quicker than any of the others here have achieved and that alone puts her in the frame. (7) GEUMSEONG REVERE and (10) CUPID CHIC, who came home 3rd and 4th when racing one another last time out on April 1st, are others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (4) Cheonji Sky (2) Purple Shinhwa (3) Sharp Sunshine (7) Geumseong Revere |
| Next Best | 10, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 6, 7 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million
(11) FLY DAY will be a hot favourite. He enters off his best finish to date when 2nd at this distance on April 15th, having settled back and run on. That was his fourth start and his second in the places so any top-three finish will see him up at class 5 next time. He has the fastest final furlong average time but with there not being much early speed in this race, we may see him close to the pace than usual and he should prove too strong. (6) CUPID CHAMP also has two top-three finishes and while he has seemingly lost his way in his most recent two, again in this company he can be ridden on pace and may see his fortunes take a turn for the better. (3) FEDERAL PRESS has hinted at ability across four starts so far with a best of 5th. He has finished off his races well enough so the slight raise in trip can suit. (1) DIVINE PYEONGHWA and (9) GWANGCHIGI other potential minor money hopes in afield with not much depth.
| Selections | (11) Fly Day (6) Cupid Champ (3) Federal Press (1) Divine Pyeonghwa |
| Next Best | 9, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 8, 11 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Competitive race featuring four last start winners. We’ll side with the up in class (7) HAEUNDAE GALMAEGI who got her maiden win at start number three over 1200M on April 16th leading every step of the way. She had previously run well at 1300M so the rise in trip may not be an issue, and she can make it two in a row. (1) DAERYUN SIDAE also comes up in class, in her case following her maiden score at start number six. On April 15th when leading all the way. She comes up in trip but into a nice gate and is down in the weights. On the same day, (10) BEST JEONSA finally made his breakthrough at start fourteen. Unlike the other last start winners, it was at this class and distance and while he comes up 3.5kg in the weights, a repeat can’t be ruled out. (4) STAND BY ME, up in class and slightly in trip, is next best along with (9) BULUI NALGAE.
| Selections | (7) Haeundae Galmaegi (1) Daeryun Sidae (10) Best Jeonsa (4) Stand By Me |
| Next Best | 9, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 7 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(6) JEOLDAE GACHI got his maiden win in emphatic style in March before running 2nd when favourite for his first try at this level, again over 1200M, on April 16th. Once more he carries his fair share of weight, but this is only his fourth start and there should be plenty of improvement still in the tank. He goes on top here. (3) TEUKGEUP DAERO was a class and distance winner on April 15th when settling midfield and running on. She comes up 3kg in the weights but warrants respect. (11) WONPYEONG KILLAR has mixed his form but his last start 3rd on April 8th was a solid effort and while the draw here isn’t ideal, he can be in the mix once more. (7) AL SIMON and (4) ICE CREAM among others who can enter the placing calculations.
| Selections | (6) Jeoldae Gachi (3) Teukgeup Daero (11) Wonpyeong Killar (7) Al Simon |
| Next Best | 4, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 6 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million
(7) WONDERFUL SLEW is two for two having come from off the pace in both her starts so far to win narrowly but comfortably at 1200M and 1300M. That brings her up rapidly in class, but she continues under a light weight and the extended trip may well suit here. This isn’t an easy race, but she can emerge with her 100% record intact. (3) MORNING PRINCE is already a winner at this distance at class 5 level and after finishing well back in Seoul’s Classic Trial in March, skipped the KRA Cup Mile to run over this class and distance on April 9th when overcoming gate eleven. From a much better draw, he could well go one better today. (1) K N POST is a bit of a wildcard. She has ability and she registered her sole win so far over this trip at class 5 level on her latest start. That was back in December so she returns here the first time in twenty-two weeks, but she looked well in an April trial and could provide some each-way value. (2) RULES CLASS and (8) MISS YANGHO others to consider.
| Selections | (7) Wonderful Slew (3) Morning Prince (1) K N Post (2) Rules Class |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 75 Million
(6) NAMSAN HORANGI ran 3rd on his first try at this class over this distance on March 19th when handy throughout. He is a winner over the distance, he is still fairly weighted, and in this company he can win. (2) YAMUJIN JAESU is the logical danger. Following back-to-back wins at a mile, he came up to this class and distance on March 26th and ran a solid 4th place having been slowly away before running on. He carries the same weight, gets a good gate, and can aim to better that finish today. (3) SENSE JAENGI gets the class drop he has been waiting for and while that means he comes up a full 7kg in the weights he has run some very quick times at the distance and in this company, should be back to being dangerous. (8) LUXURY CAPTAIN and (5) GOLDEN SERVICE others in the minor money hunt.
| Selections | (6) Namsan Horangi (2) Yamujin Jaesu (3) Sense Jaengi (8) Luxury Captain |
| Next Best | 5, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 8 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) EUNHYE has put together an impressive record with six to-three finishes across eight starts. There is only the one win among those, but it was at this distance and while he comes up in class, he also has the fastest time among these for the 1200M and comes down 3.5kg in the weights. It could be his day. (5) PHOENIX SERVE comes in off back-to-back 4th place finishes in her two tries at this class. She can be expected to be on pace here and under a light weight, should be in this a long way. (4) HIT POWER is up in class following a tight win at this distance on March 25th. He has been ridden on pace in his latest two, which has seen an uptick in form, and with similar tactics here, he can measure up at this level. (10) COLJOY and (8) DUSON CHAMP others to keep safe.
| Selections | (7) Eunhye (5) Phoenix Serve (4) Hit Power (10) Coljoy |
| Next Best | 8, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 7 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Competitive finale with a case to be made for most of them. (3) GOLD POWER was an all the way winner in a quick time at class and distance two starts back before running a fair 5th when trying to follow up on April 2nd. She comes up 1kg but is nicely drawn and she has every chance of going all the way here. (1) SEONGSILGONGJUPINK can mix her form, but she comes up in class following a runner-up finish over 1300M on April 8th. When leading until the closing stages. She comes down significantly in the weights and can measure up. (2) MOONHAK SONG is yet to finish in the top-two, but she hasn’t been far away with a 4th and a 3rd from her latest two. She’ll be on the early speed and can match or better those finishes today. (10) NEMO PRINCE and (4) EUNHYE CHUNGMAN among others in the hunt.
| Selections | (3) Gold Power (1) Seongsilgongjupink (2) Moonhak Song (10) Nemo Prince |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 5, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 