Day: January 26, 2024

Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (January 28)

Sunday’s racing is at Seoul (11 races from 10:35 to 18:00) and at Busan (6 races from 11:25 to 16:05). Both tracks host class 1 features. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Maidens open proceedings with four of the eleven racing for the first time. The favourite though will be (1) MAX GOLD. He has a 2nd and a 5th place from two starts racing handy on both occasions. His times haven’t been fast, but they have been faster than any of the others here and from the inside gate, he should be on pace early and can lead all the way. The rest of the exposed form isn’t great so we will give a chance to one of the newcomers as second pick. (8) TAENG TAENG BALL ran a fair 3rd in his trial, a long way behind the experienced Wow Wow but he didn’t do too much wrong, and this is a great race to debut in.  (9) MAX WEEK improved to 6th at start number two and looks the most likely of the experienced ones to make further progress. (3) BEOLGYOSAMJOKO and (6) CALIPH other potential improvers.

Selections(1) Max Gold (8) Taeng Taeng Ball (9) Max Week (3) Beolgyosamjoko
Next Best6, 4
Fast Start1, 3, 6, 8

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(2) ROYAL BEST has made steady progress across three starts so far, culminating in a 3rd place over 1200M on Christmas Eve when he raced close to the pace throughout. From a great draw he can get a soft run to the front again and this time he can go one better. (7) CHEONGUCHAT has similarly shown improvement across his three appearances, most recently registering a 2nd place over 1300M on December 31st when settling midfield and running on. The slight step up in trip can suit and he will be a danger here. After an inauspicious debut, (3) JERAQUEEN has been there or thereabouts in three subsequent starts most recently racing on pace over this distance on December 30th and finishing 4th in a decent time. A similar run will see her int the finish again. (5) NAVY CHROME and (6) WINNER ZONE among others in the frame.

Selections(2) Royal Best (7) Cheonguchat (3) Jeraqueen (5) Navy Chrome
Next Best6, 9
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 5

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Maiden fillies in the south coast opener with five of the eleven racing for the first time. The hot favourite though will be the only one who has raced more than once before, (6) DRAGON PUNCH. After running 3rd on debut in November, she overcame gate ten to run a close 2nd on December 29th, again over this distance. She should have too much and go one better here. (9) PASSION ran 3rd on debut over this distance in a faster time than – albeit on a much wetter and faster track surface – than Dragon Punch has recorded so far. She should have come on for the experience and can be the main danger here. Of the debut-makers, (3) RUBY STONE is the standout. She went through two trials and was very quick in the second of them when she led from gate to wire. She draws nicely here and can put in a bold showing first up. (8) SEOGWI STAR and (11) SUNCHEON YEOWANG are potential improvers.

Selections(6) Dragon Punch (9) Passion (3) Ruby Stone (8) Seogwi Star
Next Best11, 1
Fast Start3, 6, 8, 10

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(2) BAEKRYONG comes in off a best to date runner-up finish over 1300M on Christmas Day when settling just behind the speed from gate ten and running on well. That continued a positive pattern of improvement and with an extra half furlong to play with here, as well as a better gate, today can be his day. Disputing favourite status will be (8) SHOUT KURO. He is yet to finish in the top two in seven attempts but enters off two 4th place finishes and a 3rd from his latest three, most recently beating a couple of today’s rivals over 1300M. He likes to come off the pace so the slight step up in trip can suit and he should be close. (10) CLOVER PARTY was 4th behind Baekryong last time out but two starts back got a runner-up finish of his own over 1200M and while he draws a touch wider than ideal, he can be a danger. (4) DRAGON FANTASY and (7) SINUI UNMYEONG are among others to keep safe.

Selections(2) Baekryong (8) Shout Kuro (10) Clover Party (4) Dragon Fantasy
Next Best7, 11
Fast Start2, 7, 9, 11

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(6) GRAND CHASER ran a good 2nd on debut to Great Queen, settling midfield and running on and stopping the clock in a good time. She should have come on for the run and she will be expected to go one better here. (2) DREAM WAY got a 3rd place on debut all the way back in June before running down the field in two subsequent appearances. He hasn’t raced since August, but he looked a much better proposition when finishing 2nd in a quick trial earlier this month and from a good draw, he goes straight into contention here. (11) DRAGON FIRE ran 4th on debut over 1200M on December 29th overcoming a wide gate and a slow start. He should have derived benefit from that and can be running on here. (10) BIG WILD and (3) RIVERSTONE among others who can be considered on a place line.

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Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (January 27)

Saturday’s action is at Seoul with 11 races from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

It’s been another cold week in the capital but temperatures should be above freezing for the weekend’s racing

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Three-year-old maiden fillies in the opener with eight of the twelve racing for the first time. Of the experienced ones, three of them debuted in the same race over this distance on December 16th and it was (10) SEOHAE BADA who was the best, coming home in 3rd place having raced handy throughout. She won’t have to come on much for that to win here. (6) NEOMANEULWIHAESEO is never going to be a race-caller’s friend, but she was the quickest of the newcomers in trials, running with some experienced horses in her latest heat. She should be on pace and can be in this a long way first-up. (4) MAGIC SILENCE won a trial at the start of this month (which as a voluntary trial, won’t be in all race cards) racing on pace and if she brings that form to the races, will go close. (11) ACAPEL and (3) BREEDO MAGICIAN, the latter “winning” one of the slowest trials on record on January 11th, others who hinted at ability.

Selections(10) Seohae Bada (6) Neomaneulwihaeso (4) Magic Silence (11) Acapel
Next Best3, 2
Fast Start2, 5, 6, 10

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Fillies only in this maiden. (1) RUBY PORT has a 5th and a pair of 3rd place finishes from three starts so far, most recently as beaten favourite over this distance in a similar all-filly race on December 30th when racing on pace. She draws nicely again and can be given another chance here. That will mean overturning the form on (6) DANAEUN REX, who ran a much-improved 2nd in that December 30th race. For the first time in her three starts, she began well and if she can do the same here, she can be in the finish again. (10) PINK WIND was 4th behind Danaeun Rex and Ruby Port in that race, her second consecutive 4th place finish and in this company, she should be matching or bettering those. (11) MAGIC PLEASURE and (5) STUNNING CHAMP the other logical place contenders.

Selections(1) Ruby Port (6) Danaeun Rex (10) Pink Wind (11) Magic Pleasure
Next Best5, 9
Fast Start1, 2, 9, 11

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(2) GUKDAE FIGHTER ran a solid 2nd place on debut over this distance on December 31st, settling midfield and then running on. He should have derived benefit from that experience and from a great draw, he can go one better this time. (4) WONDERFUL SEEKING has shown progress across four prior appearances, culminating in a 2nd place over this distance on Christmas Day when handy throughout. She’ll be on or close to the pace here and should be in this a long way. (6) DREAM CARD has a 5th and a 3rd place from two starts at 1200M. Both times he has got himself quite a long way back and the slight step up in trip may be to his benefit. (1) COMPLETE PARTY significantly improved at start number two and can maintain that momentum today. (7) TOJONG GLORY another in the hunt.

Selections(2) Gukdae Fighter (4) Wonderful Seeking (6) Dream Card (1) Complete Party
Next Best7, 11
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(5) LUCKY PARTY come sin having secured his maiden win on New Year’s Eve over 1300M at this class, when racing handy throughout. He has never finished worse than 4th, and while he comes up a full 3.5kg in the weights, he has every chance of winning again. (10) CITY KING got his maiden win two starts back before running 3rd on his first try at this class and distance on December 23rd when he led for much of the way. He has the challenge of the widest gate, but with a touch of luck at the start he can find a good position and can go close once more. He will need to overturn the form on (7) CUPID CHAMP. She was 2nd in that December 23rd race and while she is yet to win in eleven attempts, she has six top-three finishes and should be there or thereabouts again. (6) MIRAE TOWER and the up in class and curiously named (9) ENTROPY are others to consider.

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