Day: March 7, 2024

Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (March 9)

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

Moon Se-young is just one short of 1900 career winners and has ample opportunities to reach that mark on Saturday (Pic: KRA)

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

Fillies (and one mare) only in this maiden. Jockey Harry Kasim debuted in Korea last week and he has a good chance of making his breakthrough with (1) WONDERFUL SEEKING. She has had a few near-misses across five starts so far with her best being a runner-up finish over 1300M on Christmas Day. From a great dear, she can sit behind the early speed, and she has the best final furlong average time among these. (2) FLYING COMMAND has made steady progress over her five starts with two 3rd place finishes from her latest three. She likes to race on pace or handy and she will be a danger in the finish. (5) DIANA has been back to trial following her first two efforts and looked potentially much better with an on pace showing and only bested by the Class 1 Gangtoma. (4) B.K. BELLE and (9) HAMPYEONG FIGHTER others in the placing frame.

Selections(1) Wonderful Seeking (2) Flying Command (5) Diana (4) B.K. Belle
Next Best9, 3
Fast Start1, 2, 8, 11

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

Having missed eighteen months, (6) NAVY CHROME returned on New Year’s Eve and needed the run before significantly improving when 2nd over this distance on January 28th, racing handy throughout. Third-up this preparation he should be peaking fitness-wise, and he may well take some beating. (5) COMPLETE PARTY didn’t want to go in the gate at her latest start and then once she did, proceeded to run badly. Going on her previous effort when 3rd over 1200M in December, she shapes as the main danger here and has subsequently passed a starting test. (10) TOHOMARKET has shown herself to be on the correct trajectory with improvement at each appearance so far with a 4th place last time out her best. Her times haven’t been quick, but she won’t need to improve much to hit the board here. (1) TWO ACE and (7) DAEWONYONGMA others in the minor money hunt.

Selections(6) Navy Chome (5) Complete Party (10) Tohomarket (1) Two Ace
Next Best7, 3
Fast Start3, 4, 6, 7

Seoul Race 3: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

Moon Se-young seems certain to crack 1900 winners at some point this weekend and it could well come here. Since winning on debut (7) MYEONGSEONG CHUKJE has steadily improved across three appearances at this level, culminating in a runner-up finish at this distance on February 4th when settling back and running on. He comes up just 1kg in the weights and today can be his day. (9) HEART K looks to be the main danger. He got his maiden win two starts back over this distance before running a close 3rd behind Myeongseong Chukje on his first try at this class on February 4th. Once more he has the challenge of a wide draw, but once more should be close. (6) BULGEUN POKPUNG is up in class following a maiden in over 1300M on January 21st and he can measure up. (3) GOOD CABO and (2) GEOMUI JEONSEOL other place chances.

Selections(7) Myeongseong Chukje (9) Heart K (6) Bulgeun Pokpung (3) Good Cabo
Next Best2, 8
Fast Start3, 6, 7, 9

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(6) DONGTEUJA WAY got squeezed just after the start on his latest appearance on January 20th and while that doesn’t necessarily excuse him finishing well back in the pack, his previous two outings when finishing 3rd and 2nd on his return from a five-month absence, mean he has enough credit in the bank to be given another chance here. He is up in the weights but an experienced jockey taking over compensates for that. (9) SAENAE KHAN is the main danger. He arrested an ordinary run of form with a 2nd place at this class over 1300M on February 3rd and a similar run will put him in the finish again. (5) PINK GOLD is up in class following a win at start number two over 1200M on February 4th. This is a more challenging assignment, but she is down in the weights and can be competitive. (4) BEST CLONE and (7) GEOMIBULU others who can enter the calculations.

Selections(6) Dongteuja Way (9) Saenae Khan (5) Pink Gold (4) Best Clone
Next Best7, 8
Fast Start4, 5, 6, 8

Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(6) THE SUN FIGHTER got his maiden win two starts back over 1300M before running 4th on his first try at this level, again at 1300M on February 24th. He comes up to two-turns for the first time, but his running style suggests that it can suit, and jockey CC Wong can continue his excellent start to riding in Korea here. (2) ARCH MEMORY remains a maiden after twenty-two attempts but has no fewer than fourteen top-five finishes. Her recent form reads well and under a light weight, she can be a place chance here. (5) DANGCHAN DAEBO is another one coming up to two-turns for the first time. He came from off the pace to run 4th over 1200M last time out and can be running on late. (8) SLAM DRAGON and (3) CLOUTER are the other logical place chances.

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Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (March 8)

The 2024 Graded Race program finally kicks off at Busan this Sunday when Eoma Eoma headlines a fourteen-strong field in the G3 Busan Ilbo Sprint over 1200M. Before that the weekend’s action gets underway on Friday with 8 races at Busan from 11:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Just a small field in this maiden but it is a competitive one. Three race for the first time, and based upon his trial, we’re happy to take a chance on (6) GOTOTHEVALHALLA. The Adios Charlie three-year-old showed on pace in his heat before crossing the line in 2nd in a decent time and seemingly with more to spare. If he brings that performance to the races, he has every chance. (8) DAESUNG DREAM similarly showed well in a trial, coming home an on-pace 3rd in a good time on a dry track. He has the challenge of the widest gate but in this small field, that shouldn’t be a problem. Of those with previous racing experience, (4) GOAT KING IJI was a fair 5th on debut and should have derived some benefit from it. (2) SEOGWI OREUM and first-timer (5) GANGSEO PRIDE are others in the hunt.

Selections(6) Gotothevalhalla (8) Daesung Dream (4) Goat King Iji (2) Seogwi Oreum
Next Best5, 3
Fast Start1, 2, 6, 8

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

Another maiden where we will side with the first timers of which there are just two. It took several trials for (11) FLYING DANU to convince anyone that she is a racehorse, but she was significantly improved in a heat on February 1st when for the first time, she jumped well and led all the way, stopping the clock in a quick time. If that version of her shows up to the races, she can win. (10) MARIA’S CALL trialled last September but never made it to the races. She then went through the same heat as Flying Danu at the beginning of last month, coming home 3rd in a fair time. She too can go well first-up in this company. As for the experience, (5) GOLDEN AIR improved last time out at star number three and can get closer today. (9) WONDERFUL ONE and (7) HANEULPYEONGJEONG others in the hunt.

Selections(11) Flying Danu (10) Maria’s Call (5) Golden Air (9) Wonderful One
Next Best7, 4
Fast Start1, 5, 10, 11

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

(3) GREAT MAN gets the verdict here. After an indifferent debut, he has two 4th places and a 3rd from three subsequent outings and beat a couple of these on his latest over 1200M on January 21st. He likes to race on pace so draws very well and today can be his day. (6) RED JASPER enters having been a beaten favourite when 5th over this distance in an all filly and mare race on February 16th. Based on her form prior to that, with a 2nd and a 3rd in decent times, she can be given another chance here. That will mean overturning the form on (10) SKY SEUNG, who defied big odds to run a much-improved 2nd over this distance in that February 16th race when settling midfield and running on. She will warrant more respect here. (4) WEST POINT and (5) LEMON DOKKI among others in the frame.

Selections(3) Great Man (6) Red Jasper (10) Sky Seung (4) West Point
Next Best5, 7
Fast Start3, 7, 11, 12

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

Competitive race. (5) SAMAKUI KKOT was a beaten favourite for the second consecutive time when 4th at this class and distance on February 4th, having led for most of the way around. In this company, she should find herself on the speed again and this time she can go all the way. She may not even start as favourite. (3) WILD SERVE comes up in class following a 3rd and a 2nd in two class 6 efforts at 1200M and 1400M. She is down in the weights, draws nicely and she should have more than enough about her to measure up in this company. (7) I AM LEGEND is up in class after a maiden win at start number four on February 2nd. It came at this distance and under a light weight, she can be competitive. (10) LAND BANK and (11) BREEDO WIZARD among others to keep safe.

Selections(5) Samakui Kkot (3) Wild Serve (7) I Am Legend (10) Land Bank
Next Best11, 8
Fast Start3, 5, 10, 11

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

(3) META PRINCESS enters off back-to-back wins over 1200M and 1300M, the latter at this class and both times settling handy and running on strongly. She remains lightly weighted, she draws well, and she can make it three in a row here. (12) MORNING FLOW finally got his maiden win at the twelfth time of asking at this class and distance on January 21st when settling handy early before taking things up entering the straight and running on very well. It was a super quick time and while he comes up 3.5kg in the weights and has a similarly wide draw, a repeat can’t be ruled out. (4) RAON THE CHEONHA comes up in class have pretty much made all to win over this distancer on January 19th. He comes down in weights and with only three starts in the bank, there is plenty of scope for more improvement. (6) SEOBU VISION and (1) CORNER ONE are among others in the placing frame.

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