It’s Derby-Eve! There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(8) FLYING GLOW raced once last August finishing a fair 5th over 1200M. He hasn’t been seen since, but the Shackleford colt returned to training this Spring and looked well when a close 2nd on a trial on April 11th, leading for most of the way around. His early speed should see him to the lead here and he can win first-up. It took (6) MAX PARTY a few tries to qualify but once he did, he ran well on debut got 4th place over this distance on April 7th, coming from off the pace. He should have come on for that run and can get closer today. (5) DAEMYEONGJANG was an improved 3rd at 1300M at start number four and can continue to make progress here. (11) RAON THE PARTA and first-time starter (3) P N S OHOH are others to consider.
| Selections | (8) Flying Glow (6) Max Party (5) Daemyeongjang (11) Raon The Parta |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 7, 8, 10, 11 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Fillies only in this maiden. (5) KKUMUI HYANGGI was sent off as favourite on debut over 1200M on March 30th only to go down a very narrow 2nd. She should have come on for that run, Moon Se-young climbs up, and she will be expected to go one better today. (10) TESTA RUBY is the clear second pick. It took her a few goes to figure things out but her latest two when 4th and 3rd, both at this distance, suggest that she is finally getting there. She draws a touch wide but expect her to sit close to the speed and she has the fastest time among these for the distance. (1) SMILE GOLD also looks to be on the right trajectory and from a good draw, can be on pace here. (3) MISS CONCORD and (9) MAGIC SOUND are other potential improvers.
| Selections | (5) Kkumui Hyanggi (10) Testa Ruby (1) Smile Gold (3) Miss Concord |
| Next Best | 9, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1700M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(6) BEAT YEONGUNG stepped up to this distance on April 27th and ran a solid 3rd place, beating a couple of today’s rivals in the process. The time was quicker than any of the others here have managed for the distance, and he is the one to beat here. With five top-five finishes from eight starts, (7) BLOOD MOUNTAIN has been getting closer, culminating in a runner-up finish over this distance on April 13th with three of today’s rivals back down the track. The time wasn’t quick, but he won’t need to improve much to be in the mix here. (9) COSMO KING. He finished 2nd ahead of Blood Mountain two starts back before finishing 4th behind him in that April 13th race. He isn’t favoured by the draw but is a place chance again. (2) YONGBICHEON and (1) MARUBYEOL are the other contenders for the minors.
| Selections | (6) Beat Yeongung (7) Blood Mountain (9) Cosmo King (2) Yongbicheon |
| Next Best | 1, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Small field but many chances. (2) TRAUM KING was a winner at class 6 level last summer and then ran 3rd and 4th in two tries at this class. He hasn’t raced since last October but looked very well when winning an April trial, and from a great draw, he can go well first-up here. If there are concerns about race fitness, then (7) JEONGSEONGTIGER will be the one to go for. She got her maiden win at this class and distance in an all-filly race on April 6th, settling back and running on strongly. She comes up 2kg in the weights, but Harry remains on board and a repeat isn’t impossible. (5) BAEDARI KWAEGEOM ran 2nd in that April 6th race. She has three-lengths to make up on Jeongseongtiger but she gets a weight swing in her favour and shouldn’t be dismissed. (6) LADY TAEPUNG and (1) CLOUTER are others in the frame.
| Selections | (2) Traum King (7) Jeongseongtiger (5) Baedari Kwaegeom (6) Lady Taepung |
| Next Best | 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 7 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(9) RICH GATE is yet to win in eleven attempts, but he comes in here having run 2nd in his latest two both at this class over 1400M and bot times racing on pace. He comes back slightly in trip here and while he may need a touch of early luck from the wide gate, today could be his day. If he does find one too quick again, it may be (3) MUSS QUEEN FLY. She got her maiden win at start number two in March before running 3rd when favourite on her first try at this level on April 14th over 1400M. She draws nicely, Kim Yong-geun gets the leg-up, and she may well start as the betting favourite. (10) SEOCHEON LION has won two of his last three, most recently at this class and distance on April 6th when making all. He carries his fair share of weight here and has to contend with the wide gate, but a repeat shouldn’t be ruled out. (5) EXCELLENT TAN and (4) SMART CAT among plenty of other placing chances.
| Selections | (9) Rich Gate (3) Muss Queen Fly (10) Seocheon Lion (5) Excellent Tan |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) JANGHEUNG CLASS has been working back towards another win, culminating in a runner-up finish over this class and distance on March 31st when settling midfield and running on. He comes up 1.5kg in the weights but draws well again and CC stays on. She can go one better here. (5) NEMO SPIRIT is yet to win in fifteen but enters in solid form with a last start 3rd place at class and distance. She continues under a light weight, and this is the kind of race she can find the money in. (3) SHADOW HUNTER comes up in class following a maiden win at start number three. It was over this distance on March 16th, and he can measure up in this company. (10) SHOOTING REVERSE and (6) AWESOME BRAIN are also last start winner capable of kicking on.
| Selections | (2) Jangheung Class (5) Nemo Spirit (3) Shadow Hunter (10) Shooting Reverse |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 6 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Very tricky one. (5) JJARITHAN JAYU was a winner at this distance at class 5 level on April 14th, leading every step of the way and scoring by plenty. He is up in class and while he doesn’t get much in the way of a weight drop, the manner of that win suggest that he can more than measure up here. (2) RAON THE DAESE was a class and distance winner on March 31st when she came from well off the pace to win comfortably. She comes up 3kg in the weights today but that’s balanced by a nice draw, and she can go back-to-back. (6) TIZ MORNING is rapidly up two classes having won her latest two over 1300M. This is undoubtedly tougher, and she stretches out to 1400M for the first time, but she comes down in the weights and with only four starts under her belt, has the potential for more. (3) GEUMJEONSA and (10) DALMAJI among plenty of other chances.
| Selections | (5) Jjarithan Jayu (2) Raon The Daese (6) Tiz Morning (3) Geumjeonsa |
| Next Best | 10, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 6, 11 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
We’re going to need to draw a line under a couple of last start efforts here. Let’s start with (8) STORM BREAKER, who found himself well back in the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Triple Crown, at Busan last month. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t go to tomorrow’s Derby – though he has won at this class over the Derby distance of 1800M. He has also won at this trip and under a light weight, with CC climbing up and back in shallower waters, he can win. (7) CHADOL DIA will need his two latest overlooked. They did though come first in Seoul’s Classic Trial at 1400M and then a very competitive Trophy race at this distance when he was on pace but got swallowed up by a decent field. He too finds himself among more amenable opponents here and he is a class and distance winner as recently as January. (4) GOOD CABO comes up in class following a win over 1400M on March 9th. He has won at this distance too and under a light weight and from a good gate he can be competitive. (6) CONCORD QUEEN and (3) COMPLETE LUCKY others in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Storm Breaker (7) Chadol Dia (4) Good Cabo (6) Concord Queen |
| Next Best | 3, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 11 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A couple of maidens ready to win here, potentially. (1) ENDING FIRE has five top-four finishes from six starts so far, with two 3rd places at this distance. He generally settles back and runs on but in this small field and from this gate, he may well be ridden further forward today, and he can win. (5) YONGBI BULPAE enters having improved to 3rd place at start number three on April 13th when beating a couple of today’s rivals. He won’t need to improve much on that to go close. Like Ending Fire, (9) MISS CHARLIE has five top-four finishes among her six starts. Most recently she has back-to-back 3rd places at 1300M and 1200M and while she comes up 2kg in the weights and draws wide, she should be in the mix again. (4) JEDI FORCE and (8) DREAM RIDGE are the other minor money hopes.
| Selections | (1) Ending Fire (5) Yongbi Bulpae (9) Miss Charlie (4) Jedi Force |
| Next Best | 8, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 8 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 4 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(11) GANGNAMBULCHUNGGAK comes in having finished well back in the KRA Cup Mile the first leg of the Triple Crown. His record before that was two wins and a runner-up finish up to this level and to a mile and under a fair weight and in calmer waters here, he should return to winning ways. (10) K N TIZWON is a twenty-start maiden, but he has fourteen top-four finishes including a last start 3rd place at this class and distance when coming from off the pace. He is actually up in class here but that means a big 5kg weight drop and that can see him in the mix. (3) WHIZ RUNNER got his maiden win at this class over 1400M on April 7th and while he tackles the two turns for the first time, he should be competitive again. (6) MIGHTY TAP and (2) TIZ ENERGY among plenty of others with placing claims.
| Selections | (11) Gangnambulchunggak (10) K N Tizwon (3) Whiz Runner (6) Mighty Tap |
| Next Best | 2, 4 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 6, 11 |
Seoul Race 11: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(5) GREAT STORM enters off a hat-trick of wins most recently over a mile at class 4 level on April 6th when settling handy and running on. This is his first try at 1800M, but he has won over 1700M and while it takes a special horse to win four in a row, he carries a light weight, and he has every chance. (1) HWARANG TODAY is seeking a hat-trick of his own. He comes up in class following back-to-back class 4 wins, most recently at this distance on April 13th. He too is down in the weights, he draws well, and he can measure up. (4) G MOTION is working back into form and gets a much better draw than he did when 4th at class and distance last time out. (10) BURUI SINHWA and (3) SEONGSIL INDONG are among others who can enter the placing calculations.
| Selections | (5) Great Storm (1) Hwarang Today (4) G Motion (10) Burui Sinhwa |
| Next Best | 3, 7 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 8, 9 |
Horse Racing in Korea 