Day: August 1, 2024

Saturday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (August 3)

With no Jeju this week, there is a rare Saturday card at Busan (Busan will be off on Sunday) joining the regular Seoul Saturday program. There are 9 races in Seoul from 10:35 to 18:00 and 6 in Busan from 11:35 to 16:55. Here are the previews:

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

Juvenile maidens in the opener with five of the ten racing for the first time. We’ll side with a debut-maker. (9) GLOBAL TIME took two goes to qualify but looked well in the second of them when coming from off the pace for a close 2nd in a quick time. The 1200M should suit first up and Moon Se-young being booked catches the eye. Seo Seung-un is in town to ride Jeulgeounyeojeong in the KRA Cup Classic on Sunday and he picks up a live chance with (3) CHEONGONGUI SEOM. He beat two of the other experienced ones here when they debuted together over 1000M in a very quick race on July 6th. He came from off the pace, so the extra furlong can be in his favour, and he is the danger. (6) LONG RUN BULPAE finished 7th in that same race and can improve. (4) FUNNY TAP and (5) EODIGADO are other first-timers who hinted at ability in trials.

Selections(9) Global Time (3) Cheongongui Seom (6) Long Run Bulpae (4) Funny Tap
Next Best5, 10
Fast Start1, 6, 9, 10

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

A couple of standouts here. (8) RAON THE KLAMMER has been getting closer across his latest few starts culminating with a 3rd and most recently a 2nd, from his latest two. That runner-up finish case over this distance on July 7th when he led for most of the way, ultimately getting passed by the favourite late on. He has the fastest time among these for the distance and today can be his day. (9) GEUMSEONG POWER enters off a best to date 2nd place over 1200M on June 30th when settling midfield and running on. He too has seemingly started to figure things out over his latest few and he is the man danger by some margin. (7) YEONGWON FANTASTIC has only raced twice and managed a 4th on debut before running 6th from a wide draw at 1400M at start number two. He can be closer here. (1) JILPUNG JAZZ and (3) GROUPER others in the hunt.

Selections(8) Raon The Klammer (9) Geumseong Power (7) Yeongwon Fantastic (1) Jilpung Jazz
Next Best4, 2
Fast Start3, 4, 7, 8

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Fillies only in this maiden and with two 3rd places and a 4th from three starts so far, (4) GUKDAE MIRACLE will start as a warm favourite. All three of those outings were in similar filly maidens over 1200M and stepping up slightly in trip for the first time, she can be expected to be on pace and is the one to beat. (3) HAEUNDAE SUNSHINE managed three top-four finishes from four starts before a layoff. She returns here for the first time since March and having trialled up fairly and drawn well, she can be considered to go close. (2) RUNNING FASHION also comes in off a layoff having not run since April. She has a 3rd and a 2nd among her latest four and can be in the mix here. (10) HEUIMANG YEOSIN and (5) MOTHER WONDERFUL others in the frame.

Selections(4) Gukdae Miracle (3) Haeundae Sunshine (2) Running Fashion (10) Heuimang Yeosin
Next Best5, 6
Fast Start3, 4, 5, 9

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

Fillies only in this maiden and (1) SKY TEN has been getting closer across her latest few, culminating in a 2nd place on July 6th over 1200M when coming from ff the pace and beating a few of today’s rivals. She comes into a much better gate today and will be warmly favoured to go one better. (5) DIVA FESTIVAL was slowly away on debut on July 14th. She put in a super final furlong time and while it was only good enough to get her up into 7th place, with a better start and here, she could be dangerous late. (10) MERIT SUNSHINE has been showing steady improvement over four starts so far and can improve on her latest 4th. (2) SINUI BLUE and (3) YONGBICHEON among others who can be in the mix.

Selections(1) Sky Ten (5) Diva Festival (10) Merit Sunshine (2) Sinui Blue
Next Best3, 4
Fast Start1, 8, 10, 11

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

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Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (August 2)

With the Jeju Ponies taking the weekend off, it’s a bumper feast of thoroughbred racing across three days at Seoul and Busan – 43 races across the two tracks. The action starts at Busan on Friday with 14 races from 11:00 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

You Hyun-myung is back in action at Busan this weekend (Pic: KRA)

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maiden fillies with all ten racing for the first time. (1) WINNERS ROOKIE is a “full sister to Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes winner Winner’s Man and looked well when 3rd in a June trial, coming from off the pace. She was a long way behind the experienced winner but ran on well and from the inside gate can put in a bold showing first up. (2) UNION CHAMP recorded the fastest trial time among these when handy and running on. She too draws nicely and should be in the mix. (4) DOCTOR HAPPY was much improved on her second trial, showing on pace and running on well. She too has as good a chance as any. (9) GREAT MARU and (6) KYUNGNAM DRAGON are others who hinted at ability, and this could be an interesting race.

Selections(1) Winners Rookie (2) Union Champ (4) Doctor Happy (9) Great Maru
Next Best6, 10
Fast Start2, 4, 9, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maidens with five of the eight racing for the first time. We’ll side with experience and (2) WINNER CLEAR, who ran a close 3rd in a fair time on debut over this distance on June 28th having come from off the pace. He should have come on for that run and will be favoured to come out on top here. Having won a trial, (5) LIME TREE was sent off as favourite on debut over 1000M on July 5th, but she started slowly and got a bit far back before running on for 5th. She too should be better for that experience, the step up in trip can suit, and Munro climbs on. Among the first timers, (8) SAENAE HUNTER was a long way behind a class 1 winner of his heat but nevertheless, he raced on pace and posted a quick time and can go well. (1) STORM FIGHTER and (7) DIA KNIGHT the others most likely to make an immediate impact.

Selections(2) Winner Clear (5) Lime Tree (8) Saenae Hunter (1) Storm Fighter
Next Best7, 6
Fast Start1, 3, 4, 8

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Maidens with three of the eight racing for the first time. (1) WONDERFUL GROOM will be a hot favourite, having run 3rd on debut over 1000M on May 31st and then 2nd over the same distance at start number two on July 5th. He raced on pace both times, the extra furlong can suite and he draws well to be on pace again and this time go all the way. After a couple of positive trials, (2) DREAM RACE settled handy on debut before running on for 4th place over this distance in a fair time. She should have derived benefit from the experience and shapes as the main danger here. The pick of the newcomers is (5) CRAZY LEO. He went through two trials, improving in the second of them on July 6th (which was a voluntary trial so may not appear in all racecards) when 2nd, a long way behind the winner but in a decent time. If he brings that form to the races, he has placing chances first-up. (4) BORA CHAMP and (8) THE WIND others in the minor money hunt.

Selections(1) Wonderful Groom (2) Dream Race (5) Crazy Leo (4) Bora Champ
Next Best8, 7
Fast Start1, 2, 5, 7

Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

After winning a June trial, (6) WATER DRAGON ran 3rd on debut on July 19th over this distance racing handy throughout. He should have come on for that run, Munro gets on and he won’t need to improve very much at all to win here. (1) SUPER KANEL is a twenty-five- race maiden and can have a line drawn through his lates over a mile. He draws nicely here, and this is the kind of race in which he can find some minor money. (4) MISS CROW has raced three times with her best being a 4th place in June when coming from well off the pace. She has tended to get too far back in her races but in this company, she can be more prominent. (9) GLOBAL SPURT and (3) GUKDAE LEGEND perhaps the best of a limited rest.

Selections(6) Water Dragon (1) Super Kanel (4) Miss Crow (9) Global Spurt
Next Best3, 7
Fast Start1, 3, 6, 7

Busan Race 5: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Small but tricky field with none entering in convincing form. (4) GOLDMASK has hinted at ability across her seven starts so far and while she has finished no better than 4th, she has finished off her races well and the slight step up in trip to 1400M may be just what she needs to break through. (8) FLYING ICE enters off a solid 4th place over 1300M on July 12th when settling right back and running on and a similar effort will see him closer in this company today. (1) HI LEGEND returned from four months out on June 21st and while he finished back in the pack, he should strip fitter here and comes into a better gate. (5) PUREUN YEOLJEONG and (3) PRIME JOY look to be the other place chances.

Selections(4) Goldmask (8) Flying Ice (1) Hi Legend (5) Pureun Yeoljeong
Next Best3, 6
Fast Start1, 3, 5, 7

Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

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