There’s an 11-race card at Seoul on Saturday from 10.35 to 18.00. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
Twelve unraced three-year-olds, nine of them fillies. The best in trials was (10) BITNARA, who after failing to qualify in May, came back at the start of this month and having settled midfield, ran through the line well for a close 3rd in a decent time If he brings that form to the races, he will take some beating. (9) FASHION STAR took a while to get going in her trial but finished off pleasingly enough clocking a fair time. The 1200M of the race should be better than the 1000M of the trial and she can run well first-up. (12) THUNDER FIRE is another who ran on from an unpromising position and can be considered. (6) GIDAEHARA showed on pace in her trial and while she weakened that’s enough to give her a chance here. (3) HAPPY FRIEND another who hinted at ability.
| Selections | (10) Bitnara (9) Fashion Star (12) Thunder Fire (6) Gidaehara |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 6 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 4 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million
Imported three-year-old maidens with two of them racing for the first time. We’ll take a chance on both of those newcomers (8) GLORY YEONGGWANG, who led all the way to win his trial very comfortably in a quick time at the end of November. Ruan Maia has begun the year in great form, and he can continue here. (5) MIGHTY EVER trialed up on Boxing Day, settling midfield and running on well for 2nd in a good time given the conditions. The 1200M can suit first up and he can be a danger. Among the experienced, (10) GWANAKSAN BLACK led on debut over this distance on November 10th, ultimately coming home 5th. He has had eleven weeks off since so comes in fresh and with a bit of luck at the start, he can find a forward position. (9) TIARA SUA and (1) GRAY CANDY others who can improve.
| Selections | (8) Glory Yeonggwang (5) Mighty Ever (10) Gwanaksan Black (9) Tiara Sua |
| Next Best | 1, 4 |
| Fast Start | 7, 8, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Weak maiden. (8) MALSGO did precisely nothing in two starts in November and right at the beginning of December. He has though been back to trial since then and looked much better, running a close 2nd in a good time. If he brings that form in here, he can win. Debut-maker (7) CHRYSOL NIKE didn’t set the world alight in her trial but stuck to her task well enough to suggest she has potential. Kozzi is aboard, she draws nicely, and she should be available at an each-way price. (3) CHAMP HAMSEONG ran 5th on debut in November, and that’s probably enough for her to have favourite status here. She was poor on her second start but is worth another chance in this company. (10) CUPID WORLD and (11) CAPTAIN RISE others who may improve.
| Selections | (8) Malsgo (7) Chrysol Nike (3) Champ Hamseong (10) Cupid World |
| Next Best | 11, 9 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1700M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Another modest maiden although this one is very competitive so should have plenty of interest. (7) SAVANA CHARLIE beat three of these on his way to 3rd place at this distance on December 29th, settling back and running on. It was an uptick in his recent form, and he has as much chance as any here. (9) FLYING LUCKY stepped up to 1700M for the first time in that December 29th race and ran a solid 4th place. She should have derived benefit from a first spin around two turns and under a similar weight and with Jeong Woo-ju, who is riding well lately, staying up, she can get closer. The pair of those have no wins from thirty-one starts between them so if you prefer one with more potential improvement then (4) EUNPA MUSIC could be it. He ran 5th in that December 29th race in what was his first try at 1700M and just his fifth race overall, and he can get better. (2) NAEGILUIYEONGGWANG has a 2nd place to his name over this distance and must be considered. (11) GHOST CHRYSOL another in the frame.
| Selections | (7) Savana Charlie (9) Flying Lucky (4) Eunpa Music (2) Naegiluiyeonggwang |
| Next Best | 11, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 8 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Fillies only in this maiden. (7) SUHYANG MIIN was 2nd two starts back over this distance when on pace throughout and while she could only managed 5th when well supported on her latest on December 21st, the margins weren’t huge. She comes back into restricted filly company here and from a good draw, she can be on pace and is the one to beat. (3) ISEUL CHEOREOM ran 5th on debut and was then 2nd at start number two in a similar filly maiden to this over 1200M on December 21st. She draws nicely here and third-up she can be peaking fitness wise. (1) HYEOKMYEONGUIJILJU has been behind Iseul Cheoreom in both of her starts so far but she also improved to run 3rd in that December 21st race. From the inside gate, she can be on pace and in this a long way. (6) CUPID K and (4) WINNER GLORY are the other main contenders.
| Selections | (7) Suhyang Miin (3) Iseul Cheoreom (1) Hyeokmyeonguijilju (6) Cupid K |
| Next Best | 4, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 7 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
At the halfway point of the meeting, we finally get a race with some previous winners in it. (1) ORANGE TIME is a topical theme right now and he duly got his maiden win over 1400M on November 23rd, having raced handy throughout. He comes up in class here but draws very nicely and he is favoured to win again. (8) SSOARA STAR also comes up in class. In his case he is yet to win, but he has registered two smart runner-up finishes at 1200M and at this distance. He comes down in the weights, he will be on pace, and he can be a danger here. (7) GANGCHEOL JEONSA took a couple of goes to get familiar with this level, but he enters off a 2nd place at class and distance on December 21st when coming from well off the pace after a slow start. If he doesn’t get so far back this time, he can be firmly in the mix (6) BULGEUN POKPUNG and (2) SHINE BOLT are others in the frame.
| Selections | (1) Orange Time (8) Ssoara Star (7) Gangcheol Jeonsa (6) Bulgeun Pokpung |
| Next Best | 2, 3 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 8, 11 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
After a positive trial, (2) SAHARA KHAN was a fine winner on debut over 1300M on December 28th, racing handy and comfortably beating Ssoara Star (who we saw in race 6). He comes up in class and marginally in trip, but he draws nicely, CC stays on, and he can make it two out of two. (5) LEGEND WOW similarly won on debut over 1300M, in his case on December 21st, when coming from off the pace and running on for a narrow score. He too is up in class but in this company has every chance of measuring up. (9) STUNNING MONEY returned from six months out in November to run 2nd at this class and distance and followed it up with another on December 22nd. He carries his fair share of weight here, but third-up he should be peaking fitness wise and is firmly in this. (11) SPLENDID and (6) CHEONGSAN JILJU, both up in class following maiden wins, are others to consider.
| Selections | (2) Sahara Khan (5) Legend Wow (9) Stunning Money (11) Splendid |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 11 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Competitive race. (8) PROMISE is a winner of two from five, most recently over this distance at class 5 level on November 16th, when coming from off the pace. On his first try at this class, he overcame the widest gate to run a solid 3rd, again at this distance on December 29th, beating a couple of today’s rivals in the process, and with Ruan staying on, he can win this. (6) BLUE PIORA is yet to win in three attempts, but she has raced well, with a 3rd, a 4th, and most recently a 2nd place at 1200M on December 28th, when settling midfield and finishing off well. She comes up to the 1400M for the first time and there is no reason why it can’t suit. (7) DREAMER WHIZ is similarly a maiden and ran 4th in that December 28th race. He is the early speed here and can be in this a long way. (2) EUNBIT DOLPUNG and (11) MAGIC POTION others to look out for.
| Selections | (8) Promise (6) Blue Piora (7) Dreamer Whiz (2) Eunbit Dolpung |
| Next Best | 11, 4 |
| Fast Start | 6, 7, 8, 10 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(3) ELDORADO HAENAM was 2nd on debut on September and then returned on November 30th to lead from gate to wire to win over this distance in a quick time. He comes up in class but is down 4kg in weight, he draws well, and he can win again here. He may be a bit more progressive than the experienced (1) NEMO PRINCE. The older horse arrives in excellent form though, with a positive run of results culminating in victory at this class and distance on December 29th when he came from off the pace to beat plenty of today’s rivals. He comes up 2kg in weight, but that’s balanced by a better draw, and he is to be taken seriously here. (2) HANGANG BOSS has had a couple of disappointing runs of late, but he placed at class and distance as recently as November and can be given another chance here. (9) ECLAIRFURY and (8) WORLD SHANNONS are the other place chances.
| Selections | (3) Eldorado Haenam (1) Nemo Prince (2) Hangang Boss (9) Eclairfury |
| Next Best | 8, 10 |
| Fast Start | 7, 8, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
After getting back-to-back wins to get rapidly promoted to this level, (2) STING JET has been a bit below expectations in two straight 5th places at 1400M and last time out at this distance on December 29th when racing handy. He should have derived benefit from his first experience of two turn racing and from a better draw today, he can win. (3) BAZOOKA BOY made all to win over this distance on December 28th. He comes up in class, but he is down in the weights, he draws well, and he can be a threat. (1) SECRET WANGJA beat Sting Jet – and a couple of others here – when 3rd in that December 29th race. He doesn’t exactly win out of turn, but he has been getting closer to another with every recent run, and he can be in the mix here. (7) HEUIMANGUI CHANGA and (6) BROWN GOLD are the others to consider.
| Selections | (2) Sting Jet (3) Bazooka Boy (1) Secret Wangja (7) Heuimangui Changa |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 11: Class 2 (2000M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(9) SPEED ONE almost made all over 1800M at this class on December 28th before getting taken down late by Gladius. He was 4th on his only previous try at this distance but with CC staying on and still nicely in at the weights, he is the one to beat here. It’s another very competitive race though. (1) FIRE POWER is rarely far away and since his latest win he has three consecutive 3rd place finishes – one at Listed level – and a 4th. That puts him close to top of the weights here, but he draws well and can be a danger at a distance at which unlike most here, he has won. (10) GIANT STEP was 5th behind Speed One in that December 28th but won two consecutive races prior to that and the step up to 2000M can suit under a light weight. (6) FUN CRAZY and (11) JEOMSUNI GO also possibles.
| Selections | (9) Speed One (1) Fire Power (10) Giant Step (6) Fun Crazy |
| Next Best | 11, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 9 |
Horse Racing in Korea 