There’s a rare Monday meeting this week to mark the Memorial Day weekend holiday. The races are at Seoul with 10 from 10:35 to 17:55 (there is also pony racing on Jeju Island). Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(5) EVER LOVELY did nothing on debut in December but was a much-improved 2nd at odds of 60/1 over this distance on February 1st, racing handy and while well beaten by Super Ttangkong, showed enough to suggest she can win this. (2) WEAK PLAY was similarly underwhelming on debut when 9th of twelve on January 17th, but he had previously looked good in a trial and may be better second-up. (6) JEJU BLUE was 6th on debut in that same January 17th race and with some natural improvement, she can get closer here. (10) GIANT THUNDER was slow on debut but has since been back to trial and looked much better, so is worth another chance today. (8) GRAND COURAGE was the best of the debut-makers in trials.
| Selections | (5) Ever Lovely (2) Weak Play (6) Jeju Blue (10) Giant Thunder |
| Next Best | 8, 9 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 10 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million
Very weak race but that’s by design as it’s for maidens who have made at least five starts and recorded no placings. Someone’s going to Hollywood, but who? Perhaps (7) STORM CHASER. She’s recorded some fair times across six starts and has the least slowest speed out of the gate among these. That suggests she can lead and stay there. (4) M J VET has the quickest time among these for the 1300M, the second quickest average first furlong time, and the quickest average final furlong time. That will probably be enough to make him favourite. (8) DUSON LIFE scores well on those same metrics and can be in the mix. (1) WHIZ GOLD and (5) NEW COWBOY others who can compete in a race that while quite fascinating from a punting angle, will probably need an asterisk next to it in form guides going forward.
| Selections | (7) Storm Chaser (4) M J Vet (8) Duson Life (1) Whiz Gold |
| Next Best | 5, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 8 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(9) SU BU TAI has been making progress across his six starts to date comes in following back-to-back 3rd places over 1400M. That means that any top three finish will see him with a rating and up in class and it could well be a win. (8) QUERENCIA has mixed his form over five appearances but does have a couple of 4th places to his name. He has finished off his races well enough and today’s slight step up in trip can suit. (2) SUNGANUI FIGHTER is another who is getting closer and was most recently 4th at 1200M on January 17th. He draws better today and is another for whom the 1400M can be a benefit. (1) AGAIN GOOD MAN and (7) SAHARA ROSE are other place chances.
| Selections | (9) Su Bu Tai (8) Querencia (2) Sunganui Fighter (1) Again Good Man |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 8, 9 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (4) RAON FINALLE had been working towards a maiden win, and it arrived on her first try at this class over this distance on January 11th when handy throughout and proving too strong. She comes up 4kg in weight, but that’s balanced by coming back into filly and mare company and from a good draw, she can win again. (2) COSMO LONG registered her maiden win at this distance on January 31st on what was start number four. She comes up in class but carries a light weight and from a good gate, she can be competitive. (9) LOVE IN SEOUL is similarly up in class following a maiden victory, in her case over 1300M leading all the way. She can be on pace again and in this a long way. (8) STUNNING PEARL and (6) SMART SOCKS other place chances.
| Selections | (4) Raon Finalle (2) Cosmo Long (9) Love In Seoul (8) Stunning Pearl |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 7, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Very competitive race. (2) UNJU CLEAR ran 2nd on debut before winning at start two over 1200M on at the end of December. She is up in class but comes in fresh after nine weeks off and from a good draw, she has strong chances here. (8) SUPERDAY got his maiden win at the fourth time of asking over this distance on February 1st. He comes up in class but is down 2kg in weight and should be a big danger. (3) GHOST ran out a good maiden winner at this distance back in November. She hasn’t raced or trialed since so match fitness must be taken on trust but down in weight and nicely drawn, she can be on the early speed and in the finish. (4) GEOSON PUNCH and (11) CHOEGO GOLD among plenty of other chances.
| Selections | (2) Unju Clear (8) Superday (3) Ghost (4) Geosen Punch |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 11 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) JD GANGJA was 5th in Listed Juvenile company last October before a spin around in the G2 Breeders’ Cup Rookie which he found a hard ask. Since then, he has returned to form with a 3rd and a win, both at this distance and while that brings him up in class today, he can win again. (11) TAEYANGUI JEONSA was behind JD Gangja in that Listed race but won back-to-back races in October and December before having the legs run off him when a distant 2nd to Di Ne on January 10th. He likes to lead so the widest gate may not be ideal but in the absence of any Di Ne types, she is a chance. (2) TIGER ROAR is up in class following a win over this distance on January 24th and under a light weight and well draw, she can measure up. (3) RAON SILENCE and (10) HANMADIMALDO the best of the rest, in a pretty deep field.
| Selections | (6) JD Gangja (11) Taeyangui Jeonsa (2) Tiger Roar (3) Raon Silence |
| Next Best | 10, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 8, 9, 11 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Since an inauspicious debut, (6) COMPLETE BRO has never finished outside the top four in six subsequent starts, winning twice, and comes in having run 4th on his first try at this distance on January 24th. When showing on pace throughout. That experience should stand him in good stead here and under a very light weight, he can win. (10) BULGEUNTAEYANG is up in class having won over this distance on January 17th, settling midfield and running on. He is down in weight, but CC Wong stays on and he can be competitive. (11) SEOUL DOLPING was a winner at this class and distance two outings back before running 2nd on January 31st. An apprentice keeps his weight nice and low, and he can be a danger again. (5) POWER ETCHED ran 2nd ahead of Complete Bro in that January 24th race and could place again. (9) WONDERFUL WELLS mixes form but on her day is a chance.
| Selections | (6) Complete Bro (10) Bulgeuntaeyang (11) Seoul Dolpung (5) Power Etched |
| Next Best | 9, 4 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 11 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) JJARITHAN HAENGBOK has a 3rd, a 2nd and a 4th from three starts so far and has beaten plenty of today’s rivals along the way. He’ll be on pace in this company and he really should be making his breakthrough. (3) SEJONG POWER was 5th to Jjarithan Haengbok’s 4th over 1300M on January 25th. From a wide draw, he came from well off the pace and with a final furlong average time of half a second quicker than any of the others here, he can be challenging late again. The form drops off significantly after those two. (4) KAN B GREAT has a 4th among his three starts so far and that’s enough to have him in the numbers. (5) MY SUPERMAN and (1) CLOVER TOP other potential improvers.
| Selections | (6) Jjarithan Haengbok (3) Sejong Power (4) Kan B Great (5) My Superman |
| Next Best | 1, 7 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 7, 9 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(4) MIGHTY EVER won two of his first three and has been working back towards another, most recently running 2nd at this class and distance on January 18th. The same apprentice keeps his weight down and from a good draw, he looks the one to beat. (9) NANO MASIN has returned to form lately and won at this class over 1400M on February 1st. He is up 3kg in weight, but he is a two-time winner at a mile and is a danger here. (3) REMEMBER AGAIN has bee on pace in his latest three all at 1800. He drops back to a trip at which he is two for two over and he draws well to be on pace again today. (2) WORLD BLAME and (7) VELOX BOY others in the hunt.
| Selections | (4) Mighty Ever (9) Nano Masin (3) Remember Again (2) World Blame |
| Next Best | 7, 10 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 7, 9 |
Seoul Race 10: Class 2 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(8) CAPTAIN P.K. last won in a monsoon downpour in a valuable Trophy race on international weekend last September, but he has been 2nd in both his latest two over 1400M and 1200M at this class, racing close to the pace both times. An apprentice is engaged today to bring his weight down and that can be enough to see him home on top. (10) ELDORADO NOLBU comes in off back-to-back runner-up finishes over 1400M most recently at this class on January 31st when coming from well off the pace and beating three of today’s rivals. He is a big danger. (4) EAST JUMP was also a Trophy race winner last International weekend and while he has had a hard time in stiff company in his latest two, this looks a better assignment. (6) GWANAKSAN O TWO and (2) HANGANG BOSS others in the frame.
| Selections | (8) Captain P.K. (10) Eldorado Nolbu (4) East Jump (6) Gwanaksan O Two |
| Next Best | 2, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 6, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 