Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (August 29)

Saturday’s racing is at Seoul with 10 races from 12:55 to 17:55. Here are the previews:

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

(1) MACHEON MAMA is a filly by Tout with Seo Bum-seok that has trialled once on August 6 for a seven-length win from the front under Ruan Maia and based on that she should be extremely hard to catch. However (8) POWERFUL STANCE did effectively the exact same thing in her one and only trial seven days later and in her case, she won by eight-lengths. Fellow South American Luis Quiroz has the steer, and this daughter of New Legend trained by Ham Wan-sik is equally as good a chance. (2) A.K SUN attempted to lead throughout on debut and was only caught in the closing stages. The horse she was beaten by subsequently ran second beaten a nose against older horses last week and she will start as favourite. (7) GEOLJAK RUBY looks the other main player with Lee Hyeok riding for the first time, who he and trainer Jung Ha-back have a 50% winning strike rate when combining, although may just find a few too good again with (3) MIGHTY MULAN and (4) ARION QUEENS best of the roughies.

Selections(1) Macheon Mama (8) Powerful Stance (2) A.K Sun (7) Geoljak Ruby
Next Best3, 4
Fast Start1, 2, 3, 4, 8

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

(3) TEUKGEUP GISANG trialled once on July 23 and was a five-length second behind what looked a decent winner so this filly from the Lee Dong-kook stable by Yeonseung Daero can go close on debut. (5) AMOS JEONSA only beat two home at his first start but prior to that had led throughout to win a trial by four-lengths and if able to stay out of kickback can improve immensely on his debut performance. (1) FLYING CHIEF has trialled three times with the best of those being her most recent which yielded a third behind a subsequent impressive winner. (9) BEST FRIEND and (11) RAON THE KAL did not do much in their trials but come from powerful connections and rate over (6) BLUE ROSE.

Selections(3) Teukgeup Gisang (5) Amos Jeonsa (1) Flying Chief (9) Best Friend
Next Best11, 6
Fast Start1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11

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

(5) BIBA CHARM has chased home decent enough winners in the majority of her seven runs to date and comes off her best run yet when a two-length second a fortnight ago when coming from midfield. Expect her to be doing her best work late and going close. (1) WONDERFUL CHIEF also comes off the best run of his career when coming from last to run second a month ago and if running to that performance can go close however the draw may not help his chances. (4) SPICE BAND has not been too far away and jockey Furkan Yüksel and trainer Lee Shin-woo have had some success recently and have an 11% winning strike rate when combining and 30% for the place. (9) HERO DRAGON is another that comes off the best run of her career when second last start and looks the other key runner with (11) NIGHT CAPTAIN and (7) GRAND COURAGE next best.

Selections(5) Biba Charm (1) Wonderful Chief (4) Spice Band (9) Hero Dragon
Next Best11, 7
Fast Start5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(1) MUNHAK BELL will need to be on his best behaviour at the start from potentially a tricky barrier but was a course, distance, and grade winner three runs ago prior to a third two back and is worth an each-way investment. (2) SAVERS is the most enthralling runner in the race as he came from midfield to win on debut prior to a fourth, when again coming from midfield, in arguably a stronger Class 5 than this. He comes up 400M in distance however so it will be interesting to see how he goes. (5) BLACK MAMA was an easy course and distance winner of her maiden two back before running second when attempting this grade for the first time most recently. (8) BLACK RUSSIAN is a good each-way chance again under Seo Seung-un with (9) RAON KINGSMAN not hopeless and (10) SHARKTEN best of the rest in a race of multiple chances.

Selections(1) Munhak Bell (2) Savers (5) Black Mama (8) Black Russian
Next Best9, 10
Fast Start4, 5, 6, 8, 9

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

(9) BEAUTIFULLY finished third on her debut in April before winning at her second start in May by eight-lengths. Based on that win, she must be given a strong chance to complete back-to-back wins. The start will be important for (5) HAKSAN SAMMY as she can get a long way back in her races but if she is within striking distance she could mow them all down. (2) JURING SKY has only won twice from thirty-two attempts but is consistent and is once again an each-way chance with Seo Seung-un steering whilst (11) YEONGWONHAN STAR, (10) MUNHAK FIGHTER, (3) SEOUL BIHAENG, (4) RAON THE CLARA, which will start close to favourite, and (8) ECLIPSE ELLY can all be given decent chances.

Selections(9) Beautifully (5) Haksan Sammy (2) Juring Sky (11) Yeongwonhan Star
Next Best10, 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Fast Start1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(1) BEOLGYO EMPEROR broke his duck over this distance at the end of March before having two runs at this grade where he has made up good ground to place on each occasion. It will be interesting to see where he lands from the low draw, but he is as good a chance as any. (3) WHITE JACKPOT broke his maiden status by four-lengths last month and this Luigi Riccardi trained three-year-old is a good chance of coming straight up to this class and landing the prize again. (6) SEMYEONG PEAK continues to race consistently without winning and can be close again whilst (10) FINAL CHUKJE is another that should run well and do his best work late. (7) PALPALNARA and (2) GEUMA ON POINT rate next in another competitive race.

Selections(1) Beolgyo Emperor (3) White Jackpot (6) Semyeong Peak (10) Final Chukje
Next Best7, 2
Fast Start2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8

Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(3) WILD MAGIC led throughout to win back-to-back races in impressive fashion during the month of May before being far from disgraced when finishing fourth in the Group Three Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup, the last leg of the Triple Tiara, over 2000M. She draws well to race on the speed from the mile start and despite carrying topweight can bounce back to winning ways for in form jockey Kim Hyo-jung and trainer Luigi Riccardi who have a 23% winning strike rate when combining. (7) ARION QUEEN CAR has raced a lot more truly in her last three runs and has recorded two second places when the second favourite in the market but also only a seventh when starting the popular pick. She has the ability on her day and must be taken on trust. (5) MIGHTY TRUST was second to a subsequent winner two back and then won by ten-lengths last start so with Ruan Maia must be given the utmost of respect. (10) HAPPY TOGETHER has won each of her last two from contrasting positions in the run however the issue is she has nineteen-and-a-quarter lengths to find with Wild Magic from their encounter at the beginning of May. (8) COMPLETE STEP, a winner three runs ago, and (6) WONDERFUL ALONG rate next.

Selections(3) Wild Magic (7) Arion Queen Car (5) Mighty Shine (10) Happy Together
Next Best8, 6
Fast Start3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

Seoul Race 8: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

(6) G B VAULT won two races consecutively from on pace roles by nine and seven-lengths respectively, including at this grade, before failing when running at Class 1 last start when starting a 1.4 favourite. He never really looked like winning that day and comes back to Class 2 grade and it will be interesting to see if he can return to winning ways as he had looked an incredibly progressive stayer in those two previous wins. However, he carries topweight of fifty-eight kilograms which is five kilograms more than what he won under at his one and only previous run at this level so he will have to earn it. (3) MUSTANG POWER is on the verge of a victory and went incredibly close last start after flashing home late. In that race he was a nose ahead of The Derby winner Hwang Geum Eo Jang and a nose behind the reopposing (8) KEIDRAGON who was a tough winner of that event at his first run at this grade following an eleven-length front-running Class 3 victory. He must be a big chance again whilst (7) HAKSAN DARK HORSE is racing very well at the present time and is interesting running over the furthest he has run over to date. (11) DRAGON KILLER will find it hard from the draw but with the right run has the ability with (1) BLUE NELLO best of the rest in a most enthralling race.

Selections(6) G B Vault (3) Mustang Power (8) Keidragon (7) Haksan Dark Horse
Next Best11, 1
Fast Start1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

Seoul Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(2) PURPLE KOREA has done little wrong in six starts and comes off a front-running victory one grade below this, but in what was arguably a stronger race so she will prove hard to beat particularly from an ideal barrier. (8) WIDAEHAN HAMSEONG is very consistent and despite rising three-and-a-half kilograms and seven pounds on his last start course, distance, and grade victory can go close. (3) GRACE DAY is first-up since June but did win up to two in a row earlier in the season whilst (9) EUNBIT YUHOK was a four-length winner one level below this at her latest run two months ago. (6) PHANTOM PRINCE has been a beaten favourite in two runs and will probably get forgotten about this time but is not the worst with (1) MIGHTY HUSH under a featherweight next best.

Selections(2) Purple Korea (8) Widaehan Hamseong (3) Grace Day (9) Eunbit Yuhok
Next Best6, 1
Fast Start2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11

Seoul Race 10: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(6) RAON NIZHINSKII roared away for an impressive five-length Class 4 win over this distance last start and based on that win should have some confidence leading into this which is his first run at Class 3. (1) MUNHAK CHUKJE comes off back-to-back scores over a mile one grade below this and with Kozzi Asano, who has ridden this horse to all his four wins, once again onboard he must be given an outstanding chance. (7) SONGDANG HWANGTAEJA has struggled to win again since winning at this class in March when carrying four kilograms less than what he has here, but he is very consistent and is an obvious each-way chance whilst (2) PERFECT DANAEUN must be as good a chance as any. (5) GIANT BOSS has a big weight but is the other principal runner along with (9) CHARMING QUEEN.

Selections(6) Raon Nizhinskii (1) Munhak Chukje (7) Songdang Hwangtaeja (2) Perfect Danaeun
Next Best5, 9
Fast Start2, 5, 6, 8, 9