Day: September 11, 2026

Sunday Seoul & Yeongcheon: Race-By-Race Preview (September 13)

It’s been sixteen-and-a-half years in the making but racing at Yeongcheon finally begins on Sunday. There are 6 races at the new track from 12:45 to 16:30 and 11 at Seoul from 10:35 to 17:55. Here are the previews:

Yeongcheon (Pic: KRA)

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

Juvenile maidens with all eleven racing for the first time. (2) RISING KILLER took three goes to qualify but when he did on August 13th, he looked good, racing handy throughout and crossing the line 3rd in a decent time. He should be nice and race fit following all those trials, and from a good draw, has every chance first-up. (8) FIORANO posted the quickest time among these in trials, when 4th on August 27th. That’s enough to have him firmly in the numbers here. (7) SAMJEONG RACE was a fair 3rd in his heat on August 20th, settling midfield and running on and is another who, if he brings that form to the races, can go close. (6) CRAZY BLUE, who led his trial before being passed by an experienced horse, and (9) GEUMBIT CODE are others who hinted at ability in their respective trials.

Selections(2) Rising Killer (8) Fiorano (7) Samjeong Race (6) Crazy Blue
Next Best9, 10
Fast Start2, 4, 6, 10

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

After winning a trial, (3) MIGHTY CHAMP ran a close 3rd on debut over 1200M on August 8th, showing on pace throughout. He should have come on for that run, he draws better here, and he won’t need to improve much to win. (11) MY DOLPUNG has raced twice for a 3rd and a 4th place, both over this distance and both times leading. She has the challenge of the widest gate here, but with a bit of luck at the start, she can be competitive again. (2) BEAT STAR should be similarly nice and fit having raced twice for a 4th and a 5th, in his case over 1000M and 1200M. He draws nicely and can be a danger. (8) TONNERRE DOS and the solitary debut-maker (6) WORLD OF DREAM, the latter very quick in a trial two weeks ago, are others to consider on a place line.

Selections(3) Mighty Champ (11) My Dolpung (2) Beat Star (8) Tonnerre Dos
Next Best6, 1
Fast Start1, 2, 6, 11

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(3) BLUE HAWAII was ordinary in trials, but they were evidently at too short a distance as he was a very solid 2nd on debut over 1400M on August 23rd, when he settled back and ran on strongly behind a good winner. He should have come on for the run and won’t need to improve much, if at all, to win here. (7) WINNER NAMCHON didn’t do much in his first two outings when ridden on pace but was much better when coming from behind for a very close 2nd over 1200M on August 8th. The step up in trip can suit and he can be the danger here. (8) WONDERFUL TUNE UP had a poor day at the office when favourite last time out but going on his 2nd place at this distance two starts back, he can be given another chance here. (11) CHEONGGANG BOM and (4) PASA ACE other place chances.

Selections(3) Blue Hawaii (7) Winner Namchon (8) Wonderful Tune Up (11) Cheonggang Bom
Next Best4, 9
Fast Start4, 6, 7, 11

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(3) LAST K got his maiden win at start three over this distance in April, before finishing 2nd on his first try at this class at the end of May. He hasn’t raced since but he has been back in work since early August and while match fitness must be taken on trust, he looks the best of these. (10) WOW RUNNER was an all the way winner on debut over 1000M on June 20th, scoring by plenty. She’s had twelve weeks off since then and she is up in class and in trip as well as drawing a wide gate. But she carries a very light weight and she can measure up, (5) RAON THE TONY was a gate to wire winner at this class over 1300M on June 14th. She comes up 3.5kg in weight today but Seo Seung-un is aboard and she can be close again. (9) HAKSAN TAEPUNG and (1) HOT FEVER others in the hunt.

Selections(3) Last K (10) Wow Runner (5) Raon The Tony (9) Haksan Taepung
Next Best1, 4
Fast Start5, 7, 8, 9

Yeongcheon Race 1: Class Open (1800M) Special Weight A / KRW 150 Million

The opening race at the new racecourse and three-year-old fillies get us underway. (3) PACHOUI KKUM was 2nd on debut over 1200M and has since followed up with back-to-back wins over that trip and most recently over 1400M at class 5 level on August 7th. She has been on pace all three times and she is, like all but one here, up to the trip for the first time, but she looks to have plenty of potential. (4) P.D SPECIAL won back-to-back races at 1300M and 1400M in April and May from the front, before struggling from a wide draw last time out. Franco stays on and she can be a chance here. (7) MOMENTUM is the highest rated in the field by a big margin having won up to class 4 level and most recently coming 3rd at class 3. She may not have as much scope for improvement as the other two, and she too steps up in trip for the first time, but she has to rate as a chance. (2) OASIS RUBY ran in the Korean Oaks and is the only one who has previously tackled 1800M and on that alone gets into the minors. (5) POWERFUL DEVIL another in the frame.

Selections(3) Pachoui Kkum (4) P.D Special (7) Momentum (2) Oasis Ruby
Next Best5, 1
Fast Start3, 4, 6, 8

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

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Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (September 12)

We’re back to a fully daytime Saturday schedule and Seoul plays host to 10 races from 10:35 to 17:55. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 4 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million

(7) MIGHTY ROG led throughout in his one and only trial on August 6 for a seven-length win in smart time and this Seo Hong-soo trained son of Rogueish looks hard to beat based on that. (3) A.K JUN brings the best of the raced form following a fourth on debut prior to a second place one month ago. He has been behind some smart enough types and can run well in what is a winnable race for him if the trial form of Mighty Rog is not to turn out as good as it looks on paper. (8) GARAKAI has run once for a fourth and this is perhaps a tad easier so he can be close again. (2) STORM PETREL has trialled once for a twelve-and-three-quarter length eighth but coming from the Luigi Riccardi stable he should not be dismissed. (4) NAREUSYA LUCKY, which is the mount of Seo Seung-un, and (9) DREAM KNICKS, which has had one trial for a second beaten a nose, are far from hopeless whilst Ruan Maia and Lee Shin-woo combine with (5) SEJONG BISANG and Tony Castanheira prepares (10) TORRENS.

Selections(7) Mighty Rog (3) A.K Jun (8) Garakai (2) Storm Petrel
Next Best4, 9
Fast Start3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

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

(1) HWANSANGUI LUNA has been a beaten favourite in two runs but has not been too far away in each. She was third on debut, after getting terribly upset in the gate, before a fifth most recently. From the low draw she can play a part with Furkan Yuksel riding after CC Wong and Seo Seung-un rode her in her first pair of runs. (4) SANGSANGSOKGEUDAE is a Nasca owned filly by 2012 Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan trained by Moon Byeong-ki who has trialled once for a fourth on August 6 and can be given a chance. (8) CITY OF DREAM was out the back on debut but was much better at her second run and Kozzi Asano riding for the first time is no disadvantage. (10) RAON POLIS should appreciate the extra furlong and gets Seo Seung-un to steer whilst (2) MYEONG POWERFUL, another Moon Byeong-ki prepared filly that has trialled once for a fourth, and (6) TUN TEJA, which is from the stables of Luigi Riccardi, rate next.

Selections(1) Hwansangui Luna (4) Sangsangsokgeudae (8) City Of Dream (10) Raon Polis
Next Best2, 6
Fast Start1, 3, 7, 8

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(1) DANAEUN RUBY has produced the best two efforts of her career to date at each of her last two starts and with the lowest weight in the field, thanks to a one-kilogram claim from top apprentice Woo In-cheol, she can prove hard to pass. (9) AREUMDAUN BIT was ridden for the first time by Seo Seung-un last start, and she came the closest she has come to winning so far with a second. Seo retains the mount and she will be well fancied and can go close. (10) ECLAIR WIND came from well back to pass all her rivals bar the winner, which scored by ten-lengths, two back and has got the most consistent record in the field so that is enough to rate her as a decent chance. (6) SKYLOR TAEHA, (8) EUNHA KALAS and (7) ONLY YOU rate next.

Selections(1) Danaeun Ruby (9) Areumdaun Bit (10) Eclair Wind (6) Skylor Taeha
Next Best8, 7
Fast Start1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

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

(10) JEJU BLUE has arguably got the most consistent record in the race with a sixth, a second, a fifth, and a third from four runs so far. She rates as a strong each-way chance in what looks a winnable race. (11) DAREURI YEOWANG comes off the worst run of her career result wise when finishing eighth of ten last start as favourite but margins wise it was the closest she has come so she should not be written off. (2) SEMYEONG CROW was seventh on debut but has since been fourth in two subsequent runs and rates as a hope with Johan Victoire. (3) ILGEUP BISUL came from well back for second last start and that sort of form gives her a good chance, she will likely start as the popular pick, with (9) GLOBAL DINO, which Seo Seung-un rides, and (5) WALLSTREET next best.

Selections(10) Jeju Blue (11) Dareuri Yeowang (2) Semyeong Crow (3) Ilgeup Bisul
Next Best9, 5
Fast Start3, 8, 9, 10, 11

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

(3) K SOCKS made up good ground on debut for a midfield finish before appreciating the extra furlong last start when breaking through at the second time of asking. The extra half-furlong will not hurt, and this Luigi Riccardi trained two-year-old colt will be hard to beat under Kim Hyo-jung and he may start at value. (1) CHOWOLMA led throughout to win his maiden easily six runs ago and in five runs at this class has been close on each occasion and can run well again. (6) COMPLETE FUTURE was fifth when running at this grade for the first time most recently following his maiden win and can be around the mark with (9) WHIZ DREAM, which won on debut but has struggled since, next best over last start course, distance, and grade winner (10) SUNGANUI FIGHTER, which rises six pounds and four kilograms on that success, (2) INSPIRE and (4) BREEDO GALAXY.

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