Saturday’s racing is set for Seoul with 9 races from 11:00 to 18:00. The meeting is behind closed doors but betting locations in Busan, Changwon, Daegu, Cheonan and Gwangju will be open for punters who pre-book using the MyCard app. Here are the previews:
Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Maiden juveniles to kick off proceedings with eight of the twelve racing for the very first time. Two of the four experienced ones raced very well and both have solid claims although (9) DOUBLE EDGE will be sent off favourite. Having won a trial, he debuted on August 28th and ran a strong 2nd at this distance in a fast time. He was well beaten by a good winner but showed enough to suggest he will be winning sooner rather than later. Also well-beaten by a good winner on debut was (2) WOW WOW who ran 3rd the Bencal Princess, a filly who went on to run 3rd herself in a valuable juvenile race in September. Wow Wow came from off the pace that day, running on pleasingly, and can build on that performance here. A third experienced one, (12) MAGIC JUDE trialed up in 2nd place to Double Edge before running a good 6th on a very fast race on a wet track on debut on August 21st. He will once more have to overcome a wide gate but should be in the finish. As for the first-time starters, (4) TRIPLE RUN was the fastest in trials and should be on pace from a nice draw. (3) SAENAE POWERFUL ran 2nd in what wasn’t a very quickly run heat but looked competent enough to suggest he can go well first-up.
| Selections | (9) Double Edge (2) Wow Wow (12) Magic Jude (4) Triple Run |
| Next Best | 3, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 9, 12 |
Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile filly maidens here with six of the ten racing for the first time, but it will be (2) PURPLE K, racing for the third time, who will be the red hot favourite. After winning a June trial, she ran 2nd on debut to Seungbusa in one-minute flat over this distance having led for almost the entire way around. She then stepped up to 1200M on her reappearance and ran a creditable enough 4th. Back at 1000M, with a good draw and just her contemporaries for company, she should be winning this. (7) WILD RUNNER went through a couple of trials and showed significant improvement in the second of them when he led for most of the way around, ultimately crossing the line in 2nd place in a fair time. He should be able to get on pace here too as should (9) HWASUBOON who was a front-running 3rd on her heat, again in a fair time. Both can go well first-up. Returning to the experience, (8) PUREUN YOJEONG ran 2rd at this distance on debut coming from off the pace. She then ran a touch disappointingly when stepped up to 1200M in the same race as Purple K, going back and failing to quicken. In this company, she is worth another chance. (10) GOLDEN CLASS another who hinted at ability in her trial.
| Selections | (2) Purple K (7) Wild Runner (9) Hwasuboon (8) Pureun Yojeong |
| Next Best | 10, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Tricky one this but (1) COOL PRINCESS gets the nod based on her consistency. She is yet to win from nine attempts but has six top-five finishes including at her latest when 2nd at this distance having settled handy from a wide draw and briefly leading close to the line only to get taken down by a fast finisher. She draws nicely here to lead and today could be her day. The main danger is (9) VIKING HEART. He too has shown consistency in his latest outings with a fast 2nd at 1300M followed by a solid 4th at this distance on August 29th. He still has scope for improvement and can settle handy or midfield here and run on strong. (6) THAT’S MY BOY comes into contention on the strength of his significantly improved runner-up finish over 1300M on August 15th. As he had done in all his races so far, he went right to back but for the first time he actually gained excellent ground late on and it is to be hoped the additional half furlong works in his favour today. (7) SMART POWER is the only previous winner in the race and that alone brings him into the calculations here. He tackles the distance for the first time. The wildcard is (12) SOUJU, who mixes his form, but has run by far the quickest time at the distance and could sneak a place.
| Selections | (1) Cool Princess (9) Viking Heart (6) That’s My Boy (7) Smart Power |
| Next Best | 12, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 7, 12 |
Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
A very competitive race with almost everything entering in good form. (1) BEST TAP is established at class and distance having run solid times in his latest three which have finished with a 2nd and two 4th places. His style is to go back and run-on but the inside gate gives his jockey options today and he has as good a chance as any. (5) BEOLMAL DAEJANG is another consistent one at this level and actually led for most of the way last time out over this distance before ultimately finishing in 4th. He has never finished worse than 4th and he should be a big player here and the possible betting favourite. (9) ILGYEOK PILSAL comes up in trip after running on well over 1300M six weeks ago on a wet track. He has finished off most of his races well and can be on contention here. (7) NONGBON BADA was a winner at this distance at class 6 three starts back in a time that can win at this class too. Her subsequent efforts have both been at 1300M and she comes into the mix here. (11) MAKALU POWER the best of a very competitive rest.
| Selections | (1) Best Tap (5) Beolmal Daejang (9) Ilgyeok Pilsal (7) Nongbon Bada |
| Next Best | 11, 12 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 7, 9 |
Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(12) ASPEN TAEYANG was a super winner on debut, sitting handy to the lead before leaving everything in the distance in the home straight to record a sub-one-minute time for five-furlongs. He is up in class and distance and has also drawn the car park, but even so the manner of that victory suggests he has to go on top again and should win again. (5) GWANGYANG EUTTEUM was a winner over this distance in a fast time at class 6 level before putting in a shocker on his first try at this class, hanging near the 800M point and then running out and eased down after the bit got pulled through. He was suspended for two months as a result and ordered to complete two trials, which he has done, winning them both in gate to wire fashion. At his best, he is a real danger here. (3) WINNER BLUE comes in off a nice 2nd place at class and distance last time when he led for most of the way and from a nice draw he can be on the speed again with claims to compete for a place. (1) TAP QUALITY has finished no worse than 4th in seven outings so far and should at the very least maintain that run here. (10) MAGIC JUNIOR among others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (12) Aspen Taeyang (5) Gwangyang Eutteum (3) Winner Blue (1) Tap Quality |
| Next Best | 10, 11 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 10, 12 |
Seoul Race 6: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A very competitive race for fillies and mares. We’ll tentatively side with (3) FOREVER ONE, who draws very well to get to the lead, as she did last time when narrowly defeated by Spot Flatter over class and distance on August 14th. She is very nicely weighted here and can return to the winner’s circle. (8) GREEN DARC has consistently run fast times at class and distance, including her latest when 6th in what was a very good race. She can sit handy or settle in midfield and run on and she has claims today. (11) WONDERFUL RUBY was a good class and distance winner on August 14th when she defied being drawn in gate twelve to sit just off the leaders and then score well. She has a wide draw again but also has an additional 5kg on her back to contend with but nevertheless a repeat isn’t impossible. (1) CHALLENGE SOCKS win at this distance at class 5 level in April and has subsequently put in two adequate showings at this level. The draw should make her competitive here. (5) WINNER TEMPLAR drops back in trip and into placing contention.
| Selections | (3) Forever One (8) Green Darc (11) Wonderful Ruby (1) Challenge Socks |
| Next Best | 5, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 9, 10 |
Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
He is stepping up to two-turns for the first time so will need to be taken on trust somewhat but (4) MIGHTY POP has hinted that he can be equal to the task having run on strong for 4th place over 1400M last time out in a decent performance behind runaway winner Black Musk. He can be ridden patiently here and use his strong finish to come home on top. Plenty of other contenders though. (5) LIONETTE ran 6th behind Mighty Pop last time out over 1400M and she too steps up to this distance for the first time. She has 5kg in hand over Mighty Pop today and over the 1700M, it may tell. Continuing the theme of coming up to two-turns is (6) DUSON JANGGUN. He has won at this class over 1400M and even though he finished 9th last time out, the time wasn’t bad and he has a chance here. (8) HEUNGROK DAEBU, on the other hand, does have experience at this distance and even further. He was a class and distance 3rd two starts back and should be aiming for at least a place again. (9) FEVERDINI is another in the hunt.
| Selections | (4) Mighty Pop (5) Lionette (6) Duson Janggun (8) Heungrok Daebu |
| Next Best | 9, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 12 |
Seoul Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
(1) GLOBAL SOCKS looks well in here having beaten plenty of these across his latest two starts when 2nd and 3rd at this distance. He has won over 1700M at class 4 level and from the inside gate Munro should be able to pick his spot and utilize his fast finish. The draw doesn’t do (12) MOONHAK DREAM any favours but he has won from wide over 1400M a couple of times. He ran 5th on his first try at this distance on August 29th and may well have come on for it. (5) K. N ACE was 2nd in that same race, continuing his run of consistent class and distance form. He was beaten by Global Socks two starts back but can lead here and force the rest to try and come past him. (7) WONDERFUL INDIAN is up in class and slightly in distance after back to back successes at class 4 level over 1700M. He comes down in the weights though and while completing a hat-trick if victories might be a hard ask, he certainly has placing claims. (4) JANGSAN FLY another in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Global Socks (12) Moonhak Dream (5) K. N Ace (7) Wonderful Indian |
| Next Best | 4, 2 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 12 |
Seoul Race 9: Class 2 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(3) ROLLER BLADE returned to action for the first time in ten months back on June 26th and showed his residual class when winning at class and distance, overcoming a wider draw than today to get to the lead and then comfortably see off all challengers. He comes up in the weights today and while it has been three months since that run, should be even better today and can win again. This is a tougher assignment though what with the presence of (11) ECHO BILL. He has had the misfortune to come up against two super horses in his latest two outings in the shape of Raon The Fighter and Legend Day but both times has run fast times for this distance and beat plenty of today’s rivals in the process. He is tactically versatile so the wide draw shouldn’t be an issue, and he is a big danger. So too (12) BYEOLNARA SINSA whose first two attempts at this class have seen him go down first to Roller Blade and then to Echo Bill but in those races he has proven himself competitive at this level and he is at least a place chance. So too (9) CUPID MISSION who ran 2nd over 1200M to Speed Go on September 4th in his first try at this level. He has run fast times at today’s trip as well and can be dangerous. (4) DADDY GLORY, up in class but down in the weights is another who can sneak a place.
| Selections | (3) Roller Blade (11) Echo Bill (12) Byeolnara Sinsa (9) Cupid Mission |
| Next Best | 4, 10 |
| Fast Start | 3, 9, 10, 12 |