Korea Racing Seoul Preview – 17 June

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million

Eleven unraced two-year-olds so we head for the trial videos. (6) GANA POWER, from the first crop of Korean Triple Crown winner Power Blade, gets the nod. He drew wide in his heat but quickly made his way to the front and then proceeded to lead all the way.  If he brings that form to the races, he is the one to beat. (1) HWASANGWIHWAN took a couple of goes to qualify but he looked well when winning a heat on May 12^th. He stopped the clock in the same time as Gana Power and he too will have plenty of backers first-up. (11) DAEMUL SOCKS also won a trial and while he has the challenge of the outside gate, he settled back and ran on in his heat so it may not be too much of an issue for him. (7) SMART CAT and (8) P N S JU are others who caught the eye in their trials.

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

It’s hard to go too far past (5) TAMRA CHOEGANGJA. He has shown steady progress across his four starts and enters off back-to-back 3^rd place finishes at this distance, both times settling midfield and running on. He has the fastest time of any of these for the distance by more than half a second and he should be winning this modest maiden. (9) WONPYEONG SKY has mixed his form so far, but he does have a 2^nd place to his name, two starts back when he finished off well. A repeat of that run would put him in the mix here. (7) DAMJAENGI ARGO has hinted at ability. She has finished 4^th or 5^th on four of her five starts so far and should be aiming to improve here. Solitary debut-maker (10) SPECIALTIME trialed fairly alongside some experienced horses and can be given a chance first-up in this company. (3) SEONGSIL TAEYANG another with potential for improvement.

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

Plenty come in with recent form suggesting they are ready for a win but (1) HANGANG POWER will be favourite. In his latest two, he has a 4^th and a 3^rd in good times over 1200M and 1400M and from a great draw he can be on pace today and may take some catching. (4) ARCH RUNNER looks to be the main danger. She enters off a strong 2^nd place at this distance on May 21^st when handy throughout and while she carries an additional 2kg this time, she should be close. (5) SECRET WANGJA and (3) WONDERFUL RULES come in having run 2^nd and 3^rd respectively when they raced each other over 1200M on May 20^th. Both came from well off the pace and should be challenging late again here. (6) SHARP SUNSHINE is another to keep safe.

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(1) PEERLESS is yet to win but has only finished outside the top four once in six starts. She has a 3^rd and a 4^th from her latest two both at this class and distance and from a good gate and under a light weight, she can make the breakthrough here. It took (2) SILVER BOOSTER a few goes to figure things out, but he has significantly picked up of late. He comes in following a maiden win over 1200M on April 16^th when he made all and while he comes up in class here, he draws well and can be a danger. (10) HAENGBOKAN MUNMAK has been consistently beating her odds in recent starts and has been getting closer, including a good 2^nd to Raon Empire over 1200M last time out. In this company she can get on pace, and she can maintain her good run of form. (3) TAKE MONEY and (9) WONPYEONG KILLAR are others who can enter the calculations.

Seoul Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(4) MILLION PARTY debuted last November, running well for 4^th, but then wasn’t seen again until May. She made a very impressive return, leading all the way over this distance to score by as many lengths as she pleased. She comes up in class here, but the manner of that victory suggests there is more to come, and she is the one to beat. The logical danger is (3) NONSTOP THUNDER. A maiden winner two starts back she comes in off a close 2^nd on her first try at this class on April 23^rd when she settled back and ran on strongly over this distance only going down narrowly. She will drop back again and should be strong late on. (8) BEST FALCON remains a maiden but has no fewer than nine to-four finishes. She is up in weight compared to recent starts, but this is the kind of field she is competitive in. The up in class (6) ZIRCON along with (7) DORIPO are also in the frame.

Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1700M) Special Weight B / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race. (8) EUREKA got his sole win to date over this distance three starts back and has followed up with a 3^rd and a 4^th at this class, both times at this trip. He is tactically versatile, his times have been fair, and Moon Se-young climbing aboard is enough to tip things in his favour. (4) LUCKY POWER has shown good consistency across his eleven starts so far. And has placed multiple times at this level. He comes up to two-turns for the first time although he previously put in a decent effort over a mile, and he can be the main danger. (1) GEUMSEONG SEGYE has the fastest time among these for the distance, recorded when defying big odds to run 2^nd on May 28^th. He draws nicely to get on pace here and can be in this a long way. (6) BUL HWASAN and (2) SHOOTING REVERSE others in the placing hunt.

Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million

Tricky one but we’ll side with (2) TIZ ENERGY. True, he is a seventeen-race maiden, but he consistently goes close, has solid experience around two turns and he comes into a good gate here. Johan Victoire knows him well and he has as much chance as any here. (10) FIRE POWER won back-to-back races in March and April to get promoted to this class, including at this distance. At his latest on May 21^st, he dead-heated for 4^th place with Tiz Energy and he should be there or thereabouts again. (9) GIANT INDY has won his latest two and two from three in total. The most recent was at class and distance on April 30^th when settling midfield early and quickly improving and while up 2kg in weight, he has strong claims again. (11) TOUCH NINE and (1) HAPPY SOCKS are others to consider.

Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(7) STARLET has placed twice from her latest three outings at class and distance and while coming up 2kg in weight, she looks well in here to return to the winner’s circle. She generally likes to settle on pace or handy, she has beaten a few of these recently, and she could be too strong here. (2) AMAZON KING led at his latest start on May 28^th ultimately coming home 4^th in a very quick race at this class and distance on a wet track. He draws well to lead again and once more can be in things a long way. (5) COMPLETE FORCE comes up in class after too many near-misses at class 5. He has run times that should be competitive at this level and coming down a full 5kg in the weights, he must be considered. (10) RAON THE WEEKEND and (3) SHINE ON ME the others in the frame.

Seoul Race 9: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(5) BEST CHEONSANG has a remarkable placing record with fifteen top-three finishes from twenty-one starts. True only three of those have seen him come home on top but the manner of his last start run at class and distance on May 28^th when 2^nd to the very good Ranut in a quick time suggests that he could be about to win again. He will be on or close to the pace and could be hard to beat tis time. (6) TROTTING RILEY enters in good form with a 2^nd and a 4^th from his latest two at 1400M and at this distance, racing on pace in both and last time out beating a couple of today’s rivals. He carries his fair share of weight but should be competitive again. (2) EAST IMPACT has returned to form in his latest two and from a good gate, can maintain that momentum here. (9) WOLF PLAY and (4) HANGANG BOSS other placing contenders.

Seoul Race 10: Class 2 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

A very competitive finale. (10) LEEWOLMA comes up in class following a smart win over this distance on April 16^th.  He has already posted times that will be competitive at this level and while he doesn’t get the best of the draw, he is down significantly in the weights and can continue the excellent start to his career that has seen him snare four wins and three runner-up finishes from seven attempts. The main danger is (5) JOY BROTHER. He beat several of these on his way to a close 2^nd at class and distance on May 20^th and while he comes up 2.5kg, that was his first start of the year, and he may well strip fitter. (6) WORLD CHARM is a winner of five from six and returns to action for the first time since December. He has run some super times and while this is a tough ask first-up, he carries a light weight and looked very well when trialing in May. (11) BALVENIE and (3) MONSTER K among others in the hunt.

Author: Melissa