Korea Racing Busan & Seoul Previews – 25 June

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(10) ARGO TAP will be a warm favourite. Yet to make the breakthrough after nine attempts, he does though have no fewer than eight top-five finishes including a last start 3^rd place at class and distance on June 3^rd. He draws a touch wide here but can be expected to be on or close to the pace and he is the one to beat. (3) SSEULMO is another maiden but comes up in class having got his act together in his three latest, with a 2^nd and two 3^rd place finishes, all at this distance in consistently fair times. He draws well and comes down a full 5kg in the weights with an apprentice claim, and he can measure up. (1) HWANGGEUMKKOT won well at this distance two starts back before finishing a solid 4^th on her first try at this class on May 21^st. She should be in the mix again. (4) BULPAE BLADE and the up in class (5) GROW are others to keep safe.

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race. (3) JEONGMUN COBIT gets the nod having beaten three of these on his way to a close 2^nd place at class and distance on May 29^th when handy throughout. He only comes up 1kg in the weights, draws well, and Franco climbs aboard. (9) GOLD ROSE was 3^rd in that race having led for much of the way around. She was the best fancied that day among those who return here and with an apprentice taking her weight down, she can be given another chance here. (4) SUCCESSFUL was exactly that at the fourth time of asking, settling handy and then running on to win well. He is up in class here but slightly down in the weights and can measure up. (5) GEUMA UNO is still a maiden but has eight top-five finishes and will be close again here. Up in class last start winner (11) WAITING FOR YOU is another who can go close.

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

(2) K N GOLDEN KING has finished in the top-three in all four of his starts so far, including his first effort at this class over this distance on May 21^st when he overcame gate ten to lead for much of the way around, only going down very narrowly on the line. He comes up 2kg in the weights but that is balanced by a much better draw, and he can go one better this time. (1) HEY CUPID needs a pass on his latest when he raced handy before weakening on his first try at class and distance on May 20^th. At the start before he ran out an emphatic winner over 1200M at class 6 level and warrants another chance here. (6) BARAMGWA HAMKKE comes in having been an all the way class and distance winner on May 20^th. He comes up 3.5kg in the weights as a result but shouldn’t be dismissed. (4) TANGJA was 2^nd in that May 20^th race and along with the up in class (11) CHEONJI SKY, is another to consider.

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race. (6) WONDERFUL FILE has been knocking on the door of her second win for some time now and comes in having run a close 4^th when handy throughout at class and distance on May 21^st. She comes in under the same weight and her consistency can pay off here. She gets a 2kg weight swing on that day’s winner, (1) DALLILLAEYO, who was breaking through at the ninth time of asking. Dallillaeyo should be on or close to the pace here and should be in the mix once more. So too should (5) CENTUM THOR, a desperately close 2^ndin that May 21^st race when settling midfield and running on. The same apprentice keeps his carried weight light, and he can be in the finish. Among those who didn’t go in that race, (11) WORLD POINT and (8) SKY SHOT are perhaps the best.

Seoul Race 6: Class 5 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(2) GOMANARU will be one of the warmer favourites of the day. He comes in following back-to-back 3^rd place finishes, both at class and distance and both times having drawn wide. He comes down 1.5kg in the weights from his latest and he gets a much better draw to get an easier run. He can win here. (9) PERFECT GUN MAN beat Gomanaru when winning at class and distance on April 1^st. He then finished behind today’s favourite when 6^th on May 28^th. He continues to carry his fair share of weight, but he looks the logical danger here. (8) CLAIR POWER finished in 4^th place, between Gomanaru and Perfect Gun Man in that May 28^th race, continuing a string of consistent results. Under today’s handicap conditions, he comes down 2kg in the weights and that should bring him firmly into contention. (11) OKDONG GONGJU and (7) ROSE GOLD are other placing chances.

Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million

After a string of near misses, (3) ALL CROWN looks ready to win again. She comes in off a good 3^rd place at this class over a mile and she has some good performances to her name already at this distance. She comes up slightly in the weights but draws nicely and today can be her day. (1) PISTOL STAR won a fast race at this distance at class 5 level in February. He has struggled a little in two starts since at this class but draws much better today and can be given another chance. (8) NAKDONG JEONSA comes up in class and distance having won well over a mile on May 26^th. The way he finished off that day suggests that two-turns can suit, and he shouldn’t be dismissed. (5) TRIPLE STORM and (6) GUARDIAN ANGEL are other placing prospects.

Seoul Race 7: Class 4 (1700M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(4) KWAEHYANG ran 5^th in Seoul’s Classic Trial in March which earned him a shot at the KRA Cup Mile at Busan where he was always off the pace. He returned to shallower waters to be 2^nd over 1400M at this class on May 28^th in a very quick race on a wet track. He finished off well so the step up to two turns may suit and he looks the one to beat here. (10) MENI ACE has been ultra-consistent across her nine starts to date and has placed in all three of her tries at this class so far, all at 1400M. She draws a touch wide, but she has won from off the pace before and under a light weight, she can be a danger. (1) MONEY GARAK has been working back into form with back-to-back runner-up finishes from his latest two, most recently at class and distance on May 21^st. He likes to settle back and run on and while he carries his fair share of weight, he should be threatening late on here. (5) DAESARI and (11) TES GO DAEBO are others in the hunt.

Busan Race 6: Class Open (1600M) KNN Cup (KOR G3) Special Weight A / KRW 500 Million

The final leg of the Spring and Summer component of the Queens’ Tour for fillies and mares. It’s hard to oppose (5) RAON THE SPURT. She ran out a dominant winner of the second leg of the series, the Ttukseom Cup over 1400M at Seoul on May 14^th, leading all the way and scoring by as many as she pleased. She skipped the first leg in April in order to run 4^th behind Winner’s Man and Tuhonui Banseok in the YTN Cup over 2000M and today’s mile should be no problem. She draws well and will be expected to lead all the way. At her best she won’t be beaten but one glimmer of hope for her opponents is that she can mix her form. (6) FLAT BABE, 4^th in the Ttukseom at what was probably too short a distance for her, is probably best placed to take advantage. She is a class 1 winner and if she is striking range at the business end, she will be dangerous. (13) YEONHUI ILCHUL was 3^rd in the Ttukseom and while she is more renowned for her sprinting ability, she too is of solid class 1 standard and shouldn’t be dismissed. (3) MAHAMERU is on the up and has won at this distance this year in a quick time. She, along with the only three-year-old in the race, (10) GANGSEO GIANT, are others who could step up.

Seoul Race 8: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(7) SKY MANGCHI’s latest two have found him overmatched in the Busan Ilbo Sprint in April and then again in a valuable trophy race over 1200M in May. He comes back into a class and distance at which he won in February, and he should find matters much more amenable today. (6) CUPID WAY was a winner over this distance at class 4 level in both March and April before leading and then weakening when stepped up to 1800M for her first try at this class on May 20^th. Back in trip and continuing under a light weight, she should be much better here. (3) RAON THE GOLD ran a very close 2^nd to Cupid Way at class 4 in March before repeating that finish at the end of April She comes up in class, but is nicely weighted and drawn, and can measure up. (8) K N SKETCH and (4) SEONGSIL MONEY among others in the hunt in a competitive race.

Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Competitive finale on the south coast. (4) META QUEEN is up rapidly in class having overcome a poor start to get her second consecutive win over 1300M on March 24^th. She has had thirteen weeks off since so comes in here fresh and under a nice weight and from a good gate, she can win again. Not many make it three in a row though and if you fancy her to get beaten, there are plenty of options. (2) GREEN PAPAGO doesn’t win out of turn and can mix her form but her 2^nd place at class and distance on May 26^th when she settled back before slowly improving, suggests she can be a danger here. (10) SAEKDAL FIGHTER has posted good times over this distance and should be there or thereabouts again. (7) GEUMA GOOD POINT and (3) GREAT BLUE are among others in at least the placing frame.

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

(7) MAESTRA shapes as the one to beat here. She got rapidly promoted to this level with back-to-back wins in February and March and has since run 5^th and, at her latest start, 2^nd at this class. She has run fair times over this distance, carries a light weight, and Moon Se-young knows her well. (1) CLAIR BEST comes up in class following a win over 1300M on May 7^th when settling just behind the speed and running on. She comes down slightly in weight, draws nicely, and can measure up. (3) NEMO PRINCE came from midfield to run 3^rd at class and distance on May 13^th and a similar showing would put him in the finish again here. Those three look to be the standouts with a big drop in form after them. (5) IMUGI and (6) MOSTER POWER are perhaps the best of the rest.

Seoul Race 10: Class 1 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 110 Million

(8) CHIEF INDY was a beaten favourite at his latest start at class and distance on May 21^st when settling towards the rear of midfield and then running on but only making it up to 3^rd place. He has made a bit of a habit of near misses in similar races to this so far this year, but he has plenty of quality about him and can be given another chance here.  (3) COMPLETE VALUE returned to winning ways in unconventional style on April 30^th, veering very wide in the home straight to grand the proverbial ice-cream out of an unsuspecting punter’s hand but still had enough about him to win. He has subsequently been back to trial for his manners, which he passed last week and while up a couple of kilos, if he runs in a straight line after turning for home, he has an excellent chance of winning again. (4) THE GUMPU beat Chief Indy when winning that May 21^st race. He comes up in the weights but draws well and once on pace he can be hard to dislodge. (9) SPOT FLATTER and (1) URI others to keep safe.

Author: Melissa