Korea Racing Busan & Seoul Previews – 2 July

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

(7) HANGANG CROWN was a winner on debut in a double-quick time over 1000M on May 28^th (a day when the track was very fast), racing on pace early and taking things up turning into the straight. She is up in class and in distance here but comes in under a light weight and while she is the only juvenile in the race, she can beat her elders here. (8) YESULIYA has led both his latest two, ultimately coming home 2^nd and 3^rd, both at this distance. He carries his fair share of weight here but should be on pace again and can be in things a long way once more. (4) FIJI BLADE got promoted to this level with back-to-back runner-up finishes from her first two starts. She weakened when tried at 1300M for her first attempt at this class but slightly back in trip, can be given another chance today. (2) RAON HOLIDAY and (5) CHANCELLOR others in the hunt.

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(8) ZETTA DREAM was a super smart winner over 1300M on May 26^th when sitting handy and then running away with things in the closing stages. He comes up in class and up to a mile for the first time, but neither should be an issue and he can win again. The main danger looks to be (2) BLACK VOLT. Since getting his maiden win over 1200M in March, he has run 2^nd on both tries at this class, most recently on his first attempt at this distance on May 26^th when, as is his style, he settled back and ran on strong. In this company and from this gate, expect him to be ridden a little closer this time and he has every chance. (10) VEREUDA had a hard day at the office when tasked with the Korean Oaks at her latest start on June 4^th. She comes back into shallower waters today and can be given another chance. (1) DOCTOR PERO and (7) TOP FRIEND are others who can enter at least the placing calculations.

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

Bizarrely a pair of eighteen race maidens look to be the picks here. (7) SAENAE HWANGJE enters in good form with a 2^nd and a 3^rd from his latest two, both at 1400M. That makes it eight to-five finishes and in this company, he should be on the pace, and today can be his day. (3) TROT QUEEN has no fewer than eleven top-five finishes without making the breakthrough. She too though enters with recent form reading well and draws much better than when 5^th at class and distance last time out. She too can be on the early speed and has every chance. Should both yet again find one too quick, then it might be (9) WILD RUNNER.  She comes in off a good 3^rd place at class and distance on May 7^th and she has a smart finish on her. (4) FLY DAY and (5) ROCK IMPACT others potentially in the hunt.

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

(8) OK DREAM was an all the way winner on debut over this distance in an all-filly maiden in April before running a close 2^nd on her first try at this class at 1300M on May 28^th when she led a couple of times. She comes back slightly in trip here, she should be on pace again, and she will be hotly favoured to go all the way. (5) SPECIALIST got his maiden win two starts back in a quick time at this distance before running 3^rd on his first try at this class on June 9^th. From a good gate he can sit behind the speed and can be a danger late on. (10) QUEEN ROMANCE goes best when on the speed so is done no favours by the draw here, but while she is also up in class, she comes down in the weights and should be able to measure up. (2) MOVIE MORE and (9) TWO TWO LIME other placing hopes.

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

(2) ANOTHER LEVEL remains winless in thirteen but has eight top-five finishes and while she was a beaten favourite at class and distance on June 4^th, she beat a couple of today’s rivals on her way to 4^th place. She comes up 1kg but comes into a better gate and should get an easy run to the front, should jockey Kim Cheol-ho so choose. This time she can win. (1) DEVIL K is a two-time class and distance runner-up, most recently on May 20^th when sitting handy and running on. He too should be on the front of the race early and can be a danger. (5) SAEBYEOK BAND was 5^th behind Another Level in that June 4^th race. He is a winner at this class over a mile and is not to be dismissed here. (3) NEOREUL EUNGWONHAE and (7) WONDERFUL JOY others in the minor money hunt.

Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(3) SPECIAL HERO will be the favourite. She has nine top-four finishes, including each of her latest four starts and comes in off a last start 2^nd place at class and distance in a quick time, when coming from off the pace. She comes up slightly in the weights but is still low and with Franco climbing on, today can be her day. (1) HANEUL SEUNGNI comes up in class after a comfortable win over this distance on June 2^nd when racing in midfield and running on. He copped an eleven-point rating rise for that so he doesn’t benefit weight-wise, but he should be able to measure up. (5) THUNDER FURY also comes up in class following a last start win, in her case making all over 1400M. She is well treated in the weights and can be competitive. (10) ADELE ROSARIO is the wildcard. She returns to action for the first time since the Luna Stakes of 2022 and while that means a sixty-four-week layoff, she looked very well when winning a trial in a quick time earlier this month and she shouldn’t be overlooked. (2) OK STAR another in the hunt, back in trip.

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

(3) NEW CHEONGPA enters having won on his first try at this class over 1400M on June 4^th having stalked the leader and then run on. He comes up 4kg in the weights, but he has carried more in the past and he can win again here.  (4) GEUMA ALLURE was a winner at 1300M at class 5 level two starts back before running a decent 4^th in a very quick race at this distance on his first try at this level on May 28^th. He’s only missed the top-five on one occasion, and he can go close again here. That can mean overturning the form on (6) SUPER FINISH, who was a big-priced winner in a that very fast race at class and distance on May 28^th. He has the steadier of an additional 4.5kg today but warrants respect. (5) SILVER STAR and (9) FLYING ATHENA are others in the frame.

Busan Race 6: Class Open (1800M) Busan Mayor’s Cup (KOR G2) Weight for Age / KRW 700 Million

Following the devastating news of the injury to Raon The Fighter, few will see this as anything other than a two-horse race. (1) TUHONUI BANSEOK has come a long way since running 8^th in this race last year. He was a fast-finishing 3^rd in the Grand Prix Stakes last December and comes in off a remarkable eleven-length triumph in the YTN Cup over 2000M at Seoul last month (the second leg of this series). It was a statement performance, and he must go on top here. But let’s not overlook (4) WINNER’S MAN. He completed the Korea Cup and Grand Prix Stakes double last year and he won the first leg of this series, the Herald Business in April with Tuhonui Banseok 2^nd. The YTN was one race, this is back at 1800M, and anything can happen. It would be a big surprise if they didn’t finish 1^st and 2^nd in either order. (8) SIMJANGUI GODONG and (9) BLACK MUSK are the next best, a cut above (6) BOLT MAN, who is in turn a cut above the other four.

Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(7) NAUI NARA returned from nine months out to run a solid 3^rd over 1700M on May 21^st. That was a tough ask first-up and he came through it well. He should strip fitter for that run and while he tackles the awkward mile start for the first time, he can win this. (6) JEDI FORCE got her solitary win at this class over 1300M three starts back and comes in off a useful 5^th over a quick race at that same distance on May 28^th. She is down 2.5kg in weight from that result and she has a 4^th over this distance to her name already. She can be a danger. (1) HWANGGEUM HAE was a close 2^nd over this class and distance on June 3^rd. An apprentice claim takes him down in the weights here and from the inside gate, that apprentice can pick his spot. (10) UNPARALLELED comes up in class but is down a huge 5kg in weight and can offer some interest on an each-way line. (3) FAST TRACK needs a line put through his latest but can be given another chance here.

Busan Race 7: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(8) RUNNING POWER ran last in the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Triple Crown, but he returned to shallower waters to run a very close 2^nd over this distance on June 4^th, racing handy throughout. He is up in class here but down a full 5.5kg in the weights and he is the one they will need to beat. (10) RAON THE FLASH could only manage 7^th over this distance on her latest start on May 28^th but she did beat a couple of those who also go here. She is nicely weighted again and while she once more has the challenge of a wide gate, she can be a danger. (2) JEONGMUN DRAGON races for the first time since last October. He won two of his last three before the layoff, the final one at this class and distance. He looked very well when running 2^nd in a trial two weeks ago, and while this isn’t the easiest first-up assignment, he can be considered. (1) MISS INDIE and (5) GREAT CAPTAIN (who worked with Raon The Fighter during the week), others in the placing frame.

Seoul Race 9: Class 3 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 75 Million

(11) KING HONOR comes up in class having made all to win over a mile on May 27^th, having previously run 2^nd at 1700M on what was his first start for five months. He comes up to the 1800M for the first time but is down significantly in the weights and while he has the challenge of the outside gate, he can win again. (2) TAP QUALITY will probably start favourite. He enters after running 5^th of thirteen in a valuable trophy race in May when dropped back to 1200M. He too tries 1800M for the first time but has placed at this class over a mile and from a good gate, he can be on pace and potentially go all the way. (4) ETERNAL MEMORY is a winner already at this distance at class 4 level and was a solid 3^rd on his latest outing at 1700M. He has had ten weeks off since then so comes in fresh and can compete. (9) MISS YANGHO is up in class but is dangerous to rule out under a light weight, while (6) WONDERFUL DEVIL is better than recent results suggest, which since his last win, have all been in tougher company than this.

Seoul Race 10: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

(6) VICEROY beat four of these in his way to victory at class and distance on June 3^rd when he overcame gate nine to stalk the lead before going away in the final furlong. An apprentice claim means he only comes up very slightly in the weights and from a better gate he can win again. (11) MUNHAK BOSS was 3^rd in that race, settling back and running on strongly. He comes in under the same light weight, the wide draw isn’t a problem, and he should be finishing powerfully again. (4) JILJU BORN was 4^th in the same race having led for much of the way around. He has posted fast times at the distance and will be expected to be on the speed again and can be in this a very long way. (9) EAST BAN and the up in class (10) RAON THE JET are others in the hunt.

Author: Melissa