Korea Racing Seoul Preview – 1 March

Saturday March 1, 2025

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Maidens with all but two racing for the first time. (8) WE GO HIGH looked very assured in his trial, crossing the line 1^st on the bridle and without much encouragement in what was a quick time compared with most trials recently. If he brings that form to the races, he wins. (4) THUNDER FIRE drew the widest gate on debut and after going forward early got shuffled right back before running on. He should have derived some benefit from the experience and with a much better draw today, can improve. (10) ACE MATCH was slowly away on his debut but ran on pleasingly enough for 5^th place and he too can have come on for the run. Returning to the first-time starters, (1) WHIZ GOLD and (6) TOUCH THE SKY looked the best in trials.

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

Fillies only in this maiden. (11) GWANAKSAN JOY has finished between 2^nd and 4^th in each of her four starts so far, including last time out on December 28^th when she was a beaten odds-on favourite in 3^rd. She likes to race on pace, so she does have the challenge of the wide draw here, but she is worth another chance. (2) INDIAN TAPIT has a 5^th and a 4^th from her two outings to date, both at this distance and most recently racing handy. Kozzi rode her both times and third up she can be peaking. (3) HYEOKMYEONGUIJILJU didn’t do much from a wide draw on debut but has raced on pace in her latest two and has finished 3^rd and 4^th. She draws well to get forward again and can match or better those finishes. (4) WONPYEONG NURI and (8) CUPID WORLD are the other place chances.

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(7) SEOBU SKY ran a solid 3^rd on debut over 1200M on January 26^th, settling just behind the speed and running on well. He should have come on for the run, Ruan Maia climbs on, and he can win this. (3) ARCH DAY is the main danger. He has two 3^rd places among his six starts to date, one at this distance and today comes into a better gate than last time. That should allow him a soft run to the speed, and he will be in this a long way. It would be a surprise if those two don’t fill out the quinella, but (1) SEOHAE BADA does have a 3^rd on her record and enters off a useful enough 5^th over 1400M and from the inside gate may make for some interest on a place line. (2) DIA ROOK and (10) BLACK RUSSIAN others in the frame.

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(9) PURGE STEP was a winner on debut over 1300M on January 25^th, overcoming a wide draw to jump out fairly and then be ridden up to the pace. She comes up in class and slightly in trip, but neither should be an issue, and she can measure up. (4) CHEONGSAN JILJU got his maiden win two starts back but had a slightly disappointing day at the office on his first try at this class and distance on January 25^th. That was the first time he had missed the top five and he is well worth another chance here. (1) SUNSHINE QUEEN is winless in eleven, but she came close two starts back and ran a fair 5^th on her first try at this class on January 18^th. She’s nicely in at the weights and from the inside gate can be in the finish. (5) LOTUSMIREU and (7) CHEONJI SKY are others who can contest at least the minors.

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

After running 4^th on debut, (5) IMRO got his maiden win at start number two over this distance on January 19^th, racing handy throughout. He comes up in class but is slightly down in weight, he draws well, and he can win again. (9) GLOBAL SERVE is yet to break through in six attempts but has five top five finishes including his latest two at this class. In this company, he can be up with the early speed and should be there or thereabouts again. (6) SSOARA STAR got promoted to this class with back-to-back runner-up finishes from his first two starts. He had a challenging day at the office over 1300M on his first try at this class but is worth another chance in this company. (4) META and (3) ROYAL BEST are others in the placing hunt.

Seoul Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(10) MIGHTY AMI won her first two races to get rapidly promoted to this level and then ran 2^nd on her first try at it over 1200M in December. That led her to be sent off as favourite over this distance on January 19^th, but she was cantankerous on the way to the start and then unsettled when loading and accordingly ran badly. We’ll draw a line through that and assuming better manners today, her previous body of work affords another chance.  (8) EXCELLENT TAN beat three of these on his way to victory at this class and distance on January 26^th, racing on pace throughout. He comes up a full 3.5kg in the weights this time but is not to be dismissed. (1) JECHUK IHO was one of those well back behind Excelllent Tan in that race, but he has four top three finishes over the distance and comes into a much better gate today with CC riding for the first time. (4) HEART K and (9) MEOTJIN GANGHO among other chances.

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

(11) BELOTERO has been working his way towards a second win, and it duly arrived on January 26^th when she sat just behind the speed before proving too good late on over 1700M, beating the up and coming Captain P.K. She only comes up 1kg in the weights, the wide draw shouldn’t be a problem, and she can repeat here. It took (10) PROCEED ten tries to get his maiden win, but he evidently enjoyed it as he repeated at this class over 1800M on January 25^th. He comes up a full 4kg here, but a hat-trick can’t be ruled out. (3) TAMRA CHOEGANGJA mixes his form, but he enters off a smart enough 3^rd place at 1200M at class 5 level at the end of December and may make for some each-way appeal here. He comes in fresh, and while up in class he is down in weight and the step up in trip may suit. (1) HEUNGHAENG BULPAE and (5) NAMSAN MUJEOK others in the hunt.

Seoul Race 8: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(2) GOLD MUNGCHI stepped up to this distance for the first time on February 15^th and ran a solid 3^rd place having settled just behind the early speed. He has won at 1700M and from a nice draw Ruan Maia can pick his spot, probably in a similar place to last time, and he can win. (5) RAON SPRINTER races for the first time since beating Gold Mungchi when the pair ran 3^rd and 5^th at this class over a mile on January 12^th. He has been working back into form across his latest couple and coming up to two turns for the first time, he can be a danger from off the pace. (1) SECRET WANGJA will need a line drawn through his latest but going on his effort two starts back when 3^rd at this class and distance, he has to be given a chance here under a light weight. (6) BLACK GUN and the returning (3) EUNPA JOY are others who can be in the mix.

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

(10) NEMO PRINCE enters in the form of his life having won his lates two , both at this class and distance, most recently coming from off the pace on January 25^th. He still gets in at this class and while that means he is up 3.5kg in the weights, a hat-trick can’t be ruled out. (4) BEOLGYO VERITAS is a four-time winner at this distance and while he took a couple of goes to find his feet in this class his 2^nd and 4^th from his latest two suggests that he is ready to go close again. He can run well on pace or from behind and shapes as the main danger. (3) GLOBAL MAGIC ran 4^th behind Nemo Prince last time out. He likes to come from off the pace and can run plenty down here. (8) HANGANG BOSS and (9) DANDI others in contention for the minors.

Seoul Race 10: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(1) ELDORADO GANGNAM rounded out 2024 with back-to-back wins at 1200M and then went up to 1800M for his first try at this class on January 26^th. He ran fairly for 3^rd place and now tackling the mile for the first time, he looks nicely in and can return to winning ways. (4) KING DIA is the danger. He comes in off two 3^rd place finishes at this class and distance and from a good draw should be on the speed and in this a long way again. (6) HAWK PRINCE and (7) NAVY CAPTAIN enter having run 4^th and 5^th respectively over 1400M on February 9^th. Hawk Prince is one for one at the mile while Navy Captain steps up to the trip for the first time and both can be going close. (3) JEONGWOO FOREVER another place chance.

Author: Melissa