Korea Racing Busan & Seoul Previews – 19 March

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Fillies and mares only here. (2) SPECIAL ROAD looks the one to beat. She got her maiden win at start number two over 1200M back in December and has since finished 3^rd and 5^th in two attempts at this class, both over six-furlongs. She comes up in distance and in the weights today, but that’s balanced by Franco climbing aboard and from a good gate she should be on pace and can lead all the way. (6) CUQUENAN registered her maiden win at this distance in December. She drew wide for her first crack at this class on January 13^th and ran on fairly for 5^th. She has had nine weeks off so comes in fresh and can get closer here. (4) WONDERFUL OCEAN enters off a 3^rd place in a curious race over 1300M on February 10^th (won at big odds by Statice, who also goes here). That marked a return to form after a couple of indifferent runs and she can build on it here. (10) QUALITY QUEEN and (7) DALEHOLRINGWANGDAE among others in the minor money hunt.

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

Fillies and mares only and (5) RAON EMPIRE will be hot favourite. After a 3^rd and a 2^nd from her opening two starts, she got her maiden win at the third time of asking over 1200M on February 11^th when handy throughout. She comes up in class and slightly in trip here but this half-sister to Raon The Fighter should have far too much for her rivals. (7) WIDAEHAN HANMA got her maiden win two starts back and then ran a good 2^nd on her first try at this class over 1400M on February 4^th with a couple of today’s rivals behind her. She only comes up 1kg in the weights and can be close again. (9) JANGBI MUJIGAE is yet to finish any worse than 5^th from five starts so far and has a 4^th and a 3^rd from her two attempts at this level, both times going back and running on. She has a strong finish on her and can be running on again late here. (11) DAUL QUEEN and (1) MAPARAM among others to keep safe.

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

Good race. (5) SANGIM YEOWANG comes in having run 2^nd in a fast race over this class and distance on a wet track on February 10^th, settling back and running on strongly. That was her second start following a seven-month layoff and third-up today, she may be peaking fitness wise. (2) BEOLGYOUI KKUM comes rapidly up in class following a 4^th and then a 2^nd at class 5 level. He only went down very narrowly on February 10^th in a quick race over this distance and under a very light weight and from a good draw, he has every chance here. (7) BLUE ICON is ultra-consistent and after an inauspicious debut has been in the top-three in all six subsequent starts. She ran 3^rd on her first try at this class and this distance on February 26rh having raced handy throughout and she can maintain her record here. (6) TWO TWO COIN is up in class after a good win over this trip last time and can measure up. (10) COLORFUL WIND another who can enter the calculations.

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

Competitive race with two standouts. (6) LEGEND SOCKS returned from five months out on February 12^th to run a good 3^rd ay class and distance racing close to the pace throughout. He had previously shown promise, should strip fitter for the run, and can have a big say here. The main danger and possibly even the betting favourite is (5) MAESTRA. She got her maiden win at start number four on February 12^th, coming from off the pace over this distance. She comes up in class, but down in the weights and Moon Se-young stays aboard. She had a wide draw that day but in this company and from this gate, she may well be much closer to the speed and has solid chances. (4) RAON THE CHARLIE is yet to win in six attempts but comes up in class here following two 3rds and a last start 2^nd at class 6. He’s been beaten by useful types and with a big weight drop here, he can be competitive. (12) TIZ INDY and (2) ROAD ACE are among others to keep safe.

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

(9) PISTOL STAR comes in having won over this distance in front-running fashion at class 5 level in a super quick time on an admittedly fast track on February 12^th. While he is up in class here and doesn’t get much help from the set weight scale, the manner of that performance suggests there is more to come, and he can win again today. (12) NEW CROWN beat Pistol Star when the pair of them raced each other over this distance on January 8^th, New Crown sweeping home from off the pace. He ran 4^th on his first try at this class on February 17^th and while he once again must contend with a wide draw, Seo Seung-un remains on and he can be competitive. (5) QUEEN HARLEY came home in 3^rd place in that February 17^th race, ahead of New Crown and a couple more of today’s rivals. Her style is to go right back and finish strongly and while she can leave herself a bit much to do, she has place claims again here. (10) CHANGCHANG DAERO is up in class following a win over a mile last time out and can measure up at this level. (8) WIND WINNER another who can enter the calculations.

Seoul Race 6: Class 2 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

(4) CHAMJOEUN CHINGU had near-misses in all three legs of last season’s Triple Tiara before a setback ended her three-year-old season early. After precisely eight months out, she returned to action in fine style, winning over 1400M at class 3 level on February 4^th. She comes up in class here but down in the weights and the distance is not unfamiliar to her. She draws well to lead, and she can go all the way. (7) RAON BEAT comes back in trip following a 3^rd place over 2000M in January. He has had a couple of months to recover from that and comes back to a trip at which he has both won over at a lower level and posted a fast time over when 3^rd at this level. An apprentice claim takes the edge off the weight, and he rates as a chance. (8) BEST LUCKY comes up in class following back-to-back wins, most recently over this distance on February 19^th. This is a stiffer test, but he comes down a full 5kg in the weights and can be competitive. (5) PARK WIN and (3) NIMUI HYANGGI others in the frame.

Busan Race 6: Class Open (1400M) Gyeongnam Shinmun Trophy (3yo Listed) / Special Weight A / KRW 200 Million

Busan’s official Classic Trial. It’s hard to go past (6) BETELGEUSE. The striking grey skipped the conventional big juvenile races last autumn in favour of going straight up to two turns and he has already won at the Derby distance of 1800M on three occasions. He has already punched his ticket to the Triple Crown starting gate, but it looks as though the big prize was too good to ignore here, so he comes back in trip, and if he runs to his best, he’ll be very hard to beat. Having only raced three times, (8) GLOBAL HIT is still relatively unexposed. He was a fast winner coming from off the pace from a wide gate over 1200M on his latest start in January and the distance can suit here. (4) FINAL SEVEN has the fastest time among any of these who have tackled the distance before. Form a good draw, he can be on pace and in this a long way. (3) WORLD LEGEND and (7) BACKTOTHELEGEND among others in the placing frame.

Seoul Race 7: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(10) DAEWANG SOCKS will be the one to beat here. He got his maiden win at start number three over 1300M when making all on February 11^th and while he comes up in class here and draws a touch wide, all the other early speed here has drawn similarly, and he can win again. (5) NAMSAN MUJEOK is probably the main danger. A winner over 1300M at class 6 level three starts back, he has a close 3^rd and a 4^th in two attempts at this class, both at 1300M and both times running on. He should be close today. (1) BAEDARI WANGJA remains a maiden after six attempts but like the favourite he too comes up in class after a good 2^nd place over 1200M on February 19^th. He comes down in the weights, he draws very nicely, and the additional furlong could well suit.  (9) G MOTION and (4) ROCK IMPACT others who can enter the calculations.

Seoul Race 8: Class Open (1400M) Sports Seoul Trophy (Juvenile Listed) / Special Weight A / KRW 200 Million

Seoul’s principal Classic Trial. (10) NAOL SNIPER will be a warm favourite. A winner of four from seven, he ran 4^th in the Breeders’ Cup race at Busan in December before winning his only start of 2023 so far when stepped up to the Derby distance of 1800M on February 11^th, making all. He has won at this trip too in a fast time and performing to his best, will take some beating. (9) RAON THE QUALITY has won her latest three in fine style, up to 1600M and class 4 level. As a filly she gets a 2kg allowance on all her rivals here and she should be on the front and a big danger here. (1) NUT PLAY has come from well off the pace in both his latest two over a mile. He has seemed to be looking for a bit of distance so the drop back in trip may not be ideal but there is likely to be plenty of pace up front for him to target so the race could suit. (6) DRAGON STAR and the unbeaten (5) SOMETHING LOST among plenty of other talent in a good race.

Seoul Race 9: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(5) FURIOSA was 2^nd to Raon Giant in the Gwacheon Mayor’s Trophy, a listed race for juvenile fillies, last November and was then a beaten favourite on Christmas Day at class 4 level over 1400M when always handy but only managing 4^th. She’d had a hectic juvenile campaign so she may well benefit from the twelve-week layoff and in this company she can be on or handy to the speed again and she has every chance. The main danger is (8) TAPDOWN. He was a winner at this class over 1200M two starts back before running 3^rd over that same trip on February 12^th when settling right back. He carries his fair share of weight here, but he has run well at this distance before and if he can keep himself in striking distance as they enter the home straight, he has a real chance. (11) GANA FASHION was a class and distance winner as recently as December and must be taken seriously. (1) TOUCH NINE and (2) HAPPY SOCKS among others with placing claims.

Seoul Race 10: Class 4 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million

Good race. After an anonymous debut, (3) YOUNGYOUNG SOCKS has proceeded to string together four top-two finishes including two wins. Her latest saw her runner-up over 1400M at this class on February 19^th when racing midfield and running on. She has proven herself tactically versatile and while she comes up significantly in trip, she may well win again. The primary danger is (2) CHEONGSAN YEONGUNG. He has just the one win from fourteen starts but his recent form reads very well and in his latest, he ran 2^nd to Naol Sniper at this class and distance when racing handy. He comes up 3.5kg for that effort but he draws well and he should be going close again. (10) SURE WIN beat three of today’s rivals on her way to 2^nd place at this class over a mile on February 18^th and while he too comes up in weight and up to two-turns for the first time, he should be kept safe. (4) E-DANAEUN and (11) BLUE CHARM others in the minor money hunt.

Seoul Race 11: Class 3 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 75 Million

(1) DOKKI BULPAE is a winner of three from four so far with his latest being a facile gate to wire romp over 1400M at class 4 level on February 11^th. He comes up in class and in trip here but he carries a light weight, is nicely drawn, and he should be winning again. The main danger is (10) CHOEGO BLACK. He enters having won his last two starts to move onto four from eight in total. His most recent was at class and distance on February 4^th when overcame a similarly wide gate and steadily improved. He comes up 2kg in the weights as a result, but he can be a big threat again. (3) NAMSAN HORANGI has a very solid record at this distance and while he is up in class here after a win and two runner-up finishes from his last three races, he comes down significantly in the weights and should be right in this. The enigmatic (8) ONE PUTT as well as (6) STRIDE UP, are others in the frame.

Author: Melissa