3 minute read

Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

Filly maidens to begin with. (3) MS. UP has looked good across three starts so far culminating in 2nd place last time at this distance. She's well drawn to get on pace here and can make the breakthrough. (1) MISS ADELE will likely join her on the early speed and she steps up in trip for the first time following back to back 3rd place finishes from her first two outings and looks to be the main danger along with (2) ME NOVIA, who has improved over her five outings so far. (4) ACE JACKPOT and (5) BORYEONG JILJU, the latter much improved last time out, are others in the placing hunt.

Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Twelve juvenile first-time starters here. (8) BANJIUI JEONSEOL was by some margin the quickest of them in trials and the Hansen colt is set to begin as a warm favourite here. If he brings that trial from to the track, he'll be hard to beat. Another Hansen colt, the subtly named (10) MR. HANSEN also caught the eye in trials and should go well first up while other solid performers in the morning include (2) OASIS GIRL and (5) I'M YOUR FASHION, both of whom recorded competitive times, while yet another Hansen colt, (9) JEONSEOLUI BULKKOT also did nothing wrong in his heat. As ever with this kind of race, watch the market for more clues.

Race 3: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(6) PAGEUKCHEON steps up in class following a convincing maiden win over this distance on July 26th. He looks to be getting better and with more improvement still in the tank, he can immediately follow-up here. (7) NEOLBEUN GOEUL beat Pageukcheon when they raced each other in early June. He hasn't found life easy in two starts so far at this class but should be happier today put back down to the minimum distance. (10) TIME TOGETHER beat three of these on his way to 3rd place at class and distance two weeks ago and should beat plenty again. (3) USEUNG JIKIMI is up in class following back to back runner-up finishes but should be competitive. (11) OCEAN GREY looks best of the rest.

Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

(5) HORTENSE stepped up to this distance for her third start earlier this month and she seemed to take to it well, beating four of these on her way to a 2nd place finish. She came from off the pace that day and can do the same here, going one better. Of the ones she beat that day, none really caught the eye although (10) ANGEL KING STAR will be expected to improve on what was only his third career start. More credible threats are (9) SUN MOUNTAIN, who tackles a mile for the first time after finding form over 1300M and (8) THUNDER BAY, who has been inconsistent across six efforts to date and also goes over 1600M for the first time. The more experienced (2) BICHUI HOWI is another who can go close.

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

(8) WONDERFUL MORNING will be expected to make his breakthrough here. While still a maiden, he's finished 3rd in three of six starts so far including in a fast race at class and distance last time. He'll take some beating although he has let down favourite backers twice in a row now and if he makes it an unlucky three then (12) MAJOR HIT, up in class after a maiden win at this distance last time could be one to take advantage. He came from well ff the pace when winning so the wide draw shouldn't be an issue. (1) ALBERT KING was a somewhat unexpected class and distance winner last time and while he carries more weight today, can be respected. (5) GRAND YEONGUNG struggled over a mile at the end of the June but comes in fresh here and down in trip and should be better. (3) INTERCEPTOR the best of the rest.

Race 6: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Competitive race. It took (4) CHEONNYEONUIJILJU eleven attempts to secure his maiden win but he did it in fine fashion at class and distance last start He carries an additional 4kg today but could win again. If he lapses back into his second-it is (he's been runner-up on no fewer than five occasions), then (5) SEONNYANG CHEOLLI was a good winner over 1200M last start and looks a filly with plenty of promise. (1) K PLUS WON was 2nd that day and is another who could challenge, especially with the additional half furlong to play with. (2) AMAZING WINNER and (3) FOREVER NINE are others capable of being competitive in this kind of company.

Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Another good and competitive race. (5) DAEHEUNG SIDAE comes in up in class and looking for three wins in a row. It took him ten goes to get his maiden and he's rapidly up from class 6 to 4. However, he seems to get on well at this distance and well-drawn to get an early lead, a hat-trick shouldn't be beyond him. (8) MONEY BLACK HOLE and (12) ON DAY are both up in class and distance following wins last time with the former looking better equipped to be competitive at this level. The main dangers, however, maybe two who already have experience of winning money at this class. Both (4) YEONGBONGSAN and (9) TEXAS SIDAE come in having run 2nd in their respective latest outings and both should go close here.

Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(10) POWER WINDY ran an excellent 3rd place in the Korean Derby, coming from well off the pace. He then ran 5th in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Minister's Cup. He's had more than two months off since then but comes in here under a nice light weight and could win. (5) GLITTER, an also-ran on this year's Triple Crown trail, keeps on coming up short but he will still have plenty of backers to get closer this time. (9) TRUE VALOR ran 7th in the Minister's Cup but has a 2nd and a 3rd in two starts since and while both times he's been beaten by one of today's rivals (B.K. Gambol and Glitter), he has every chance of overturning the form. The older pair of (1) STORM GOLD and (2) CHEOLBI are others with hopes.

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

(2) ARCADIA has run out an eye-catching winner of both her latest two, both over this distance and the most recent at this class. She's up considerably in the weights today but still looks to have an excellent chance of making it three in a row from a very good draw. (8) YEONGGWANGUI SECRET is one race into a comeback following almost five months off and should go much better than he did over 1400M at the end of July (12) GABO DAY races for the first time since only beating one home in May's Korean Derby and looked very sharp when winning a trial earlier this month. (4) JUUK and (9) TONGIL HANGUK are others in the frame.