 Expert - Alastair Middleton | |
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| Alastair Middleton, a British living in Seoul since 2006. With his passion in horse racing, he started his racing blog in 2007 which immensely popular with fans around the world trying to learn more about Korean racing. Alastair is familiar with Korean racing that providing racing insights for its races on his blog, like racecard, race-preview in English. He is currently appointed by Korea Racing Authority as the English-language racecaller for the races at Seoul and Busan. | |
Expert Column for Korea Cup Day (S1) (Alastair Middleton)
S1-1 Class 3 Handicap
The 1,600m at Seoul is a tricky start so it may not be easy for K N LIGHT to extend his winning streak to four. He comes in following almost five months out and while he looked well enough in an August trial and comes down 7lbs in the weights from his last start, the layoff and, especially, the wide draw is going to make this very hard.
GRAY CAT is very consistent. He comes in off a runner-up finish at this class over 1,800m on 30th July, his first try at this level when, as is his style, he settled off the pace and ran on. That style is not noted to suit at 1,600m, but he is drawn well to find a good position and he will be strong late on. He’s the one here.
MANSEOK JIGI ran out an all the way winner at this class over 1,800m on 23rd July. He draws beautifully again to get on the speed and the engagement of an apprentice means he carries even less weight than he did last time out.
DUSON MEONGGUN is yet to win and is another drawn perhaps a little wider than ideal, but he comes in following a runner-up finish over class and distance on 16th July and another bold showing shouldn’t be ruled out.
The coveted inside gate for the very short run to the corner goes to YEOLRIN MUN. He produced a big uptick in form to run second at this class over 1,800m last time out. Under today’s conditions and with an apprentice, couple with that draw, he is a chance again.
SELECTIONS: 5. GRAY CAT, 2. MANSEOK JIGI, 10. K N LIGHT, 8. DUSON MEONGGUN & 1. YEOLRIN MUN
S1-2 Korea Sprint
A very hard race with most of the field having credible winning claims. The big loser from the barrier draw was local hope EOMA EOMA who now has the hardest task of all from the outside. He has undoubted quality though and he can still be in the finish.
The big question with all the internationals is how they take to the track surface and regardless of how they have worked during that week, nobody can ever be sure until the actual race. Japan-trained horses are less of a risk as they will have encountered similar loose sand surfaces and in RAPTUS they have another potential winner. His form is at 1,400m but that’s no issue and his gate speed is such that he can get to the lead. Hs jockey has raced at Seoul before, and he looks a big chance.
COMPUTER PATCH may not win out of turn, but he spends his Hong Kong days racing against Sha Tin’s best. He has placed at G1 level and last start was an unlucky sixth at G3. His style can suit here, and it would be no surprise if he were to go close.
Singapore-based mare CELAVI has caught the eye during training this week. She is big and powerful and fast and with the great draw can get to the lead and be in this a long way.
Returning to the locals, MORFHIS will be coming home strong as usual. He enters having beaten BLACK MUSK and EOMA EOMA to win June’s local G3 SBS Sports Sprint, employing his usual hold up and run style. Don’t rule him out.
SELECTIONS: 9. RAPTUS, 8. COMPUTER PATCH, 3. CELAVI, 12. EOMA EOMA & 7. MORFHIS
DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-2:
Banker – 9. RAPTUS
Selections – 8. COMPUTER PATCH, 3. CELAVI, 12. EOMA EOMA & 7. MORFHIS
S1-3:
Banker – 4. SEKIFU
Selections – 10. RAON THE FIGHTER, 6. WINNER’S MAN, 11. SIMJANGUI GODONG & 1. KINGS SHIELD
S1-3 Korea Cup
This is a super renewal of the Korea Cup. SEKIFU is a 3YO from Japan with international form and was very impressive in the G3 Unicorn Stakes coming from last to first to be narrowly beaten. He also-ran a close second in the G3 Saudi Derby after being held up. He is the likely favourite here and so long as he takes to the track, he has every chance.
Korea’s current boom horse is RAON THE FIGHTER, who excels at sprinting and middle distance, but he has won at this distance back in Class 3 company. His comprehensive win in the local G3 Owners’ Cup in Busan, makes him the best of the Korean runners.
The 2021 Korean Derby victor WINNER’S MAN is a winner of his last four starts at local Listed and Group level. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race and has a nice draw today as he likes to be forward. If he’s right, he is in this.
SIMJANGUI GODONG is always there or thereabouts with local group placings in his latest two. The draw shouldn’t matter as he runs on well and is a place chance again.
KINGS SHIELD is an on-pace Hong Kong galloper, who gets the inside gate. That can give him an advantage in the early part of the race.
INTELLOGENT also draws nicely. He usually settles back in the field and as such, may need a touch of luck, but with the pace expected to be on, he can have a big target to run at in the closing stages.
SELECTIONS: 4. SEKIFU, 10. RAON THE FIGHTER, 6. WINNER’S MAN, 11. SIMJANGUI GODONG & 1. KINGS SHIELD
TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S1-3: Multiple – 4. SEKIFU, 10. RAON THE FIGHTER & 6. WINNER’S MAN
S1-4: Multiple – 7. DREAM K, 8. FOX POWER & 5. COOL PRINCESS
S1-5: Multiple – 1. WONDERFUL KITTY, 8. EOSEOWA & 9. MAKALU POWER
S1-4 Class 4 Handicap
The first division of the Class 4 Handicap over 1,400m sees DREAM K up in class on her last start when she won over 1,300m, running on from midfield to take her record to two wins from three starts. Although this brings her rapidly up in class, she is down in the weights, and she can measure up.
FOX POWER has good form at this class having won and placed at this distance. He carries his fair share of weight today and will have to overcome the barrier, but he still has a great chance.
COOL PRINCESS can have a line drawn through her latest at class and distance when she was never a factor from a wide gate. Instead, go on her form leading up to that, which was consistently good.
P N S CHANCE is versatile as she can settle forward or midfield. At her latest start she as competitive at this class when tried around two-turns for the first time. She is nicely drawn here and could pull off an upset.
One who doesn’t win out of turn is IL MARE. His reward for a last start victory over this distance is to come up in class but he registered a time that can be competitive here and he comes down in weight and into a nice gate.
SELECTIONS: 7. DREAM K, 8. FOX POWER, 5. COOL PRINCESS, 2. P N S CHANCE & 4. IL MARE
S1-5 Class 4 Handicap
The second division of the Class 4 Handicap and WONDERFUL KITTY is building an imposing record, having won her last two starts, most recently at this class over 1,300m in a great time. Her racing pattern is to settle midfield so the inside gate may not necessarily be in her favour and she is up in the weights, but she has solid claims to make it three in a row.
EOSEOWA was a class and distance winner two starts back and on his best form is a contender here. Draw a line through his latest, he comes in here fresh following two months out and can go close.
A solid winner at this distance at Class 5 level in July when settling last and pulling off a super run in the straight, MAKALU POWER can be hard to catch but looks nicely in here. The barrier is of no concern.
SIRIUS ALPHA is a filly with good form to Class 5 level. She likes to race forward but she will have two inside her with speed. She has place at 1,400m and is worth thought.
A last start winner over 1,700m, JEONGMUN PRINCE comes up in class but down in the weights and can measure up in this company.
SELECTIONS: 1. WONDERFUL KITTY, 8. EOSEOWA, 9. MAKALU POWER, 7. SIRIUS ALPHA & 3. JEONGMUN PRINCE
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