It’s Jeju Govenor’s Cup day at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday and a full field of sixteen fillies and mares will line up for one of the final Korea Group races of the year over 1400M. There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 12:40 to 17:10.

Last year’s Jeju winner Lead Money returns to defend her title as one of the few established class 1 contenders in the race and will accordingly be among the favourites. However, she will face stiff competition from the lightly raced Dia Road as well as other more established runners such as Hello Venus and Doctor Thunder. See below for race-by-race for Seoul with Busan Selections at the bottom:

Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million 

Juvenile maidens to kick things off with five of the ten having raced before. Of those five, (4) GEOMPO has looked the most promising with a 4^th and a 3^rd from two starts so far, the latter at this distance. He’s drawn well to lead and can win. None of the others have impressed to any extent so it’s to the first-timers we need to look for the other chances. Possible favourite is (8) WISH ME. She ran out a very good trial winner last month, running on very well and should go well first up. (9) JEONJEONGSAGUEM also won her trial while (1) A TO Z and (3) CHAMILHO hinted at ability too.

Selections	(4) Geompo (8) Wish Me (9) Jeonjeongsaguem (1) A To Z
Next Best	3, 6
Fast Start	4, 6, 9

Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

Very weak maiden. (4) BOMNALUI GIEOK hasn’t shown much in the way of speed – he’s not alone in that regard in this race – but he seems a reasonable type who has run on well in better company than this and if he can put himself in a handy position may be able to pass the rest in the closing stages here. (1) J M FIGHTER looked promising on debut and while he has had a couple of setbacks, looks like he has some ability. (3) J. S. POWER too has run reasonably well in better company and can go close. The only one of the field to have a runner-up finish to their name so far is (5) BEST GOLD. That came at this distance and she comes in following a 4^th place last start. That’s enough to put her in the frame today.

Selections	(4) Bomnalui Gieok (5) Best Gold (1) J M Fighter (3) J.S. Power
Next Best	9, 7
Fast Start	2, 3, 8, 9

Race 3: Class 4 (1700M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

(2) DONGBANG JIJON comes in off a 3^rd place in a similar race to this and having shown proficiency at the distance is the slight pick to finally break his maiden at the thirteenth time of asking. (6) DAECHEON ACE and (10) MAENGJU have both beaten Dongbang Jijon in the past and both come in off reasonably recent outings. (1) CORRE MI CABALLO debuted all the way back in September of 2018 and actually ran rather well. He’s not been seen since but returned to training this autumn and looked very well when 2^nd in an October trial, which brings him straight into contention first-up. (4) MY SISTER NINA had a poor day at the office last start but is better than that and can be given another chance here.

Selections	(2) Dongbang Jijon (1) Corre Mi Caballo (6) Daecheon Ace (4) My Sister Nina
Next Best	10, 8
Fast Start	4, 8, 10

Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

(2) EAGLE EYE ran a solid 4^th place over 1000M at the end of September and having previously run 2^nd and 3^rd at this distance, looks to be the favourite to take the honours here. The others are going to need to step up. (7) SAEROUN BOBAE had to be scratched on the way to the start last week after her jockey aggravated a back injury. The same jockey returns today and so long as they make it to the gate this time, she will have a chance. (3) MACH NEDAN and (4) BAEK HAK have hardly impressed so far but both are likely to be on the early speed and that could be enough to get them close at the end. (10) FAMILY HOPE the best of a limited rest.

Selections	(2) Eagle Eye (7) Saeroun Bobae (10) Family Hope (3) Mach Nedan
Next Best	4, 6
Fast Start	2, 3, 4

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

(6) DYNAMIC PUNCH led all the way to record his maiden win by a length over this distance on October 12^th. Although that wasn’t the strongest of races, he and the rest of the place-getters were a full ten lengths clear of the remainder of the field and he looks to have enough development in him to be favoured here. (3) SUNSHINE TEUKGEUP and (5) YEONGGWANGUI BEAT are similarly up in class following maiden victories on their respective last starts and both should be competitive at this level too. (9) GEUMBIT YEOLJEONG comes in off a string of near misses and should be close at hand again while (2) PRIME QUEEN too ran a really good 3^rd place at class and distance last start and looks a danger.

Selections	(6) Dynamic Punch (9) Geumbit Yeoljeong (2) Prime Queen (3) Sunshine Teukgeup
Next Best	5, 1
Fast Start	3, 6, 9, 12

Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(3) ELITE LADY got her maiden win at the third time of asking at the end of September, scoring by four lengths over 1000M, having previously run 4^th in a valuable race in August. She is up in class and in distance here but should be able to overcome both of those things and can win again. (9) P.K. HILL is similarly up in class following a maiden win last time, also at 1000M and is set to be competitive too, likely joining Elite Lady on the early speed. (8) CHEONEUN JJANG was beaten a nose on her first try at this class in… Read more of this post