NEXT UP

At Busan we know that Save The World is a cut above the rest while at Seoul the only thing cleared up is that Roller Blade is just a bit better than Choegang Team at this stage with the personal battle between the pair of them now standing at 2-1 in Roller Blade's favour.

Having comfortably won last month's Gold Circle Trophy, Save The World was sent off a prohibitive 1.4 faovurite for the Breeders' Cup Trial (Listed-1200M). He drew the widest gate, but it was no issue at all as he cruised away from his rivals in the home straight to record a six-length win over 2nd placed Doctor Carson with Man Of The Field a further three lengths back in 3rd.

It was a fourth win in four starts for Save The World and he's done it unhurried by a 21-length total margin. He's crying out for a challenge and for that he's going to need to face the best from Seoul.

In the Capital, the NACF Chairman's Trophy (Listed-1200M) also went the same way as the 1st leg of the Juvenile Series, the Munhwa Ilbo Cup, as Roller Blade once more kept Choegang Team at bay for a comfortable score.

In both races Choegang Team was sent off as favourite having beaten Roller Brade in the Breeze-Up Grads race in August. While Choegang Team was wide the whole way around in the Munhwa, this time Moon Se Young managed to find the rail behind Roller Blade but his colt had no answer in the home straight.

Just as in the Munhwa, KN Road came home in 3rd place – though much closer this time – while a newcomer to the Series, Choin Gangja, finished a promising 4th.

So the Series will finally come together at Busan on the first Sunday in December for the Breeders' Cup. For now, Save The World and Roller Blade head there as favourites with the former having home track advantage. Plenty can change with the juveniles over the course of a month though.

In other news, the concluding race of the weekend at Seoul was a class 1 handicap over 7 f with Global Captain, 7th in the Korea Sprint, sent off as favourite. He ran well as well under a good ride by Ham Wan Sik, but it was to no avail as East Palos was way too good, pulling away to win in what was the fastest time of the year for the distance at Seoul.

East Palos's winning time of 1.24.0 was a full half-second quicker than the previous best which was set by…none other than East Palos. In fact, the only quicker time over the distance in Korea this year was set by Ace Korea on a soaking wet and fast track at Busan last week. With Sanggam Mama and his big rating present, East Palos was four points out of the scale and only carrying 114lbs, but it was a remarkable performance nevertheless.

East Palos was ridden by Alan Munro, who was recording his third winner and the day and his fourth across the weekend.

Next week sees one of the most valuable races of the year in the shape of the President's Cup (KOR at Seoul on Sunday. For the first time since 2014, there will be a new name on the Trophy with four-time winner Triple Nine absent.