From memory to victory lane for old Kranji duo?

Whether it is by design or not, our two ex-Kranji boys will both have rides in a Korean race that will definitely bring back memories of their past stomping ground - the Singapore Pools Trophy in Seoul on Sept 6.

Malaysian jockeys Wong Chin Chuen and A'Isisuhairi "Harry" Kasim, who moved to Seoul after the demise of the Singapore horse racing industry in October, are among the 14 riders booked in the 150 million won (S$139,000) Open Special Weight B 1,200m contest named after the Singapore gaming outfit.

Wong gets the leg-up on the Kenny Seo Bum-seok-trained Chan Famous, while A'Isisuhairi will partner the Lee Dong-kook-trained Magic Junior.

It is the third time Singapore Pools are honoured by the Korea Racing Authority (KRA), with the first two occasions also taking place as a preamble to Korea's biggest race day, the Korea Cup meeting, which will be held the next day on Sept 7.

Besides its chief product officer Simon Leong, a regular guest at such racing events around the world (other host countries include South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, France and Hong Kong), Singapore Pools will also be represented by board member and Tote Board chief executive Tan Choon Shian.

Between A'Isisuhairi and Wong, local market talk has the latter holding a stronger chance in meeting and shaking hands with Leong and Tan at the LetsRun Park presentation dais a few minutes after 2.20pm Singapore time.

Their two mounts are both last-start winners in Class 3 company, but somehow, KRA's race commentator-cum-race analyst Alastair Middleton has left Magic Junior out of his quartet.

It might be the age-old debate of experience against youth again, but at seven years of age, the 12-time winner might find his 12 younger rivals (average 3YO to 4YO) a touch too nippy.

Chan Famous is one of those with upside, and also seems to have gelled very well with Wong.

In three rides on the Hansen four-year-old, Singapore's two-time Horse of the Year Lim's Kosciuszko's old partner has scored twice (accounting for half of his haul of four wins), including one at Listed level in the Sports Seoul Trophy (1,400m), a Classic trial in Seoul on Feb 23.

That success augured well for the gelding's Triple Crown trail, but the stiffer test proved beyond him.

Dropped back in Class 3 company, Chan Famous - who is raced by Hong Kong owner Shum Ho Chun, probably a spin-off to Seo's stint as a Macau-based trainer - struck form again, eventually scoring with Wong at his last start in a Class 3 (1,600m).

The sharp drop back to 1,200m and the wide draw on Sept 6 are a query, but on class, he is arguably the best horse.

However, the biggest danger will hail from closer to the rail in barrier 3 - Silver Rain.

The juvenile Listed winner and noted speedster will be hard to peg back if he finds his way to the front under Jeong Jeong-hee.

Colts Best Race and Haksan Speed are the two other leading prospects for a first-four finish.

Just like Chan Famous, Best Race showed promise as a three-year-old but was out of his depth in the Korean Derby (1,800m) in May.

The Race Day grey's record of four from 10 speaks for itself, with a fast front-running victory over 1,400m at Class 4 level on July 27 his latest.

Progressive Mucho Macho Man colt Haksan Speed has won three of his last four, all at this distance and from on pace, most recently at Class 3 level on July 6.

If punters are looking further afield for another omen, top Korean jockey Moon Se-young may get some votes.

The link is Moon's brief Singapore stint in 2017. A winner of four races in three months at Kranji, the multiple-champion Korean jockey hops aboard Golden Dragon, a fast-closing second to Magic Junior at his last start.

manyan@sph.com.sg