With the Jeju ponies taking their summer weekend off, it makes for a bumper Friday raceday at Busan with 14 races running through the afternoon and evening from 14:00 to 21:00. Here are the previews:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(9) PAGEUKCHEON came up short when sent off as the odds on favourite on hat was his third start on June 7th. That followed back to back 4ths in his opening two appearances and he can be given another chance to come out on top here. 3rd place getter that day was (6) CHEOGANG WINNER and she seems likely to be the main danger. She has a much better draw today to get to the front early and can take advantage. (2) DAEGYO and (4) HAPPY AGAIN look to have scope for improvement while the wildcard is (10) MYEONG GONGJU, who is returning to action here just over a year since we last saw her. She had shown some ability if four starts before the layoff and trialed up competently last month.
| Selections | (9) Pageukcheon (6) Cheogang Winner (10) Myeong Gongju (2) Daegyo |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 9, 10 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Weak maiden here so we’ll need to forgive plenty of underwhelming latest starts if we’re to find the winner. (4) TWO TWO WAY was well backed but once again struggled when sent out around 1300M at the end of May. Her last two tries at this distance have been encouraging though and she should be set for improvement here. She’ll be on the early pace with (1) CHODONG DAEJANG, who races for the first time since finishing well back behind three of these on May 10. However, she was found to be slightly lame that day and back fully fit after two months off, she should be a different prospect. (2) YONGHO and (8) BEAUTIFUL KOREA were two of those who finished ahead of her that day. Both have raced since with mixed results but could go close here. (5) ECTON STEALTH is one with potential to improve.
| Selections | (4) Two Two Way (1) Chodong Daejang (2) Yongho (8) Beautiful Korea |
| Next Best | 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 6 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens here with five of the eleven racing for the first time. A few of the experienced ones have shown some ability though so we’ll start with them. Indeed, four of them raced each other on their respective debuts over 1000M on June 28th. (6) WONDERFUL PEACE came out the best of them that day only beaten a neck into 2ndplace. (7) TOP FIRE was 3rd, a length in arrears, while (5) ALPHA KING was back in 5th. All three should be in the hunt again although with the slight step up in trip today, Top Fire, who raced wide throughout that day, could be the one to beat. (4) ECHO SUN put in a good debut of his own a week earlier, running 2nd over the 1000M. He was improving at the end on that race, getting to within a nose of the winner and is another who may appreciate the additional furlong. Of the first-timers, (3) STAR OREUM is the pick. He was an eye-catching trial winner at the end of June and should go well here.
| Selections | (7) Top Fire (3) Star Oreum (4) Echo Sun (6) Wonderful Peace |
| Next Best | 5, 11 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Another competitive maiden. Three of these raced each other over this distance on June 21st with (1) MAJOR HIT, (6) WONDERFUL WINGS and (9) MS. UP filling out 2nd to 4threspectively. All three will be expected to be in the frame today. Ms. Up can perhaps be the one with the most improvement in her and she’s marginally favoured to come from off the pace and score. Among those who didn’t go in that race, (3) AMOR FATI looks the pick. Having trialed behind Ms. Up in May, he ran 2nd over this distance in June before struggling when sent off as favourite over a mile three weeks ago. Back down in trip today, he should be much better. The other one to consider is (8) NANSAN YEOJE. She ran an improved 3rd at this distance on June 21st on what was just her second career start and is likely to be on pace here.
| Selections | (9) Ms. Up (3) Amor Fati (1) Major Hit (6) Wonderful Wings |
| Next Best | 8, 11 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8 |
Race 5: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(7) PERDIDO ROCKET ran a solid 2nd when up to this trip on his second start on May 31st. He was beaten a full nine-lengths by a good winner but nevertheless, it was a promising performance and one he can build on here. (5) WILD GUY beat no fewer than four of these on his way to a second consecutive 3rd place finish on July 5th. He was only a neck away from 2nd and should be competitive again here. Among the ones Wild Guy beat that day, (4) HIDDEN BOY, who was 4th, looks to have the most potential to get closer although (6) FINAL WIND, who ran poorly in that race, had previously demonstrated ability too. (3) MAJOR PUNCH has lacked a bit of speed but has been consistently close across five starts so far and can be competitive again here.
| Selections | (7) Perdido Rocket (5) Wild Guy (3) Major Punch (4) Hidden Boy |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 6 |
Race 6: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
A strong favourite is expected here in the shape of (1) HUSE JEWANG. True, he’s fallen short when market-leader twice already but he’s run up against good ones both times and stepping up to a mile for the first time, should have too much. (11) TIZBE looks the main danger. She took to this distance really well on June 28th, beating four of these on her way to 2nd place. The wide draw shouldn’t be too much of a problem and she looks to have more improvement in her. (6) ETERNAL TRON has finished 2nd and 3rd in two efforts at this distance and looks to have a good shout of maintaining that placing record here. (4) BAEDAERI CAPER was 4th behind Eternal Tron last time out and can aim to at least match that today. (5) BICHUI HOWI is best of the rest.
| Selections | (1) Huse Jewang (11) Tizbe (6) Eternal Tron (4) Baedari Caper |
| Next Best | 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 6, 10 |
Race 7: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(10) HAPPY YEOGEOL was an unexpected winner on debut over this distance on June 28th having only just barely qualified through her trial. She put in a gutsy performance though to win by a neck and should have come on for the run. Today looks harder but she has a chance. (4) ULSAN JANGGUN has just the one win from fourteen outings to date but he’s down in trip today and looks to have solid claims form a good draw. (2) BONINARA remains a maiden but has two runner-up finishes at this distance and is… Read more of this post
