The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 11 races from 11:30 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
A field of twelve maidens will kick off proceedings on an eleven-race card from Busan. (7) HONOR QUEEN is the on top selection after a good trial performance when coasting through the line. The filly was gobbled up late to run second but was never fully asked for by You-Hyun-Myung, who will ride her for her first start. She should be an each-way price with a few winning chances engaged. (6) DALLAE looks a main player coming off successive placings in this company. The Thunder Moccasin filly went down a length when trying to chase down leader/winner Aragaya Wangseong last start. (9) AMAZING GIRL has run on fairly at her past two starts to collect some minor money. The filly looks the best chance of the back markers and will be hitting the line strong, she will be aided if the pressure is piled on at the front of the field. (3) MIRACLE WIND comes off a third behind Linchpin last start which reads well for this race. She was beaten 7.5 lengths on debut but this is a much easier assignment.
Selections (7) Honor Queen (6) Dallae (9) Amazing Girl (3) Miracle Wind
Next Best 2, 1
Fast Start 2, 6, 7
Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Not the strongest of maidens here although one or two have offered some hints at ability. All of them tackle the 1200M for the first time although most have raced at 1300M or further. (2) THE SUN OF GOD drops back in trip following a useful 4th over a mile last start. He briefly led that day and while he is one-paced, from a good draw, he can go closer. (10) FUSION PARK is two starts into a comeback following a lengthy absence. She looks to be on the correct trajectory and ran well at 1300M before her lay-off. The most experienced animal in the race is (7) BEAUTIFUL KOREA and while that is most certainly not a good thing at class 6, she ran above herself two starts bac to run 3rd in a better race than this at 1300M. She is inconsistent but if she gets off to a good start, she can figure. (11) GEUMA KAIROS didn’t do much on debut but previously trialed well and the connections will tempt plenty while the wildcard is (6) YEONGGWANGUI TEUKG. He raced three times without distinction and comes back in after almost a year off. He trialed competently.
Selections (11) Geuma Kairos (2) The Sun Of God (10) Fusion Park (7) Beautiful Korea
Next Best 6, 9
Fast Start 2, 4, 5, 7
Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
There appears to be a short priced favourite in the third on the card. (3) DOCTOR GREY looks ready to breakthrough for his first win after finishing second last time out behind Future King. The colt has shown speed at his last couple of starts and looks one that can lead and win over the six furlongs. Don’t expect a price about him as his opponents haven’t shown much at all to date. (6) EAGLE STAR placed at big odds last time out. The gelding improved in the middle stages and was one-paced through the line. He can fill a place with the right run. (4) FAMILY DANCER lines up for her sixth start after finishing fourth over the five furlongs last time out. The Tout filly ran better when sitting near the speed last start, with Lee Hyo-Sik likely to do just that with a reasonable draw. (9) WISE GIRL debuts after running 1.03.0 in her qualifying trial. She will have to jump from the car park on debut but looks one forward enough to collect a cheque.
Selections (3) Doctor Grey (6) Eagle Star (4) Family Dancer (9) Wise Girl
Next Best 8, 7
Fast Start 3
Race 4: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
It’s a new distance for all twelve of these maidens and there is plenty of promise throughout the field. (11) FASHION KEY has shown progress across his three starts so far, culminating in a narrow defeat last start when she and the winner were seven-lengths clear of the rest of the field. She’ll need to cross to get to the front but if she can do that then she is the one to beat. Needing to cross early is an issue that faces her main rival, (10) B.K. EUAN. His recent work has been at a mile and he only missed out by a nose two starts back before running a decent 4th last time. He surely has a win in him at some stage. Completing the trio who are likely to set the early speed is (4) ACE JACKPOT. She was considered promising enough to take her chance in a big juvenile race last autumn and although she found herself overmatched, she has gone close twice since. She steps up in trip and it may suit. (7) FLYING KINGS is another with near-misses to his name already while (6) WONDERFU EI also enters with his form reading well and with the potential to make more progress.
Selections (11) Fashion Key (10) B.K. Euan (4) Ace Jackpot (7) Flying Kings
Next Best 6, 1
Fast Start 4, 10, 11
Race 5: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
One of the best bets on the card is in the fifth where a compact field of nine will take to the track. (5) MR. VALOR comes off a last start second behind Power Train when going down a neck. The Ecton Park colt drops back a furlong for his fourth start with Lee Sung-Jae to be legged aboard. From barrier five it is expected he will sit in the first couple in running and will take some chasing down. (4) DOCTOR MAX run a much better race last time out when fourth behind Aragaya Wangseong. The Officer filly looked to be crying out for more distance last start and she gets that today. (2) KING BROTHER looks one that will be better third-up after feeling the pinch up the straight last time out. The colt is likely to sit in the first four in running with a lack of pace engaged. (6) FUTURE CHAMPION lines up for his second start after finishing midfield on debut. He may be one that adds some spice to your novelties.
Selections (5) Mr. Valor (4) Doctor Max (2) King Brother (6) Future Champion
Next Best 3, 8
Fast Start 2, 5
Race 6: Class 5 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(1) ROSE BULLET has had a ton of setbacks across his career so far but he looked well on his return to action on December 29th. He ran 6th that day and should surely have come on for that run. This field is weaker and with Seo Seung-un aboard, he can win. (2) TOP BEST got his maiden win at this distance two starts back and while he only ran 7th on his first try at this class three weeks ago, he didn’t do a whole lot wrong and shapes to go better today. He’ll be on pace from the start as will (10) DOCTOR SKY. The latter got promoted to this level despite still being a maiden but has run the kind of times that while perhaps not likely to win, can get into the money. (5) GIJEOGUIMYEONGSEON races for the first time since last March. He has won at this distance and looked good when re-qualifying in January so can go well first-up. (12) CASTEL CORE the best of the rest.
Selections (1) Rose Bullet (2) Top Best (5) Gijeoguimyeongseon (10) Doctor Sky
Next Best 12, 6
Fast Start 2, 7, 10
Race 7: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
There looks only a handful of chances in the seventh with several of the engaged gallopers out of form. (3) GOOD THUNDER looks a massive chance based on recent runs including a Class 6 win over the 1300m last time out. The Thunder Moccasin colt looks well placed in this race with 54kg on his back lining up against some gallopers that have been stuck in this grade for quite some time. (8) USEUNG JIKIMI clocked a fair time last start for a track that was producing slow times on the day. The Rock Hard Ten gelding gets an extra furlong today which looks to suit at this point in time. (6) MAX POWER was a surprise winner last start. The Colors Flying filly will find this tougher but has claims if she can produce a similar performance to that of last start. (10) RENAISSANCE MAN is second-up and looks one that will be better for the run. The lightly raced five-year-old hit the line strong last start when finding himself well back early on. He is another that will appreciate the extra furlong.
Selections (3) Good Thunder (8) Useung Jikimi (6) Max Power (10) Renaissance Man
Next Best 1, 11
Fast Start 3, 8, 11
Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Four of these raced each other over 1200M on January 5th and they all did well, finishing between 2nd and 6th behind B.K. Victor. The best of them was (4) SO MUCH GO, who ran on strongly late for 2nd, less than two-lengths behind the winner and clear of the rest. The additional half furlong today should only benefit and the Street Sense gelding can make his breakthrough here. Of the others who went in that race, only (1) WINNING POST, who ran 3rd, two-lengths adrift of So Much Go, looks a credible threat, so we’ll look to others. (5) AMAZING WINNER came up short in tough company last start. She’s not the quickest out of the gates but if she doesn’t get too far back looks handy in this company. (12) CENTUM BEONGAE is also better than his latest two results suggest and he has previously overcome a wide draw to win. (2) ROYAL PENNANT the wildcard.
Selections (4) So Much Go (12) Centum Beongae (5) Amazing Winner (2) Royal Pennant
Next Best 12, 11
Fast Start 3, 4, 8, 12
Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A field of eleven will line up in the ninth where the main chances appear to be on-speed runners. (6) DAEMANGUI GIL looks a progressive type who finished second behind a handy one in Success Party last start with the margin less than a length. The Kim Gil-Jung trained galloper was thrown in the deep end early on in his career handing in some respectable performances in the two-year-old features. Expect him to work forward early on in the run and be hard to beat. (8) DONGTEUJA DAY appears to have the speed if Seo Seung-Un wishes to take up the running from barrier eight. The Strike Again colt threw in the towel early in the Breeders Cup but backed that up with a second behind Cheogang Touch over the short course last time out. He should be considered a winning chance. (11) EURO GONGJU is capable of running into some money with the light weight on her back. The mare got well back in the run last start and passed a couple in the straight, with plenty of speed engaged in this event she should be steaming home late. (7) EURO SHINHWA has shown ability in the grade previously and can bounce back for some minor money.
Selections (6) Daemangui Gil (8) Dongteuja Day (11) Euro Gongju (7) Euro Shinhwa
Next Best 10, 3
Fast Start 2, 6, 8
Race 10: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
Small field but tricky race. Top-rated is (7) WONDERFUL MORNING, who steps up in trip after two runner-up finishes over a mile, beating a couple of these on the latest of those. He’s a front-runner and will be on the speed again here. He can win but he does love coming 2nd, having done so on seven of eleven occasions so far, and if that happens again, there are a few capable of taking advantage. (4) TRUE KING was 3rd behind Wonderful Morning last start and is capable of going closer but the main danger may be (8) SOCKS GO. He was only beaten a neck in similar company to this at class and distance a month ago and while he does carry an additional couple of kilos today, looks in good shape here. Sock’s Go’s stablemate (1) FRIDAY ran poorly behind Wonderful Morning last start but is a class and distance winner already while (5) POWER WINDY, 3rd in last year’s Derby, is another with placing chances.
Selections (8) Socks Go (7) Wonderful Morning (1) Friday (4) True King
Next Best 1, 3
Fast Start 2, 4, 7
Race 11: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
The is an abundance of speed engaged in the last event on the card, where we see some handy sprinters face the starter over the six furlongs. (8) BANJIUI YOJEONG has been racing well this preparation with three starts yielding two wins and minor placing last start. The Menifee filly has an appreciation for the short course, having seven starts for four wins and three minors whilst never being stretched beyond 1200m. (2) RAINHA looks the main threat resuming for her third preparation. Her trial was hard to gauge when clocking a slow time for a wet track, but as expected she would not be over exerted. She has drawn well and if she if she is cherry ripe going into the race she is a big chance of bringing up her fifth win at start nine. (7) YEONGSEONG ACE was an eye-catching run last time out when finishing fourth behind the talented Seobu Cat, who has since gone on and won again. You Hyun-Myun has elected to ride the Hansen colt which should be taken as a strong lead. (3) YES POWER was a last start class and distance winner but this assignment looks much stronger. The five-year-old was penalized 3.5kg for the win making this challenge significantly tougher.
Selections (8) Banjiui Yojeong (2) Rainha (7) Yeongsong Ace (3) Yes Power
Next Best 5, 4
Fast Start 1, 2, 4, 8