The final three days of racing in November in Korea gets underway at Busan on Friday with 11 races from 11:30 to 18:00:
It’s Friday! It’s Busan!
Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(9) SILLAUI MISO ran a good 3rd on debut on October 5th in a fast time over 1000M. She finished only a length and a half behind the winner and stepping up to 1300M today, Thomas Gillespie’s filly can come home on top. (7) MABEOP CHEOREOM also went well on debut just two weeks ago, coming home 2nd, also at 1000M and should have come on for it. More experienced is (8) MUJEOK BEAT, who may never have finished any better than 3rd but comes in off the back of two useful efforts at this distance and may get close again. Of the two first-time starters here, (5) SPEED FURY won a trial at the end of October and is likely to be backed to go well first-up.
| Selections | (9) Sillaui Miso (7) Mabeop Cheoreom (5) Speed Fury (8) Mujeok Beat |
| Next Best | 1, 11, 4 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 7, 9 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Twelve previous unraced juveniles – eight of them fillies – make their racecourse debuts here. The market will be the best guide and the likely favourite is (3) SPICE ROCK. She’s a half-sister to champion Triple Nine and posted the fastest time of any of these on trials and could provide jockey Francois Herholdt with his first Korean winner. She was actually the quickest by some margin but others who caught the eye in trials include (1) ONE CHANCE, who finished ahead of a couple of others who go here, and (7) DARUI BADA, who did similar. The former is likely to be on pace early along with (12) BAEJJANG, another who ran 2nd in his heat and could go well first-up here.
| Selections | (3) Spice Rock (1) One Chance (7) Darui Bada (12) Baejjang |
| Next Best | 5, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 6, 12 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) HANEOLUI BIT ran well for 3rd on his return from over six months off three weeks ago. He was prominent throughout, ultimately going down by just over two-lengths and should be on pace again with every chance of going all the way this time. (8) SISEON GANGTAL didn’t do a whole lot on debut back in August but has run well twice since then, including 3rd in a valuable race for breeze-up sale grads at the end of September. He’ll also likely be on the early speed and can go close. (3) CHOEGANG STEALTH and (1) EL DRAGON came home 4th and 5th respectively when they raced each other over 1300M on November 4th and both should be in the frame for at least some minor money today. (12) ACE CRUSH is a stablemate of Haneolui Bit and while she was beaten by Siseon Gangtal in that valuable September race, she ran well for 4th place last time out at 1000M, beating a couple of the others who go here and can be considered for further improvement today.
| Selections | (2) Haneolui Bit (8) Siseon Gangtal (12) Ace Crush (1) El Dragon |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 7, 8 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) TORNADO KING returned from eight months off to run 2nd over this distance on October 26th, beating three of his rivals here in the process. He can have come on for that run and looks the one they need to beat here. He’ll be on the early speed alongside (1) HOT GIRL, whose previous two efforts at this trip didn’t go particularly well but who may be ready for another try having run a solid 2nd over 1300M a month ago. (3) KWAEHAN SINGANGJA was 4th behind Tornado King in that October 26th race, his second start back following more than three months off and he may get closer today. (7) NOVELLA tackles the distance for the first time following a 5th and a 4th in two outings to date. She’s run on well both times and the extended trip looks set to suit. (9) BICHUI HAENGJIN too tries something a bit different today and is the wildcard pick to improve.
| Selections | (2) Tornado King (1) Hot Girl (7) Novella (3) Kwaehan Singangja |
| Next Best | 9, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 8 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) TANGENT is up in class having secured his maiden win on his second career start on October 26th. He only got up by a nose but then he was only beaten half a length into 2nd place on debut. There looks to be more to come from him and he’s well drawn to lead from the start. Five of the others race each other over this class and distance on that very same day. (6) MAJOR THUNDER came out on top, registering victory by a length from (5) B.K. UNO. While Major Thunder carries an extra 3kg this time, he should be involved again and if he gets to the lead, may be difficult to reel-in. (1) SHARP KING races for the first time since late August when he was a solid 3rd (in a race an out of sorts Major Thunder finished last in) and can put in a positive performance on return today. (8) BIRYONGUI HUYE won one of three starts at the end of last year before suffering a serious injury. He returned to training this autumn and has trialled twice over the past month and has looked well.
| Selections | (3) Tangent (6) Major Thunder (5) B.K. Uno (1) Sharp King |
| Next Best | 8, 10 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 8 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(11) DIAMOND KING ran 2nd, just beaten a head by the useful Spot over 1200M on October 26th. He’s run well at this distance before and while he is carrying top weight and has a wide ate to overcome, he can win. (4) WONDERFUL LION got her maiden win over 1000M in September before taking her chance in the Gimhae Mayor’s Cup, Busan’s top juvenile race, four weeks ago. She was 5th of 8, ten lengths behind the winner, but back in more amenable company today, she can be a threat. Expect her to set the pace. (7) GANGHAN JILJU and (10) NEW JACK SWING both enter with recent form reading well, the latter’s 3rd place last time was in a race at least as good as this and he should go well here. (8) THE FACT can have a line drawn through his latest effort three weeks ago and be given another chance today.
| Selections | (11) Diamond King (4) Wonderful Lion (10) New Jack Swing (7) Ganghan Jilju |
| Next Best | 8, 9 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
This is a very competitive race for the level with any number of potential winners. (12) BOLD RULES made all to win by four-lengths at class and distance on October 28th with three of his rivals here back down the track behind him. He carries the same light weight today, but this time has to contend with being drawn in the car-park and may find it hard to get the lead. Nevertheless, he has a real chance of making it two in a row. (6) YEONGGWANGUI FORE has been coming back into form of late and ran a strong 2nd at this distance last time. (10) THUNDER DOME is two starts into a comeback following five months off and is a proven class and distance winner. (1) MAJOR ANGEL is up in class having won over 1000M six weeks ago. It’s also her first try at further than the minimum but she looks ready for it. (2) SINBIHAN JILJU and (8) GEUMTE look the best of a very capable rest.
| Selections | (12) Bold Rules (10) Thunder Dome (6) Yeonggwangui Fore (1) Major Angel |
| Next Best | 8, 2, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 10 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A winner of two from four so far, (9) SUPER GOLD steps up in class following a three-length score over this distance at the end of October. There looks to be more to come from him and he can set up camp just behind the early leaders and finish strongly. This is a tough race though. (5) ISLE CAT has plenty of experience in races like these and is seldom far away. She’ll be on the pace here and should extend her recent run of good form by going close. (3) HEAD TO HEAD remains a maiden but has finished as runner-up on three out of seven attempts. He’s beaten Isle Cat in one of those and today could be his day. (10) GRAY STORM drops back in trip today and has proven himself competitive at this level. (12) CHANGJO DAERO, like Head To Head, remains a maiden but has shown promise with a 2nd and a 3rd in his latest two and can be a factor here.
| Selections | (9) Super Gold (3) Head To Head (5) Isle Cat (12) Changjo Daero |
| Next Best | 10, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5, 6 |
Race 9: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Five of these raced each other over 1400M on October 26th and it was (11) AWESOME KING IJI who came out on top, running 2nd. The Oxbow colt has somehow managed to remain a maiden after twelve attempts, almost always running well but always in tough company and always running into one or two too quick. That may well be the case again today, but he’ll certainly be in the hunt. (9) WHISPER WISH was favourite for that race having won her previous two. She finished 3rd but just a nose behind Awesome King Iji and could overturn the form today. That pair have now beaten (6) VANJEFE twice in a row but back down in trip today, he may get a little closer. Both (4) YUSEONG SPEED and (5) DRAGON NINE were a little ordinary when racing each other at class and distance at the end of October. Both are better than that though and can be given another chance today.
| Selections | (11) Awesome King Iji (9) Whisper Wish (6) Vanjefe (5) Dragon Nine |
| Next Best | 4, 8 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 10, 12 |
Race 10: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
(11) MABEOPUI JILJU was a fine front-running winner at class and distance on November 2nd, his second win in a row beating three of his rivals here. He’s carrying an additional 4kg today, but he looks the type to have more wins in him. It won’t be easy. The horse he beat by just under a length last time, (9) CORE BLADE is also a proven winner at this level and with the weights level today, could overturn the form. (6) SINGAEBYEOK steps up to two turns for the first time having run a solid 3rd over a mile last start. He’ll be on pace from the beginning and has a chance. (3) CHOEGANG THUNDER returns to action for the first time since running 3rd behind Core Blade on October 12th. He won at class and distance the time before that and will be dangerous too. (12) YES POWER has won four of his six outings so far, including last time at this class over 1400M. He is up significantly in trip today but shouldn’t be completely ruled out.
| Selections | (9) Core Blade (11) Mabeopui Jilju (6) Singaebyeok (3) Choegang Thunder |
| Next Best | 12, 10 |
| Fast Start | 6, 7, 9, 10 |
Race 11: Class 2 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(10) LUCKY NINE is two starts not a comeback having missed eleven months and ran a strong 2nd at this class over 1200M on October 14th. He looks to be showing the kind of form that got him two wins from his first three starts last year and up at 1400M for the first time here, he can return to the winner’s circle. (1) YEONGHUI SIDAE is a class and distance winner and will be one of the principal dangers. Her stablemate (7) SEGI GANGJA too is a competent performer at this level and should go close. (3) POTENTIAL is up in class following her maiden win at the tenth time of asking last time and looks very nicely in here. (2) MAKING SEUNGNI is also up in class having returned from four months off to run out a four-length winner over 1600M five weeks ago and shouldn’t be out of his depth in this company.
| Selections | (10) Lucky Nine (1) Yeonghui Sidae (7) Segi Gangja (3) Potential |
| Next Best | 2, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 10, 12 |
Horse Racing in Korea 