The weekend’s Korean racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 11 races from 11:30 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
It’s Friday. It’s Busan
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(10) BONINARA was a much improved 2nd on her second career start last month at this trip and she should push on here to make the breakthrough. She’s the banker favourite of the day but if she does come up short then (4) ANY GOOD DAY is the most likely to take advantage. She ran 3rd on debut three weeks ago, running on well and coming off the back off a positive trial performance in February, suggests she has plenty of potential. (1) YEONGGWANGUI KISS ran well on debut in December and while she didn’t impress on her return last month, she should have benefitted from that run and can be better today. (3) DAENARYS IJI and (7) MAJOR HIT others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (10) Boninara (4) Any Good Day (1) Yeonggwangui Kiss (3) Daenarys Iji |
| Next Best | 7, 11 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 10 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) FUNKY has improved across three starts so far, all at this distance, culminating in 2nd place a month ago. She will need to continue to make progress in what is quite a decent maiden, but she has a good chance. There are two debut-makers and (4) RAPTOR CORE looked nice and competent when winning a trial last month. It was on a wet track so the time may be a touch artificially fast but there’s no reason why she can’t be in the hunt first up. (5) TWO TWO FIRE has finished no worse than 4th in three efforts so far and can continue that consistent run here while (3) CHODONG DAEJANG looks to be figuring things out after an improved ran last start. (1) JIGURYEOK PALPAL, another last start improver is best of the rest.
| Selections | (2) Funky (4) Raptor Core (3) Chodong Daejang (5) Two Two Fire |
| Next Best | 1, 11 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(11) TOHAM IMPACT ran 2nd on debut on February 22nd and she can step up and go one better today. (12) NAEGA SAEGANGJA has finished no worse than 4th in three attempts so far and while he disappointed in wet conditions when odds-on favourite last time out, can be given another chance today. Those two look a cut above but (6) WONDERFUL IJI has shown steady improvement over three outings to date while both (9) USEUNG STORY and (10) FIGHT MAGIC have 3rd place finishes to their names already and shouldn’t be too far away here. (6) WONDERFUL IJI has also demonstrated some ability over three outings so far and can at least challenge for a place.
| Selections | (12) Naega Saegangja (11) Toham Impact (9) Useung Story (10) Fight Magic |
| Next Best | 6, 8, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 10, 11, 12 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(7) DOCTOR WEEK looked ready to win after a 2nd and a 3rd to round out last year. He’s gone a little cold in his latest two but shouldn’t be written off yet. He’ll be on pace again and hopefully this time can stick to his task a little better. (12) SUN MOUNTAIN wasn’t ready on debut last November but looked far more accomplished on his return four weeks ago. He finished 4th in arguably a better race than this and is a serious contender here. (3) ULTRA POWER beat a couple of these on his way to 6th place last start and looks set to go closer here. (10) CHANGE BACK debuted in that same race and didn’t do too much wrong. There are two debut-makers and (9) DONGBANG NARAE, who finally appears on the track at age 4, looked good in a trial two weeks ago.
| Selections | (7) Doctor Week (12) Sun Mountain (3) Ultra Power (9) Dongbang Narae |
| Next Best | 10, 2 |
| Fast Start | 3, 7 |
Race 5: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Weak looking maiden here. (7) DYNAMIC BOLT and (2) DOCTOR MIMI finished 3rd and 4th with just a head separating them when they raced each other at this distance on March 1st. Both are likely to be on the early speed here and it would be a surprise if they weren’t competing the finish between them. It’s a toss-up between the two but we’ll go for Doctor Mimi to come out on top. (11) YEONGBONGSAN looks to have been figuring things out in his latest three and steps up in trip to a mile for the first time today with solid claims on a place. (1) SEONGSAN POWER and (4) WILD GERANIUM are other first-timers at the distance who could go close.
| Selections | (2) Doctor Mimi (7) Dynamic Bolt (4) Wild Geranium (11) Yeongbongsan |
| Next Best | 1, 10 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 10 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(6) BUGYEONG STORY got the best of a tight three-way finish at this distance on February 15th, defying her 36/1 odds. (1) USEUNG TICKET flashed home late and wide in that race, dead-heating for 2nd place, just a nose behind. The two of them should be competing for top honours once again here and we’ll go for Useung Ticket, drawn inside today, to overturn that form. (3) REALLY ONE and (4) RACHEL has just half a length separating them when they came home 5th and 6th at class and distance on February 24th and both should be looking to get closer here. (2) TRINITY raced five-wide with no cover on his first start in three months two weeks ago and can be backed to improve today.
| Selections | (1) Useung Ticket (6) Bugyeong Story (2) Trinity (3) Really One |
| Next Best | 4, 10 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 8 |
Race 7: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(9) SEOBU CAT went down to defeat when favourite for his first try at this level over 1000M on February 24th. Today he steps up to 1300M for the first time and should make no mistake, likely leading from gate to wire. (2) JUNGKKOT is up in class having scored her maiden win at the second attempt at the beginning of last month. She too steps up in trip for the first time and can be competitive. (5) CHEONNYEONUIJILJU remains a maiden but has finished no worse than 4th in his latest five starts. He comes in after a good 2nd place at this distance last time out and will be very dangerous here. So too will (3) JOYFUL MEMORY, who also remains a maiden but comes in with recent form reading well. (10) THUNDER STRUCK and (12) TWO TWO SPINO are others in the hunt.
| Selections | (9) Seobu Cat (5) Cheonnyeonuijilju (3) Joyful Memory (12) Two Two Spino |
| Next Best | 12, 2 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 9, 12 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(2) GREAT WIN steps up rapidly in class having won his latest two in fine fashion with front-running performances. He’s up in trip to a mile for the first time as well, but there’s nothing to suggest that won’t suit and he can complete his hat-trick here. (9) TRUE KING is also up in class, in his case after running 2nd on his first try at this distance on February 17th. He’ll join Great Win on the early speed and should be competitive. (5) VIVA VICTORY has plenty of experience and is capable of going close in this type of company while (4) DORAON SINSEDAE has hinted at ability and can run on late here. (11) YEONGGWANG VICTORY hasn’t gone well in his latest two but is a class and distance winner and can be given another chance.
| Selections | (2) Great Win (9) True King (5) Viva Victory (4) Doraon Sinsedae |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 9 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) SSONSAL was a winner on debut last month, racing greenly but getting the job done. She should have come on for that performance and while up in class and in trip today, with a more mature run, she can win again. Likely favourite and top pick though is (3) OCEAN PHOENIX. She’s run well for 2nd and 3rd in two outings at this level since wining an all-filly race in January and looks primed to go well here. (10) AMAZON YEOGEOL came from off the pace to run 3rd over 1200M a month ago. She’s won at this distance already and can be a danger under a very light weight. (2) BAEDARI MUNNING disappointed last time but can be given another chance here while (9) MR. KOREA ran well for 3rd last start and is another in at least the placing hunt.
| Selections | (3) Ocean Phoenix (7) Ssonsal (10) Amazon Yeogeol (2) Baedari Munning |
| Next Best | 9, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 7, 10 |
Race 10: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(6) GREAT ROCK returns to action after five months on the side lines. One of Triple Nine’s many “full” siblings, he trialled up well for a stable in form and he should go close. He’ll not be favourite though. (5) DIAMOND KING is up in class after a good win at this distance three weeks ago, coming from off the pace to score by two-lengths. He looks nicely in here and has solid claims to repeat. (4) ADELEUI JINJU has plenty of experience at this level and with her recent form reading very nicely, she should go close. (1) BOUND MYEONGUN and (7) YEONGUNG JEWANG are others proven to be competitive at this level and who may have a say.
| Selections | (5) Diamond King (6) Great Rock (4) Adeleui Jinju (7) Yeongung Jewang |
| Next Best | 1, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 7 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(2) KOREA DRAGON returned from five months off to run a good 4th over 1400M on February 24th. He’s well drawn to get on pace here and back down in trip can win. (1) JJA JAN weakened on his first try at class and distance on February 15th but while he looks like a horse with plenty still to learn, he should have come on for that run and can go better here. (6) JUSTINE MAGIC won one of four starts last year. He finally returns after seven months out and looked very fast when winning a trial three weeks ago. It’s not impossible that he could return in style here. (3) CHANGJO DAERO and (5) DANGDAE GEOHAM are others in at least the placing hunt in what is a very competitive closing race.
| Selections | (2) Korea Dragon (1) Jja Jan (6) Justine Magic (5) Dangdae Geoham |
| Next Best | 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 6 |
Horse Racing in Korea 