Grand Prix Stakes weekend kicks off with an 11-race card at Busan on Friday. The first race is at 11:30 and the last at 18:00. Here are the previews:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
(8) SAEROUN BARAM was an encouraging 4th on debut at the end of October and looks to have every chance of coming on more here. He beat (6) EDGE OF WINNER by a length that day and that one too looks to have a chance of improving. Bart Rice’s (9) IHYEN looked competent in trials and is sure to be well backed with a top jockey booking while (1) HURRICANE DREAM debuted well all the way back in January before suffering setbacks and finally returns here. Her trial wasn’t impressive but not was it concerning. (12) DONE IT MY was a decent 2nd over this distance time and should be close once more.
| Selections | (8) Saeroun Baram (9) Ihyen (12) Done It My (1) Hurricane Dream |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 9 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million
A much improved 2nd place on what was just his 2nd start on November 17th makes (5) CHOEGANG BULLET a likely strong favourite to score this time around. He should be away quickly and can lead from gate to wire. (2) PERFECT BOSS was an encouraging enough 5th on his first start and can improve today while it’s the same story for (6) JOEUN HAE. Five of the eleven go around for the first time and among those ones, (7) TORNADO KING looks the pick.
| Selections | (5) Choegang Bullet (7) Tornado King (2) Perfect Boss (6) Joeun Hae |
| Next Best | 4, 11 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Fillies only here and while (3) CHERRY BLOSSOM didn’t find things easy in the Gold Circle Trophy back in September, she returns here after eleven weeks off in much more amenable company and can get her maiden win here. The two “Yeogeols”, (2) HAEDONG YEOGEOL and (4) OKDAN YEOGEOL appear to be the main threats with the latter turning in some decent performances recently and will surely not be at class 6 for much longer. (5) EOMJI CHEOK came home 3rd in a weak race at 1000M a month ago and looks to be on the up too while (11) SECHAGE also has scope to go better here.
| Selections | (3) Cherry Blossom (4) Okdan Yeogeol (2) Haedong Yeogeol (5) Eomji Cheok |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million
Both (7) DYNAMIC GO and (10) I’M YOUR STAR have shown promise. The former was perhaps unlucky not to win on debut on October and followed up with a strong 4th place over 1000M a month ago. I’m Your Star meanwhile debuted in a competitive race at 1200M in October, likewise finishing a good 4th. Both try the distance for the first time but both should be on the early pace and can dispute the finish between them. (9) INTERCEPTOR was an improved 5th behind I’m Your Star last time and can go well again but there are a couple of debut-makers we need to take note of. (1) TIME SPEC and (4) WONDERFUL MEMORY both won November trials and look nicely in first up here.
| Selections | (7) Dynamic Go (10) I’m Your Star (1) Time Spec (9) Interceptor |
| Next Best | 4, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 7, 10 |
Race 5: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
(4) JOYFUL MEMORY has looked much better since returning from a six-month absence in October. She beat four of these when running 3rd over this distance on return in October before dropping back to 1300M to run 2nd in a reasonably good contest. She can get a good start here from an ideal gate and can win today. (8) VICAR OF THE SUN was 5th in that race back in October but has followed up with two solid placed finishes since and does look the main danger. (11) PINK BLUE also went that day and has shown some ability. (2) YEONGGWANGUI HERO has had an interrupted career so far and hasn’t run since being behind Vicar Of The Sun in September but that finish was an improvement and a top jockey gets on board today. (9) ADELE HERO is another who could be in the mix.
| Selections | (4) Joyful Memory (8) Vicar Of The Sun (11) Pink Blue (2) Yeonggwangui Hero |
| Next Best | 9, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Small field here and none enter with especially convincing form. That makes it nice and competitive though. (5) I’M ADELE’s latest couple of efforts have been creditable and have been in tougher company than this so he could well make his breakthrough here. Then again, (2) CAPTAIN GUY is already a proven winner at this distance – albeit at class 6 – and looks likely to get a soft early lead today. It’s possible nothing will catch him. (8) K O BARAM scored an unlikely 3rd place three weeks ago and should be taken more seriously today while (1) SOJUNGAN INYEON has also shown some aptitude at this distance. (7) NEULPUREUN DRAGON is up in class and distance following an unexpected maiden win last month.
| Selections | (2) Captain Guy (5) I’m Adele (1) Sojunhan Inyeon (8) K O Baram |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million
(4) WOLHADOKJAK returned to the winner’s circle at this distance on November 12th at domestic class 4 and you have to say he looks quite craftily entered here against a field of mainly much less experienced imports. Among those imports, (5) BOGOINNA improved last start and could show more here while (10) POINT LUCK and (11) FORTUNE DREAM raced 4th and 5th over 1000M on November 12th on what was for Point Luck a first start in almost a year and for Fortune Dream, her debut. We’ll look for both to come on here. There are two debut-makers and naturally, the one to keep an eye on is Kim Young Kwan’s (6) TITLE MATCH.
| Selections | (4) Wolhadokjak (11) Fortune Dream (5) Bogoinna (6) Title Match |
| Next Best | 10, 8 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 10 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million
David Miller’s (4) ROCK HARD SEVEN has won his latest two in comprehensive fashion and while he’s up in class today, he’s going to be a warm favourite to make it three in a row. He can sit handy early and come through strongly late on. Also up in class is (3) SEOGANGDAERO following three consecutive near-misses. The latest of those was a half-length reversal in what was arguably at least as tough a race as this and he can get close. (2) EUNGNIBYEOSU is a proven winner at this class and is to be considered on resumption following eight weeks off. (6) HWANSANGUI JILJU and (8) HIGH SPEC are others in the frame.
| Selections | (4) Rock Hard Seven (3) Seogangdaero (2) Eungnibyeosu (8) High Spec |
| Next Best | 6, 11 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million
(9) MAKING SEUNGNI won his first two and has been getting closer to repeating. He was favourite in a similar race a moth ago but just came up a little short and is worthy of another chance today. Another who won his first two is (1) DYNAMIC STAR. Those were back last December and this April respectively and he’s not been seen since so he comes in here with a 100% record to defend. He trialled up well in November though and if he comes in here anything like the horse he looked back in April, he could well be hard to beat. (6) SEGYE RANKING pulled off a good victory against slightly weaker opposition three weeks ago and can be taken into account while (3) OHO DAEJANGGUN, disappointing behind Making Seungni last start, and (7) IMPASSIONED MARINE are others who could get close.
| Selections | (9) Making Seungni (1) Dynamic Star (6) Segye Ranking (3) Oho Daejanggun |
| Next Best | 7, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 8 |
Race 10: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Four of these raced each other over class and distance on November 19th. (1) JEONGSANG KOREA came out the best of them running a desperately close 2nd. That was his sixth runner-up finish but he’s yet to go one better. It could be today. (2) SUPER MATCH WAS 4th that day and could well overturn the form while 5th placed (7) HEUMUT can also get close. Among those who didn’t run in that race, (5) RUN STAR has been 2nd in each of his last three outings. In both his latest two, he’s finished ahead of (3) MUJEOK SINHWA, who also could be in the prize money hunt.
| Selections | (2) Super Match (1) Jeongsang Korea (7) Heumut (5) Run Star |
| Next Best | 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Competitive finale but we’ll go with (3) ACE GLORY, class and distance winner on November 12th, to follow up here. (6) BAEDARI GOSU beat four of these when running 4th in a stiffer contest than this at class and distance on November 17th and will be in the hunt for a higher finish today. (1) MORNING PARK, 6th in that race but having recorded some very good finishes at this level, can improve here. (7) WIN GO MAN and (8) KEUNJAYU look best of the rest.
| Selections | (3) Ace Glory (1) Morning Park (6) Baedari Gosu (8) Keunjayu |
| Next Best | 7, 10 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 10 |
Horse Racing in Korea 