It’s the first weekend of the Triple Crown! Nine will line up in the KRA Cup Mile at Busan on Sunday but before that we have a 10-race Friday card from 11:30 to 18:00. Japanese jockey Yuri Takahashi, who rode at Seoul in 2015 and 2016, makes his Korean return.
It’s Friday! It’s Busan!
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-olds only and just three of them have raced before. Of them, (4) MIRACLE ALICE ran well enough for 6th of 12 after a slow start on debut two weeks ago while (8) ROYAL CLUB achieved the same finish position on her first-time a month ago. Both should be in the frame for improvement today. It’s one of the debut-makers that will be favourite though (5) YES POWER looked sharp when winning a trial only last week and if he brings that form to the track could take some beating. (11) HWANSANG DOKJU too showed some speed when trialling up and trainer/jockey combination will make for plenty of backers. (2) NAEGA DAESE too looks to have some potential first-up.
| Selections | (5) Yes Power (4) Miracle Alice (11) Hwansang Dokju (8) Royal Club |
| Next Best | 2, 3 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7, 10, 11 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
More maidens here although all of them have raced at least once. (4) S S YOUNG has been odds-on favourite for both her starts so far and has come up short both times, finishing 2nd and 3rd. She’ll be well-backed again, but this time may not be favourite and may once again have to settle for a place. That’s because (1) FELAROF looks the one to beat. An improved 2nd on what was his second start in February, he returns from six weeks off, should be on pace early and can go all the way. (3) B.K. UNO raced greenly on debut a month ago but still managed 4th and if she has learned a bit from that can improve today. (11) MAJOR THUNDER and (12) STAR WOMAN also look to be getting better and can compete here.
| Selections | (1) Felarof (4) S S Young (3) B.K. Uno (12) Star Woman |
| Next Best | 11, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 8, 11 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Tricky one this but (1) PARK MINISTER stepped up to this distance for the first time all the way back in February and ran a good 2nd, beating a couple of these in the process. She’s not raced since so comes in fresh, Jo In Kwen stays aboard and she has as much chance as any here. It took (7) HOPEFUL SIMON a long time to get to the track but the manner in which he debuted last month gives some reasons to be hopeful. The four-year-old ran on well for 2nd over 1200M and could go close here. (3) PEACE RIDER overcame a poor start to run 3rd last start and the extra half furlong ay benefit. (5) BREAKING NEWS and (11) PERFECT BOSS, the latter racing at further than the minimum distance for the first time, are others who may come into play.
| Selections | (1) Park Minister (7) Hopeful Simon (3) Peace Rider (11) Perfect Boss |
| Next Best | 5, 8 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(1) SEOLGWANGHWA just went down by a nose in a much-improved performance over 1300M on March 9th. Like the majority of these, he is up to a mile for the first time today and it could be exactly what he needs to get his maiden win. (5) BELLAMY GONGJU has also been getting closer lately and while she was a distance 2nd to a good winner two weeks ago, she finished off very nicely and is another who may appreciate the opportunity to get stuck into some distance. (8) MACHADO raced very ungenerously last time but does seem to have some talent and can improve today. Stablemate (6) CHOEGANG SEONBONG meanwhile is another for whom the extra trip may be a benefit. (2) MAKGANG ACE looks potentially best of the rest.
| Selections | (1) Seolgwanghwa (5) Bellamy Gongju (8) Machado (6) Choegang Seonbong |
| Next Best | 2, 10 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(4) CHOEGANG THUNDER beat two of these when being beaten a head into 2nd at class and distance on March 11th. That continued the good run of form he’s shown since debut and he really should have wins in him at this level. He should be on or close to the early speed and I the pick here. (8) GHOST WARRIOR and (10) RAON POWER came home 3rd and 4th three lengths behind Choegang Thunder in that race four weeks ago and the latter especially has claims to get a bit closer today. (2) GEUJIKOJI has plenty of experience and steps back up in trip after a decent 2nd place at 1300M a month ago and may be considered. (5) CHEONNYEONUI BADA has only raced three times and had plenty of bad luck when 2nd on her first try at this class last time. She steps up to a mile for the first time today and could well improve. (1) BIG RED IJI was an eye-catching winner at the distance last time and despite being up in class today, could still be a factor.
| Selections | (4) Choegang Thunder (5) Cheonnyeonui Bada (1) Big Red Iji (10) Raon Power |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 7, 10 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(4) GAMUNUI YEONGGWANG comes in following back to back 3rd place finishes at this class both over 1600M. He steps back in trip today to the distance at where he registered his sole victory to date and he’ll be the one to beat. (2) PYEONGCHNG HORANGI, (3) USEUNG HWANHO and (11) HWARYEOHAN TAEYANG are all up in class following maiden wins last time. While Hwaryeohan Taeyang was scoring at the 24th attempt and won’t be expected to do much at this level, the other two look to have scope for further development and should be competitive here. (10) JEIL MUJEOK was 6th behind Gamunui Yeonggwang last time and can get a bit closer today.
| Selections | (4) Gamunui Yeonggwang (3) Useung Hwanho (2) Pyeongchng Horangi (10) Jeil Mujeok |
| Next Best | 9, 6, 12 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 12 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
With two wins and two runner-up finishes from four starts so far, (6) CHAMPAGNE PARTY should have little difficulty seeing off this set of rather undistinguished rivals. True, he has come up a little short when favourite on each of his last two starts but shouldn’t need any excuses today. (4) DORAON GUNHAM was almost five lengths behind Champagne Party when they raced each other on February 25th but probably has the best chance of getting close to him today. (2) CHEONJIGAEBYEOK enters with recent form reading well, albeit at 1000M and should be in the placing frame along with the likes of (3) BRITE ACCOUNT and (8) WONDERFUL CAPTAIN.
| Selections | (6) Champagne Party (4) Doraon Gunham (2) Cheonjigaebyeok (8) Wonderful Captain |
| Next Best | 3, 12, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 12 |
Race 8: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(10) CAPTAIN FORCE is half-brother to 2016 Korean Oaks winner Ottug Ottugi and enters here having run a not too distance 2nd to one of the leading KRA Cup Mile fancies Divide Wind in the Gyeongnam Sinmun Trophy a month ago. That brought to an end a run of three consecutive victories and he should get back to winning ways today. (7) CONTADOR was runner-up to the favourite last November and enters on a winning streak of his own. He’s won his latest two in fine style, including an upset over Champagne Party (set to be favourite in race 7 today). Contador is up in class here but is surely the main danger. (3) MR. SPENDING comes in off an encouraging 2nd over a mile three weeks ago and can go well again. (4) ACE DOLPUNG races for the first time since running 5th of 8 in a big Juvenile race last November and looked sharp when trialling up two weeks ago. (1) BRACHAH is best of the rest.
| Selections | (10) Captain Force (7) Contador (4) Ace Dolpung (3) Mr. Spending |
| Next Best | 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 8 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Small field but it’s competitive. Peter Wolsley’s (2) CHEONNYEONUI GANG was 2nd to the promising Core Blade over a mile a month ago and steps up to two turns for the first time with every chance of prevailing, most likely trying to lead all the way. (5) BAENGMANDORI is much more experienced but he too has never raced at this distance before. A good winner at a mile last start, he has to be taken seriously here. (6) YONGWANGDAM was 4th behind Cheonnyeonui Gang last time and can get closer today while (7) KOKKDAEGI is another trying the distance for the first time. He comes in off a hard-fought victory at 1600M just two weeks ago and could be in the frame.
| Selections | (2) Cheonnyeonui Gang (5) Baengmandori (6) Yongwangdam (7) Kokkdaegi |
| Next Best | 1, 4, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6 |
Race 10: Class 2 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
Wildly competitive handicap to finish with. (5) UJU STAR looked a very good prospect winning five of her first ten starts. She returns to action here for the first time since last October and looked good trialling last month. She carries a very light weight and could win first-up. (2) BADA GANGJA and (7) LIMITLESS WIN ran 4th and 6th respectively over 1200M on March 4th and both will have backers to get closer today. (4) TOUGH COUNTRY ran a useful 4th at a mile a month ago and is another who looks nicely in today. (10) ROCKET BLADE and (12) CHOEGANG DREAM have just gone a little cold of late but do have talent and could be in the frame here. (11) SEGI GANGJA hasn’t yet managed to recapture his early form in three starts back since six months off but is another who can’t be completely ruled out.
| Selections | (5) Uju Star (2) Bada Gangja (4) Tough Country (11) Segi Gangja |
| Next Best | 12, 10, 7 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7 |
Horse Racing in Korea 