Last weekend in Korea saw big Stakes race action and next weekend it is the final leg of the Triple Crown. This sandwich week is a little more low-key but there is still plenty to keep punters occupied. Racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 10 races from 11:30 to 18:00.
It’s Friday. It’s Busan
The strike by some stable staff that resulted in a number of trainers leading their own horses up the past two weeks is now over, although there is still a slight knock-on effect in terms of field size as not all horses have been able to work their intended schedules during the strike. Here are the previews:
Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(7) JITTERBUG dead-heated for 2nd on debut at this distance on May 11th and will take some beating here. He should be on speed from the gate and lead all the way. (2) SEONBAL CAT was a useful 4th last start and should be looking to better that today. (8) APRIL STAR beat both (5) GEODAEHAN WONSEOK and (4) TESTA MAGIC as the three of them came home 4th, 5th and 6th at the distance on May 4th and all three can play their part here. Of them, the most likely looks Geodaehan Wonseok, who has actually run once since then – a solid 3rd two weeks ago. Fergus Sweeney takes the ride today and he can get even closer.
| Selections | (7) Jitterbug (5) Geodahan Wonseok (2) Seonbal Cat (4) Testa Magic |
| Next Best | 8, 9 |
| Fast Start | 4, 7, 9 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
A number of these improved on their latest starts but (2) COOL MINT is perhaps the most convincing. He only missed out by a nose at this distance on May 11th having led almost the entire way around. He’s the pick to go one better today. (4) HWANGJE BONSAEK and (5) MIRACLE ALICE similarly improved last time and both step up to 1300M for the first time. Both should be in the hunt with Hwangje Bonsaek the marginally more attractive here. (3) DARK TEMPLAR has shown ability too with a 5th and a 3rd from two outings so far and she’ll be expected to get close once more. (1) NEW JACK SWING and (8) NEW QUEEN are others who could be in contention in what is a nicely competitive race.
| Selections | (2) Cool Mint (4) Hwangje Bonsaek (5) Miracle Alice (3) Dark Templar |
| Next Best | 1, 8, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 9 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) ROYAL CLUB has shown progress across three starts so far and while she was resoundingly beaten into 2nd by the useful Evelyn on May 11th, today could well be her day. She can sit behind an early pace likely set by (10) CHEONNYEONUI ACHIM who led on debut three weeks ago, ultimately finishing 3rd. It was a promising start and one she can build on here. (3) EXPRESSIVE is one start into a comeback following six months off and can improve. (5) INTERCEPTOR and (11) MR. COLORS are others who have hinted at some ability and can be involved.
| Selections | (2) Royal Club (10) Cheonnyeonui Achim (3) Expressive (5) Interceptor |
| Next Best | 11, 4 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 10 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Small field but tricky one to solve. Back up to a mile today, (2) SEORABEOL YEOJE should improve on recent starts. She’s never finished better than 3rd but can get on pace early here and stick on, possibly even to win. (7) JAESAENGMYEONGNI has a 2nd place to his name at the distance and has beaten both (4) KWAEHAN SINGANGA and (6) HUIMANGUI NORAE at it. He too will look to get forward early in the race and has every chance of staying there. Kwaehan Singangja too can come close, but the biggest threat may turn out to be (5) HARVEST SEASON. She’s only raced twice but showed improvement on the latest of those and looks the type who could possibly benefit from the extra distance today.
| Selections | (7) Jaesangmyeongni (2) Seorabeol Yeoje (5) Harvest Season (4) Kwaehan Singangja |
| Next Best | 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) DAEHO MYEONGGA has been 3rd in both his starts at this level since breaking his maiden over a mile in April. He’s run creditably both times and has as good a chance as any of returning to the winner’s circle today. (2) YES POWER is up in class after a comfortable win over 1300M on May 11th, coming from off the pace and running on nicely. There’s nothing to fear here and he can go close again. (5) YEOKJEONUI MAMA dead-heated for 2nd in that race and joins Yes Power up in class with a chance of snatching some minor money. (6) QUEEN OF CAPTAIN has been consistent recently and should go close while (8) DANCING VICAR didn’t impress last time out but has beaten Daeho Myeongga before and can be given another chance.
| Selections | (3) Daeho Myeongga (2) Yes Power (6) Queen Of Captain (8) Dancing Vicar |
| Next Best | 5, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(8) SINGAEBYEOK remains a maiden but was up to this class following a 3rd place and a pair of 2nds from his first three starts. He was well-backed for his first attempt at class 5 three weeks ago but it was over a mile and he offered little. Dropped back in trip today, he has a strong chance of making the breakthrough. (3) NOPIGOM NAREUSYA is also still a maiden and ran creditably on his first try at this level last month – he perhaps has a bit more to find. (4) JANGSEONGUI JILJU was 3rd in what was arguably a slightly stiffer class and distance contest on May 11th and has to be respected here, while both (1) DOCHI and (5) FIRE POINT, the latter returning after twelve weeks out, should also be in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Singaebyeock (4) Jangseongui Jilju (3) Nopigom Nareusya (5) Fire Point |
| Next Best | 1, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 9 |
Race 7: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(5) SMART DANCER returned from five months out in April to register her maiden win and while she’s up in class today, she’s well drawn to get to the lead early and has every chance of following up with another win. (4) HAEDONG YEOGEOL and (9) BAEKDU BAEKHO came home 3rd and 5th respectively at class and distance on May 6th with another two who go here back down the track. Both should be in contention here. (6) SAENURI CHOEGANG was one of those back down the track but returned to put in a better performance two weeks ago and backs up quickly again here with a chance to improve. (8) TRINITY is the wildcard. He achieved two 2nd places from four starts last year and races for the first time since Christmas Eve. He showed enough in a May trial to suggest he could challenge for the places first-up today.
| Selections | (5) Smart Dancer (4) Haedong Yeogeol (8) Trinity (6) Saenuri Choegang |
| Next Best | 9, 1 |
| Fast Start | 5, 9, 10 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) DAEHOYEOJANGGUN beat three of these on her way to 2nd place at class and distance on May 11th. That maintained a run of consistent form for the six-year-old and she may well go close again. It’s hard to put the forty-four-race veteran on top though. (1) VICTORY BROWN could only manage 4th that day but he’s shown plenty in the way of speed and has every chance of overturning the form. (3) HANEULUI TTEUT was an all the way winner over 1200M at this class on May 18th and can go well again for an in-form stable. (4) EORIN YEOWANG is a stablemate of Daehoyeojanggun and was 5th in that May 11th race – she can at least match that here. (8) QUEEN THE QUEEN has never been worse than 4th at this class and can keep that run going today.
| Selections | (1) Victory Brown (6) Daehoyeojanggun (8) Queen The Queen (3) Haneului Tteut. |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 8 |
Race 9: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
(1) SIGANUI JIHYE has disappointed when favourite in two consecutive races now and was beaten by a couple of these last time when starting poorly and only getting worse. He has talent though and we’re going to stick with him one last time. (5) AWESOME KING IJI and (2) TTEUGEOUN HAMSEONG were ahead of Siganui Jihye that day and both should go well again today. Awesome King Iji is yet to win in seven attempts but ran encouragingly on what was his first try around two turns and he can get close. (3) JUMBO BLADE is up in class and distance after a good win at a mile in April and he can be a factor. (4) TUFELLO too is up in class and distance and has evert chance of running well.
| Selections | (1) Siganui Jihye (5) Awesome King Iji (3) Jumbo Blade (4) Tufello |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 7 |
Race 10: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(10) AMERICAN POWER is two starts into a comeback after a lengthy absence and he showed some of his old ability when just being beaten a neck over a mile at the end of April. That was enough to put him up in class here and he interestingly gets dropped back to a sprint distance and he could win. Main danger looks set to be his stablemate (12) TAEYANGUI SINHWA. He beat a couple of these on his was to victory over 1400M at this class on May 4th and will surely be a danger again. (1) TURBO ENERGY was one of those behind Taeyangui Sinhwa that day and he too is a winner at this class and can go close here. (3) YEONGTO DAEWANG and (4) GABOGAPJJANG look best of a nicely competitive rest.
| Selections | (10) American Power (12) Taeyangui Sinhwa (1) Turbo Energy (4) Gabogapjjang |
| Next Best | 3, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 