Next weekend will be dark in racing terms due to the Chuseok – or Korean Thanksgiving – holidays so this weekend’s cards are the last for a fortnight in Korea. The feature race if the weekend is the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup at Seoul on Sunday which will see Special Stone looking to repeat her Korean Oaks victory against a number of the filles she beat in the Classic at Busan in July. First up though is a Friday card at Busan with 11 races from 11:30 to 18:00.

Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

(8) NAEGA DAESE was a much improved 2^nd over 1200M on what was her fourth start in July 27^th and with only a bit more progress today, she can win this. (1) TOJONG CHAMP too comes in having run 2^nd, her best so far, over this distance three weeks ago. She doesn’t have a fast start on her but can grind plenty down late on in the race. (5) INTERCEPTOR was a touch disappointing when well-backed on his latest start in July. That followed a couple of promising runs and after nine weeks off he is worth another chance today. (2) CHOEGANG SEONBONG and (4) SMART BANK look best of the rest.

Selections	(8) Naega Daese (5) Interceptor (1) Tojong Champ (4) Smart Bank
Next Best	2, 7
Fast Start	4, 8

Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

He missed out by a length last time four weeks ago when running 2^nd on what was his third career start and (1) BUGYEONG STORY should come out of gate 1 on the lead and with every chance of going all the way this time. (2) URANUS J was 6^th behind Bugyeong Story in that race on what was his debut. He was sent off as favourite having trialed well and while the result wasn’t great, he can get another chance today. (3) TONGIL HANGUK has shown some promise in running 3^rd and 5^th in his two outings so far. Both of them have been at 1200M and he’s been on the early pace only to weaken so he looks an interesting prospect dropped back to the minimum distance here. (5) ROYAL RIVER and (8) WANBONG are the others who look most likely to improve.

Selections	(1) Bugyeong Story (3) Tongil Hanguk (2) Uranus J (8) Wanbong
Next Best	5, 7
Fast Start	1, 3

 Race 3: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

This race is restricted to maiden fillies and among the nine starters, five have raced before. Among those with prior experience, only (7) ARCADIA has done anything of note when finishing not far away at all in 4^th over this distance a month ago. She should be close to the pace here and has a chance. A couple of first-time starters look like being the main dangers. (3) GEUMA GHOST ran 3^rd in her trial last month and looked competent in the process. She led for much of it and will be expected to try to lead here. (8) TONGIL GIPPEUM held her own in a very quick heat, and if she runs in a similar fashion today, she shouldn’t be far away at all. (2) B.K. GAMBOL and (5) PHOENIX QUEEN are next best.

Selections	(7) Arcadia (3) Geuma Ghost (8) Tongil Gippeum (5)Phoenix Queen
Next Best	2, 1
Fast Start	3, 7

 Race 4: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

 (8) FLASHY MISS was sent off favourite for her latest start over 1200M on July 27^th. She ran poorly, looking unsettled around the turn and then offering nothing in the straight. Her form going into that race was strong, however, and dropped back to 1000M today, she looks again the one they’ll need to beat. (6) B.K. MARINE was a class and distance winner by a nose on August 17^th and while she carries an additional 3.5kg here, a repeat is not impossible. (2) THUNDER STRUCK is capable at this class and shouldn’t be too far away while (7) FELICE too comes in with recent form reading positively and is in with at least a placing chance. (3) ISIDAE YEONGGWANG isn’t as bad as his latest couple of outings suggests and he too can improve here. 

Selections	(8) Flashy Miss (6) B.K. Marine (2) Thunder Struck (7) Felice
Next Best	3, 10
Fast Start	10, 1

 Race 5: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

This race is restricted to juvenile maidens. Four of the eight have race before and two of them raced together when (2) TOUGH GREEN beat (6) GLITTER by a length as the pair finished 2^nd and 3^rd over 1000M on what for both of them was a second career start on August 5^th. They’re the picks to fight it out for top honours this time and with the slight step up in trip in mind, Glitter is favoured to prevail. Of the other two who have raced before, (3) DAEJI CHAMP looks the most likely to improve while among the debut-makers, (1) DOCTOR CHIC, a good trial winner back in July, looks most promising at this stage. (4) MUJEOK SPEED trialed at the beginning of this month and looked sharp too.

Selections	(6) Glitter (2) Tough Green (1) Doctor Chic (4) Mujeok Speed
Next Best	3, 8
Fast Start	2, 8

 Race 6: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Another set of juvenile maidens although this time all but two have raced before. Plenty of them have shown promise as well with both (3) MIGHTY POWER and (5) GIDAEHAE recording runner-up finishes on their respective debuts, both of them on August 17^th. (1) GOLD TICKET and (4) K PLUS WON came home 3^rd and 4^th with less than a length between them when they debuted a month ago at this distance and both can be in the hunt to improve here, however, the one they need to beat may just be (7) (more…)