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) YEONGGWANGUI SIDAE. Thomas Gillespie’s filly was a trial winner at the end of June and while she only ran 4^th on debut, she wasn’t too far away and showed enough to suggest she has plenty of improvement in her.

Selections	(7) Yeonggwangui Sidae (3) Mighty Power (5) Gidaehae (1) Gold Ticket
Next Best	4, 8
Fast Start	1, 2, 7

 Race 7: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

After five runner-up finishes, (3) SINGAEBYEOK finally made his maiden breakthrough when scoring by four-lengths over this class and distance on August 24^th. We’re going to trust that he got a feel for it as despite carrying an additional 4kg today, he really should be winning again. (8) ISLE CAT perhaps has the best chance of stopping him. He’s run well in both his latest two and shouldn’t be far away here. (1) YEOWANGUI TANSAENG remains a maiden but has shown promise in two outings since returning from a lengthy spell away and may continue to improve. (6) CHIEF TIME and (9) HEAD TO HEAD are other placing contenders.

Selections	(3) Singaebyeok (8) Isle Cat (6) Chief Time (1) Yeowangui Tansaeng
Next Best	9, 2
Fast Start	2, 4, 10

 Race 8: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(1) MAGIC STREET has run 3^rd and 2^nd in two outings since being promoted to this class following his maiden win earlier this year. He’s a front-runner and really should be leading all the way here. (3) ALPHA RUNNER is up in class today following his own maiden win which came over 1000M on what was just his second start on August 24^th. He’s up in distance for the first time too but should be competitive and should also be challenging to get on pace early. (6) EOMBEULLANG won on debut at the end of July and while she didn’t find her first go at this level east three weeks ago, isn’t one to forget about just yet. (8) BOBAE DREAM got promoted to this level off back to back runner-up finishes in her first two outings and while she too had a hard time first up at this class, can improve here. (2) DONE IT MY looks best of the rest.

Selections	(1) Magic Street (3) Alpha Runner (6) Eombeullang (8) Bobae Dream
Next Best	2, 12
Fast Start	1, 3, 6

 Race 9: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(2) WORLD DAY has won four of five starts so far including a seven-length score over a couple of very useful horses at 1400M last time. He is up in class here and also tackles two turns for the first time although he has already won at a mile so this only stretches him out another furlong. He can get a soft lead here and he’s very hard to oppose. If anything can beat him, (9) ORYONG is the best candidate. He saw a three-race win streak come to an end at the hands of World Day’s stable mate Sun Day four weeks ago but has plenty of potential and he too steps up to 1800M for the first time. (6) PARK MAN ran out a good winner at this class over a mile on August 26^th and can be competitive again. (7) RED YOUNG MYEONGUN was an also-ran that day but has a 2^nd place at this class and distance to his name as recently as July and can’t be ruled out. (4) MAJOR ALPHA also enters a winner at this class, albeit over 1200M and is another one to watch out for.

Selections	(2) World Day (9) Oryong (4) Major Alpha (6) Park Man
Next Best	7, 1
Fast Start	2

 Race 10: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million

(5) SIN STEALTH and (4) LUCKY NOVA came home 3^rd and 4^th in a good race at this class over a mile on August 17^th. Sin Stealth was less than half a length behind the winner in a very tight finish with Lucky Nova a further lengths and a half back. Both will be expected to go well here and Sin Stealth is favoured to pick up the win on what will be his first race at 1800M. (7) ROCK HARD SEVEN has just come unstuck a little bit since reaching this level but looks like he still has potentially more to offer. He was beaten by both (1) BLACK SAPPHIRE and (10) ROYAL RUBY when the three of them raced each other over 2000M on August 24^th. The three of them are all live contenders here again and back at 1800M, it is possible Rock Hard Seven could overturn that form.

Selections	(5) Sin Stealth (4) Lucky Nova (7) Rock Hard Seven (1) Black Sapphire
Next Best	10, 8
Fast Start	3, 4, 7

 Race 11: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(2) MUJEOK YEONGUNG won his first two races by five and six lengths respectively putting him rapidly up in class here. He made all in both those two previous outings and it’s going to be very hard to stop him from doing the same here. (1) WINNING AGAIN also found himself rapidly promoted to this level off the back of consecutive victories in May and June. He has found life harder at this level and actually finished behind a couple of his rivals here in a lackluster effort last month but he has got talent and could return to some form today. (6) HAESEONG STAR was 3^rd at class and distance on August 5^th and can aim to match here. (7) ACE FORCE steps back in trip after a succession of useful performances over a mile, He’s only won one of thirteen outings but has raced in tough company and can look to at least place again today. (3) KEUN MABEOP, one of those who beat Winning Again last start, looks best of the rest.

Selections	(2) Mujeok Yeongung (1) Winning Again (7) Ace Force (6) Haeseong Star
Next Best	3, 4
Fast Start	1, 2, 10