This coming Sunday Busan will, for the first time, host Korea’s top juvenile race, the Breeders’ Cup. Before that, however, there’s a 10-race card on Friday running from 11:30 to 18:00. Trainer Peter Wolsley, who is just three winners short of reaching the 500 landmark, has a couple of decent chances to get closer:
Ace Korea brought up Korean winner number 497 for Peter Wolsley two weeks ago and the Australian trainer can close in on 500 this weekend (Pic: KRA)
Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens to start with and seven of the twelve have raced before. The only one of those to have appeared twice prior to today is (7) DAMYANG CHOEGANG and his improved 3rd place on his second appearance on November 2nd is enough to make him the top pick here. (2) BARAMEUI KKUM finished three-lengths back that day in 4th on what was her debut and she looks like being the main danger here, possibly getting closer this time. Both will be aiming to get to the front as soon as possible. (4) DONGBANG WARRIOR was a touch disappointing on debut having been well-backed after winning a trial. He can be given another chance here. (5) ECTON STEALTH and (11) AMAZING WINNER are others with scope to improve on their respective debut efforts. Among the first-time starters, (6) DEEP MIND looks best at this stage.
| Selections | (7) Damyang Choegang (2) Barameui Kkum (4) Dongbang Warrior (5) Ecton Stealth |
| Next Best | 11, 6 |
| Fast Start | 7, 2 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
More juvenile maidens with eight of the twelve having racing experience and they do look a bit stronger than those we saw in race 1. The clear top pick is (10) TOHAM ACE, who followed up a 4th place on debut in September to then run 2nd, beating a couple of these, on his was to 2nd over this distance on November 2nd. He should have too much here. (6) DOCTOR TIZ was a good 2nd on debut and while he found the Gimhae Mayor’s Cup a bit too stiff at the end of last month, he’ll be expected to go much better in more amenable company today. (8) GEUMGANG CHILBO beat the two top picks for race 1 on what was his second start four weeks ago and has to be given a chance here. (1) TITLE CODE and (4) RAON ARES are others who can step up from promising debuts.
| Selections | (10) Toham Ace (8) Geumgang Chilbo (6) Doctor Tiz (4) Raon Ares |
| Next Best | 1, 3, 2 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 11 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(10) HAPPY DRAGON ran a much-improved 2nd on what was his second career appearance at the start of this month with two of his rivals here back down the track behind him and a similar run today will put him right in the mix. (5) SERENDIPITER was one of those beaten that day but he came back out two weeks ago and ran a good 4th, just missing out on the places by a head, and can get closer today. (7) MARU JJANG has been knocking at the door for a while now and steps back in trip following a good 3rd over a mile last time out with claims to go close here. (9) MY TIME ran a career-best 2nd at this distance three weeks ago and his time may not be too far off. (2) GOLDEN SHARP, with a pair of 5th place finishes from two tries so far, looks best of the rest.
| Selections | (10) Happy Dragon (7) Maru Jjang (2) Golden Sharp (9) My Time |
| Next Best | 5, 4, 11 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(2) JEONSAUI JILJU has a best of 3rd place from three starts so far and has finished ahead of a few of these along the way, His 7th last time was in tougher company than this and with a top jockey aboard here, he can make the breakthrough. (3) MAGIC FLYING has shown some ability across his three outings, all of them at this distance and can be competitive here while (12) SUNDAY GLORY steps up in trip for the first time and it may well suit. (9) EDGE OF WINNER has already raced at this distance and while he has been a little one-paced to date, should have enough to challenge for at least a place. (6) BEAUTIFUL KOREA hinted at ability last time and can progress today too.
| Selections | (2) Jeonsaui Jilju (9) Edge Of Winner (3) Magic Flying (12) Sunday Glory |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
It’s been almost a year since (2) NINA got her maiden win but since returning from a six-month absence in September she’s run well for 3rd and 2nd from two starts and should take some beating in this race which is restricted to fillies and mares. (3) I’M YOUR LEMON is up in class following a battling maiden win on what was just her second outing. That was a decent race for the level though and she’ll surely be a danger here. (9) QUICK MOVE won on debut in July and races for the first time since running 5th on her first attempt at this level a month later. She’ll be on pace early and can go close. (11) NALGAEREUL PYEORA and (12) SECRET MEMORY are others who can be in the hunt so long as they can overcome their wide draws.
| Selections | (2) Nina (3) I’m Your Lemon (9) Quick Move (12) Secret Memory |
| Next Best | 11, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 9, 12 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(1) POWER TOUCH was a four-length all the way winner on debut on November 2nd and while up in class and in distance today, the colt, whose dam is a Korean Oaks winner, has every chance of repeating and is likely to be a hot favourite. (11) ROYAL TREE and (6) COOL MINT came home 3rd and 5th respectively when they raced each other over class and distance on November 4th and both can aim to get among the places today although they will have to improve to challenge the favourite. (10) MALIBU RULER has somehow managed to remain a maiden after twenty-five outings but is rarely too far away and comes in following some very solid recent results. He’ll be close again although will almost certainly come up slightly short again. (7) TOWER CAPTAIN is another capable of finding the money in this company.
| Selections | (1) Power Touch (10) Malibu Ruler (6) Cool Mint (11) Royal Tree |
| Next Best | 7, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 6 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(10) TIARA WINNER enters looking for a third consecutive victory having won her latest two at 1000M and 1300M respectively. That’s brought her rapidly up in class, but she looks to have scope for more development and completing a hat-trick here is not impossible. It won’t be easy though and she may not even be favourite. That’s likely to be (3) KING LION, also up in class after a good win over this distance last time and with perhaps a little bit more potential than Tiara Winner. He can sit close to the early speed and could be too strong late on. (5) BOUND QUEENS and (8) QUEEN OF CAPTAIN came home 2nd and 6th respectively when they raced over 1400M on November 2nd.Both can challenge here with Queen Of Captain with a good chance of overturning that form. (9) CHEONHA GAMDONG registered a good 3rd place last time at class and distance and can aim to match today.
| Selections | (3) King Lion (10) Tiara Winner (8) Queen Of Captain (9) Cheonha Gamdong |
| Next Best | 5, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 10 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) YONGGU was a good winner at this class over 1400M on October 21st. He carries an extra 3.5kg today but he has won at this distance in the past and could well repeat here. (5) WIDAEHANGWANGGYONG ran 3rd in that same race and followed up with a 4th place at this distance two weeks ago and should be a danger again but so too should (12) JILJU CHOEGANG. He ran 2nd in that race two weeks ago, continuing a run of very solid recent form and while he has the widest gate here, that shouldn’t be a problem for him. (10) BOGOINNA too comes in with recent form reading well and while he’s unlikely to get his maiden win here, he can compete for the places. (3) VEGA KHAN is another who can aim for the minor money.
| Selections | (7) Yonggu (12) Jilju Choegang (5) Widaehanggwanggyong (10) Bogoinna |
| Next Best | 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 11 |
Race 9: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(2) GYEONGYEONHANJILJU found herself overmatched when taking a tilt at class 2 in October but back down to the level she won well at in September and also dropping back in trip to 1200M, she has solid claims to return to the winner’s circle. (1) YEONGGWANGUISINHWA was 4th behind three very useful ones last time. It was the second time in a row that she’s greatly outperformed her odds and she’s likely to be more respected today. (3) MIRACLE BOLT ran 5th, a couple of lengths behind Yeonggwanguisinhwa on her most recent outing and she too can be competitive here. (4) MAPLE CLASSIC and (8) CHEONYEONUITAEYANG are others who should be in the hunt.
| Selections | (2) Gyeongyeonhanjilju (1) Yeonggwanguisinhwa (8) Cheonyeonuitaeyang (3) Miracle Bolt |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 8 |
Race 10: Class 2 (2000M) Allowance / KRW 90 Million
(8) WORLD DAY has won six of seven in total and was successful over 1800M at this class on October 26th, beating four of these in the process. He’s up to 2000M for the first time and is carrying an additional 3.5kg today but he looks a real prospect and will be expected to lead from gate to wire once more. (10) HEUMUT ran 3rd that day and while he disappointed slightly in a subsequent run two weeks ago, looks to have the best chance of getting close to the favourite again today. (2) GLORIA ALPHA ran 4th in last month’s race and can aim to get a bit closer this time while (5) USAIN NUT and (11) ACEUI SEONMUL, the latter very nicely weighted, are others who can be in the placing hunt.
| Selections | (8) World Day (10) Heumut (2) Gloria Alpha (11) Aceui Seonmul |
| Next Best | 5, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 6 |
Horse Racing in Korea 