Racing’s back. 11 Friday races at Busan from 11:30 to 18:00:
It’s Friday! It’s Busan!
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens to begin with and only three of the twelve have raced before. (7) NAKITA was sent off as odds-on favourite on debut on November 16th on the strength of a solid trial win. She was beaten into 2nd but the time was good, the run competent and the winner impressive so she’s well worth another chance here and is likely to be strong favourite. The other two didn’t show much although (12) ACE BOOM, 8th behind Nakita, may improve so the newcomers are likely to be the biggest threats. Trial eye-catcher was (2) GREAT WIN, who looks ready to go after coming through a heat in good order two weeks ago. (3) YEONGSEONGFIGHTING and (1) QUEEN OF ADELE others who could go well first-up.
| Selections | (7) Nakita (2) Great Win (3) Yeongseongfighting (12) Ace Boom |
| Next Best | 11, 1, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
More juvenile maidens with only two of this set of twelve having run before. Of the pair, (10) BUSAN MISO ran 3rd (behind Nakita from race 1) on debut last month and if nothing else will be much shorter than the almost 400/1 odds he was sent off that day. Among the first-timers, (8) YEONGGWANGUI KISS is half-sister to Cheongu, winner of five from fifteen and who ran in races Japan, Dubai and Singapore and also Segi Gangja, six from twenty-three and a stablemate with Thomas Gillespie. She trialled well and looks set for a positive debut. Form Kim Young Kwan’s barn, (2) YAKSOKDAERO is bound to be backed while (9) MUNHWA SIGNATURE is another who may attract attention.
| Selections | (10) Busan Miso (8) Yeonggwangui Kiss (2) Yaksokdaero (9) Munhwa Signature |
| Next Best | 3, 5 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
More maidens and not much experience to go around. The ones drawn out wide look the best with (11) HALLA HWANGHU having run a decent 5th of 12 on debut last month looking set to go on to potentially score here. (12) GHOST RIDER exceeded expectations first-up in the very same race, finishing 4th and can go well too. (10) THUNDER RAIN has raced twice, improving last time out and with a bit more progress today, can get close. The others are all going to need to show something they haven’t as yet manages. (1) AMORIS and (9) B.K. VICTOR look the most likely.
| Selections | (11) Halla Hwanghu (12) Ghost Rider (10) Thunder Rain (1) Amoris |
| Next Best | 9, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 11 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
(6) GABO DAY has run 3rd on both attempts so far, the latest of which was at this distance. He only needs a top three finish to move up in class and he should be exiting the bottom level with a comfortable win here, most likely leading all the way. (8) B.K. THUNDER registered his best finish to date with 2nd place last start at this distance three weeks ago and can follow up here. (3) B.K. GAMBOL has a pair of 3rd places among four efforts so far and is another who can challenge the favourite. (9) SECRET LEGACY and (10) HANEOLUI BIT look best of the rest.
| Selections | (6) Gabo Day (8) B.K. Thunder (9) Secret Legacy (10) Haneolui Bit |
| Next Best | 3, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 9 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(8) REVERSE SWEEP steps up in class having run 2nd in both efforts so far, both of which were at this distance. There is little to fear here though, and he could well be going one better. (6) FLYING DANCER was a winner on debut and while he only managed 5th on his fist try at this class, he can build on it here and looks to be the main danger along with (5) MAGIC STREET, who already has two 2nd place finishes at this level and while he will probably find a couple too quick again, should be involved. (7) KEEP GOING and (11) OFFICE TAP are others in at least the placing hunt.
| Selections | (8) Reverse Sweep (6) Flying Dancer (5) Magic Street (7) Keep Going |
| Next Best | 11, 9 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(9) TRUE KING stepped up to this trip and got his maiden win on his latest run at the start of November. He is up in class here but has little to fear and can win again. The big danger is (6) DOCTOR CHIC. He’s up in class too despite still being a maiden but he has gone close in each of three efforts so far and could make the breakthrough today. (3) TONGIL GIPPEUM and (5) CHEONNYEONUIJILJU are others who are up in class but firmly in contention while among those with experience at the level, (12) NINA should be close.
| Selections | (6) Doctor Chic (9) True King (3) Tongil Gippeum (12) Nina |
| Next Best | 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5 |
Race 7: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) DOCTOR THUNDER is up in class having scored his maiden win in a fast race at this distance last month. He looks to have potential for more and can win this. (7) BOBAE DREAM remains a maiden but has three 2nd places to her name and with Francois Herholdt’s services today can get close again. (1) YEONGSEONG STAR has run 3rd on all three attempts to date and is accordingly up in class here with every chance of another 3rd place finish. (6) DANCING BLAZE is another perennial place-getter and can be close as well. (10) OS HILL does have winning experience and while up in class here, has at least placing claims.
| Selections | (7) Bobae Dream (3) Doctor Thunder (1) Yeongseong Star (6) Dancing Blaze |
| Next Best | 10, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5 |
Race 8: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
There is just one debut-maker among the twelve here but he’s going to be favourite. Malibu Moon gelding (9) MALIBU TAEYANG was good in trials, comes from the top stable in the country and should have too much for them here. (3) TOUGH GREEN is turning not a useful looking filly and comes in off a good win last time. She looks the main danger along with (5) ROYAL GOLD, a solid 2nd last time out. (1) JUUK and (8) JET DIA are others who really should be at least competing for places in this company.
| Selections | (9) Malibu Taeyang (3) Tough Green (8) Jet Dia (5) Royal Gold |
| Next Best | 1, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3 |
Race 9: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) YEONGGWANGUI SIDAE has two wins from four attempts so far and drops back in trip having run 4th on her first try at this class and at a mile last month. She could be tough to beat. The experienced (1) DONGBANG BULPAE enters on a streak of three consecutive runner-up finishes and he may well continue that pattern today. (3) BAEKDU QUEEN ran a good 3rd last time out and needs to be considered too. (6) I’M YOUR STAR and (11) DIAMOND KING, the latter up in class, are others who should be involved.
| Selections | (7) Yeonggwangui Sidae (1) Dongbang Bulpae (3) Baekdu Queen (11) Diamond King |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3 |
Race 10: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
A winner of three from six so far, (10) NEW YORK MANGCHI looks headed for greater things and while he ran 3rd on his previous try at this distance, looks ready for another crack at it here and is the one to beat. (1) MASTER WIN struggled in the President’s Cup at Seoul last month, but we can draw a line through that and make him the main danger here although both (4) CATCH NINE and the up in class (12) CHOEGANG THUNDER should make an impression too. Coming in off the back of consecutive 2nd places, (2) DANGCHAN JILJU is best of the rest.
| Selections | (10) New York Mangchi (1) Master Win (4) Catch Nine (12) Choegang Thunder |
| Next Best | 2, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4 |
Race 11: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Wide open handicap to finish with. (5) HANEOL GANGJA is perhaps the slight pick with recent form reading well and a solid 3rd place last start. (6) WHINNY WING has also run well of late and is capable in this company, dropping back in trip after a good effort at 1800 last time. A line can be drawn though (12) KING JJANG’s latest effort and he can be given another shot today. (8) DAEHO MYEONGGA and (9) BEAUTIFUL ACT are others who can be taken under consideration.
| Selections | (5) Haneol Gangja (6) Whinny Wing (12) King Jjang (8) Daeho Myeongga |
| Next Best | 9, 1 |
| Fast Start | 9, 12 |
Horse Racing in Korea 