It’s Korean Derby weekend and we’ll have all the build-up to the big race over the next couple of days. In the meantime, however, there is a nine-race card at Busan on Friday from 11:30 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

Two standouts here with both (4) CHODONG DAEJANG and (6) BARAMGWA GUREUM coming in looking ready to win. Both came close int heir respective latest outings and both a are front-runners well drawn to lead. We’ll give the slight edge to Baramgwa Gureum, who comes in off just a three-week layoff and has a couple of kilos in hand. The rest of the experienced ones here don’t especially inspire so we’ll look at the two first-time starters. Both (1) MAJOR GUY and (10) SEOGANG YEOJE looked well in trials and couldn’t have picked a better race to debut in. Both can go well.

Selections	(6) Baramgwa Gureum (4) Chodong Daejang (10) Seogang Yeoje (1) Major Guy
Next Best	9, 7
Fast Start	3, 4, 6, 7

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

More maidens here. (5) NEW QUEEN comes in with recent form reading well and she can continue that here. She’s one of only two in the field to have a runner-up finish to her name already and she can at least match that today. (4) GOOD TREND hasn’t done too much wrong in two outings so far, both times finishing in 6^th place and while he hasn’t really quickened in either, he can continue to make progress here. (1) DAENERYS IJI and (6) HWANGGEUMBITMASENG are others who have hinted at ability and could be in line for places. There are three debut-makers and among them, (2) CHARGE POWER looks the best. A half-sister to a few useful horses, she performed well in an April trial, showing decent speed and she has a chance first-up here.

Selections	(2) Charge Power (5) New Queen (4) Good Trend (1) Daenerys Iji
Next Best	6, 9
Fast Start	2, 8, 9, 10

Race 3: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(10) YEONGSEONG STAR and (9) MORNING BRAVO came home 2^nd and 3^rd respectively when they raced each other at class and distance on a wet track on April 12th. There was just a neck between them that day and both should be competitive here. It’s a wide-open affair, though. (4) HALLA HWANGHU was the beaten favourite in that same race on April 12^th off the back of some good showings. She bumped at the start and then used up a lot of energy getting to the front. We’ll draw a line through that and give her another chance today. (6) LUCKY ADELE comes in off a useful 3^rd place at class and distance three weeks ago and can get close again while (2) SECRET MEMORY remains a maiden after eighteen attempts but has shown positive signs in her latest two and could be a factor here.

Selections	(4) Halla Hwanghu (6) Lucky Adele (9) Morning Bravo (2) Secret Memory
Next Best	10, 3
Fast Start	2, 4, 5

Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(9) SILLAUI MISO has finished no worse than 4^th in five outings to date and comes in having had eight weeks off since running 2^nd at class and distance on March 17^th. Under You Hyun-Myung, she’ll look to get to the front right from the start and looks to be the one to beat. (10) YONGYEON steps back up in trip following a win and a runner-up finish over 1000M in his latest two starts. He too will look to get on pace early and looks a danger. (1) GHOST RIDER was slowly away and then failed to offer much last start but is better than that and can be given another chance here. (11) COMING AGAIN and (12) B.K. THUNDER are others in the hunt.

Selections	(9) Sillaui Miso (10) Yongyeon (1) Ghost Rider (12) B.K. Thunder
Next Best	11, 5
Fast Start	5, 8, 9, 10

Race 5: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

This is as weak a maiden as we’re likely to see so (6) GOLDUI INYEON’s 5^th place in and almost – but not quite – as weak event at the distance on April 19^th, may be enough to her favourite here. She’s certainly the top pick. (10) BUSAN MAGIC finished 6^th in that same race, less than a length behind and is also to be considered. That was her first try at this distance and she can improve here. (7) MAEPSI COLOR has been inconsistent across five outings to date but steps up to a mile for the first time here and it may suit while it’s a similar story for (4) TWO TWO HAMMER. Of all of them (1) RICH WONDERFUL has done least wrong, having only raced once. True, he only managed 8^th but can have come on for the run and do better here.

Selections	(6) Goldui Inyeon (10) Busan Magic (7) Maepsi Color (1) Rich Wonderful
Next Best	4, 9
Fast Start	4, 5

Race 6: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

The second heat of this maiden is just as weak as the first. (4) YEONGBONGSAN performed badly in that April 19^th race behind Goldui Inyeon, weakening to only beat three home. He was well-backed for a reason though, having run well in his previous two, and in similarly poor company today, gets another chance. (6) BAEKDU JANGSU ran (more…)