The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 9 races from 11:30 to 18:00. With two big Stakes races at Seoul on Sunday in the shape of the SBS Sports Sprint and the Ttukseom Cup, lots of jockeys are missing from Busan this weekend so Seo Seung-un looks set to be the man to follow down South on both Friday and Sunday:
Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Tricky maiden for three-year-olds to kick things off with. (3) GIJEOGUI JILJU weakened late on debut over 1300M just two weeks ago. She returns quickly here and dropped back in trip should go much better today. (11) WONDERFUL TALE raced twice last autumn showing promise with a 4th and a 3rd. She came through a trial in good order at the beginning of this month and should go well first-up here. (12) STOLEN BEAUTY was an improved 4th on her second outing at this trip three weeks ago and can continue to make progress today. There are four first-time starters and a couple look to have potential. (4) USEUNGUI PARANGSAE and (9) MISS UP both went well in trials and are likely to have backers here – watch the market for clues with both.
| Selections | (3) Gijeogui Jilju (11) Wonderful Tale (12) Stolen Beauty (9) Miss Up |
| Next Best | 4, 8 |
| Fast Start | 4, 9, 12 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
More three-year-old maidens. (9) ETERNAL TRON has had a stop start career so far but is to outings into his current campaign and comes in having run a good 2nd over a mile at the beginning of this month. Back down in tip today, he’s likely to be on pace early and looks ready to make his breakthrough. (3) TWO TWO WAY has been inconsistent across her seven attempts so far but comes in off a useful 3rd place over 1000M three weeks ago and can continue to make progress here while (5) TRUE SIGNATURE was an improved 3rd at this trip on April 26th and can go well again. (8) SPICE ROCK has been well supported in the market in all five of her races so far. She’s yet to go any better than 3rd but should be at least matching that here. (11) RAON FLYING did nothing much wrong on debut on May 3rd and is another in at least the placing hunt.
| Selections | (9) Eternal Tron (8) Spice Rock (3) Two Two Way (5) True Signature |
| Next Best | 11, 12 |
| Fast Start | 3, 9 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Yet more three-year-old maidens. (5) ROYAL SOLDIER did well on debut in early April, finishing 4th and running through the line well over 1000M. He steps up in trip today following eight weeks off and it could well suit. (6) MILLION BEAT also returns for the first time since the start of April. She ran an improved 3rd that day and has since been back to trial, coming through that well two weeks ago. She’s up in trip for the first time and has a chance. (9) GRAND YEONGUNG comes in off the back of two solid performances at 1000M and steps back up to this trip with cause for confidence. (1) TOHAM STAR, a good 4th on debut a month ago, and (10) PERDIDO ROCKET, are others in the hunt.
| Selections | (5) Royal Soldier (6) Million Beat (9) Grand Yeongung (1) Toham Star |
| Next Best | 10, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6 |
Race 4: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
A winner of two from five so far, (10) BROWN PIE is up in class after a good win on her first try at this distance at the beginning of this month. She looks to have plenty of potential for more improvement and can win again here. (7) OCEAN PHOENIX has raced at this class five times and has only once finished outside the top three. Seo Seung-un rides her for the first time and she should be close again. (11) K PLUS WON is better than recent results suggest with them having been in tough company. Things looks more amenable today and he can improve. (2) STAR LINE Is another who can be competitive in this company while the wildcard is (12) SUPER GOLD. He returns to action for the first time since January and looked sharp in a trial at the end of last month.
| Selections | (10) Brown Pie (7) Ocean Phoenix (11) K Plus Won (12) Super Gold |
| Next Best | 2, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 9 |
Race 5: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million
Back to maidens here and a small field going over a mile. (7) EL DRAGON was 3rd at this distance on her return from almost six months off four weeks ago. She already has a runner-up finish at this distance and is favoured to make her breakthrough here. (5) DAEHEUNG SIDAE has been slowly figuring things out and his 3rd place last start suggests he’s finally starting to get it. He steps up to the mile for the first time and it may well suit. (4) TWO TWO HAMMER ran well for a class and distance 3rd last start three weeks ago and should be aiming to at least match that here. (1) DOCTOR MIMI and (3) BAENGNYEON JIJON are others with potential to improve.
| Selections | (7) El Dragon (5) Daeheung Sidae (4) Two Two Hammer (1) Doctor Mimi |
| Next Best | 3, 2 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5 |
Race 6: Class 5 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(8) MAGIC FLYING has raced well in three attempts at this class since getting his maiden win in February. His latest two tries have been at this distance ending in 3rd and 4th and he looks the one to beat here. (10) BOBAE DREAM also comes in looking in good shape and while a previous attempt at this distance didn’t go well, she looks like being one of the main dangers here. (11) ALBERT KING really took to the mile when making his breakthrough last start and while up in class today, he can close strongly and if in striking distance in the home straight, has a chance. (4) INTERCEPTOR and (5) ONNURI GANGJA are others in at least the placing frame.
| Selections | (8) Magic Flying (11) Albert King (10) Bobae Dream (4) Interceptor |
| Next Best | 5, 2 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 10 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(9) TOHAM ACE comes in looking to complete a hat-trick of victories having won his latest two in fine fashion, both at this distance and the latter at this class. Today is tougher and he carries an additional 3.5kg, but another win is not impossible. (5) TOUGH GREEN’s latest start was in a tough trophy race, so we’ll draw a line through that and instead note that she has very solid form at both this class and distance and a major danger. (10) INDIAN GANGJA defied odds approaching 50/1 to run 2nd at class and distance on April 28th and should receive more respect today. (1) GOLDEN KNIGHT and the up in class (2) TIZ POWER are others to consider.
| Selections | (5) Tough Green (9) Toham Ace (10) Indian Gangja (2) Tiz Power |
| Next Best | 1, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 4, 9 |
Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(9) STORM GOLD led for munch of the way around his first attempt at class and distance on April 12th ultimately finishing 2nd, a length behind the pre-race favourite. He’ll be on pace again and this time can go all the way. Storm Gold has though finished as runner-up in three of his latest four starts and if he comes up short once more, (2) CHIEF LEADER could be the one to take advantage. He’s been solid, if unspectacular, in his latest three at class and distance and won’t need to improve too much to get very close here. (4) QUEEN OFFICER is up in class and distance but should be able to overcome both and be competitive while (6) ORYONG and (8) YEONGGWANGUI CHAMP are others who can go close.
| Selections | (9) Storm Gold (2) Chief Leader (4) Queen Officer (6) Oryong |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 9 |
Race 9: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(4) HAWK KING and (5) TANGY BITE have both found themselves on the wrong end of hidings from the excellent Blue Chipper recently but both are useful in their own right, and it would be a surprise if the pair of them didn’t fill out the quinella here. We’ll side with Hawk King to come out on top. (8) USEUNG HWANHO was a length and a half in arrears of Tangy Bite last time and could perhaps get a little closer here while (6) SEGI GANGJA and (9) AJU CHOEGANG look the best of the rest.
| Selections | (4) Hawk King (5) Tangy Bite (8) Useung Hwanho (6) Segi Gangja |
| Next Best | 9, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 10 |
Horse Racing in Korea 