So we move into the final quarter of 2021 still with those in the Greater Capital area unable to have a legal punt. A late season Stakes race schedule will kick off this weekend though with both Seoul and Busan hosting Listed events for Juveniles on Sunday. While Seoul and Jeju remain closed to customers, the Busan Racecourse will be open for limited in-person attendance, as will the OCB’s in Busan, Daegu, Changwon, Gwangju and Cheonan. Advance booking through the MyCard app is required. Here are the previews for Friday’s short six-race card at Busan:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens to start with and seven of the ten race for the first time. Among them is the favourite (8) MAN OF THE STAR, a Menifee colt from the Peter Wolsley stable who impressed in his trial by making all to cross the line well clear of the rest in a good time. If he brings that form to the races, then he will be very hard to beat. (9) BEOMI NAERYO ONDA was a touch slow away on debut on August 27th but rallied very nicely to come home in 3rd place. Expect him to be a bit further forward earlier this time around and he is the main danger and clear second-favourite. (3) FANTASTIC MAGIC came home in 5th place in the same race on what was her debut too. She settled back in the fields and ran on and improvement could be on the cards here. Returning to the first-timers, (2) CHOEGANG FORCE and (10) QUEEN’S DAERO are others who put in solid trial efforts and can go well first-up.
| Selections | (8) Man Of The Star (9) Beomi Naeryo Onda (3) Fantastic Magic (2) Choegang Force |
| Next Best | 10, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
(9) UNJU EUTTEUM was a touch disappointing at his latest start when from a promising position, he lost his way and ended up well back over 1300M. However, if we go on his first two starts when 3rd and 2nd over this distance and 1300M then he must come under consideration. He does come up in the weights but the benefit of Perovic being aboard should counter that and he has every chance here. (8) NICE WORLD has been consistent across three outings so far. At her latest start on September 19th at this distance she settled in midfield from a wide gate before running on for a solid 3rd place. Her times haven’t been special but with some natural improvement, she should be in the finish here. Those two are the clear standouts and it would be a surprise if they don’t fill the quinella. As for the rest, (4) WONDERFUL DAYS raced twice without distinction in the early part of the year. He hasn’t been seen since April but reappeared in an early-September trial looking much more assured and has placing claims first-up. (3) WONDERFUL DIGGER and (2) WONDERFUL REALTY are others who can improve.
| Selections | (9) Unju Eutteum (8) Nice World (4) Wonderful Days (3) Wonderful Digger |
| Next Best | 2, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
A really good race with some up and coming juveniles facing some similarly lightly raced but promising older horses with any number looking to have a winning chance. We’ll go with the filly (10) AGAIN TOUCH. After a facile all the way score over 1000M on debut, she ran a solid 3rd place in a valuable juvenile race on September 5th at this distance, beating a couple of today’s rivals in the process. She draws wide again, which is not ideal, but she can get on the pace and win this. It won’t be easy though. (2) GLORY KING has the fastest time of any of these at this distance, recorded when 2nd to Doctor Texas on August 1st. He reappeared a month ago to record his maiden win, leading every step of the way over this trip and accordingly comes up in class. He draws beautifully and has every chance. (11) DOCTOR CAESAR was an all the way winner on debut on September 3rd, scoring by as many as he pleased over 1000M. He is up in class and distance today but he surely measures up. (1) WONDER BLADE races for the first time since June and looked well in a September trial. HE has won twice at the distance already and from the inside gate will be a danger. (6) FLASHY CHARM ran 5th behind Again Touch in that big juvenile race and is another in the frame here.
| Selections | (10) Again Touch (2) Glory King (11) Doctor Caesar (1) Wonder Blade |
| Next Best | 6, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
It’s hard to look past (2) WONDERFUL JAZZ for this. He stepped up to a mile at his latest start on September 10th and beat four of these on his way to a good 2nd place. He had previously run consistent times over 1400M. He can settle handy here and could well prove too strong. That race is going to be the race of reference as most of the credible dangers also come out of it. (11) DOCTOR TAKE had a poor day at the office in the same race when he was away slowly and scarcely improved. Two starts back though he managed a 4th place in a good time at class and distance and can be given another chance here. (4) ACE FOUR TEN was a winner at this distance at class 6 level in August before running a decent enough 5th in that same September 10th race and from a good draw can close. (7) WAKANDA has loads of experience at this level and ran 4th in the September 10th race and a repeat can’t be ruled out. Among those who didn’t go in the September 10th race, (1) THE FIRST FACTOR looks the best. She drops back in trip following spin around 1800M at her latest start where she led before weakening. She has run decent times over 1400M.
| Selections | (2) Wonderful Jazz (11) Doctor Take (4) Ace Four Ten (7) Wakanda |
| Next Best | 1, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(7) MISS INDIE suffered her first defeat when up to this distance for the first time on August 13th when she led almost the entire way around only to get taken down late on by Hill More. She comes up in class again here but gets in under a light weight and has every chance of returning to winning ways. (10) GOLD FOUNTAIN win three races in a row between May and August to rise up rapidly in class. He ran 5th over 1800M at this level at his latest start and can be better for the drop back in trip here. (3) MUJEOK BULPAE tackles the mile for the first time. He has finished in the top two in six of seven starts so far (although five of them have been as runner-up) He has run some consistently fast times over 1400M and from a good draw can sit on pace or handy to the lead and run on strong. He has a big chance. (4) WINNER STAR got his maiden win in a valuable juvenile race on September 5th. He is up in class and distance here but his running style suggests that the distance will suit and he has solid claims again. (6) ALPHA STAR comes in off a good 2nd place at class and distance on September 12th where he overcame a wide draw to lead for much of the way and came home in a time faster than any of these have achieved at a mile so far. He draws much better today and should be in the finish again.
| Selections | (7) Miss Indie (10) Gold Fountain (3) Mujeok Bulpae (4) Winner Star |
| Next Best | 6, 2 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 7 |
Busan Race 6: Class 2 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 90 Million
(5) JANGSAN DOKKI is set to be hot favourite to return to the winner’s circle here having beaten several of today’s rivals when 2nd behind the excellent Winner’s Man ay class and distance on September 12th. Under today’s conditions, he carries just the additional 1kg for that run and is very much the one to beat. (6) RETURN OF SUBSIDY didn’t go in that race but instead comes in for the first time since beating Jangsan Dokki on his way to a strong 3rd at class and distance on August 22nd. He tends to settle back and run on strong and will be doing his best work late on again here. (4) CURLIN TIME is ultra-consistent and while he has a big weight again, he will be in the finish. He was 5th behind Jangsan Dokki last time and two starts back beat the very promising filly Doctor Fappiano when 2nd to Winner’s Man. (7) DAEHO JILJU was 3rd in the September 12th race and can also enter the calculations. The wildcard is (2) SAMSEONG DOKKI. A class and distance winner, he races for the first time since last November and while he offered few clues in a September trial, a good run first-up can’t be ruled out.
| Selections | (5) Jangsan Dokki (6) Return Of Subsidy (4) Curlin Time (7) Daeho Jilju |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 