Day: November 20, 2021

Busan Owners’ Cup Sunday: Busan & Seoul Race-By-Race Preview (November 21)

After Raon The Fighter’s spectacular win in the Seoul Owners’ Association Chairman’s Trophy in the capital on Saturday afternoon, it’s the turn of Busan to stage its edition on Sunday. The Busan Owners’ Cup is Korean Group 3 and will be run over a mile. It features the likes of Blue Chipper, Doctor Carson, Tiz Plan as well as the unbeaten Success Macho. There are 7 races at Busan from 11:10 to 16:40 and 10 at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00. All locations are open for customers, however, attendance must be pre-booked through the MyCard app and proof of vaccination against Covid-19 is required. Here are the previews:

It’s more than 2 years since Blue Chipper blew away the Owners’ Cup field (Pic: KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens to begin with and six of the eleven will race for the first time. (11) YONGHOJIMA is set to be a warm favourite. Following a promising trial, the Take Charge Indy colt ran 2nd on debut over this distance on a fast time, settling midfield and running on. The draw is not ideal, but it shouldn’t matter. The optimistically named (10) QUEEN OF RACING ran a useful enough 5th on debut at this distance in a fair time from the same wide gate she draws today. (2) FOREVER DREAM has improved across two starts so far, running a fair time when 5th over this distance at his latest. He draws nicely again here and shouldn’t be discounted. Among the first-time starters, (6) MABAWI looks the pick. The Rock Hard Ten colt was a front-running 2nd in his October trial in a good time and from a nice central draw can go well first-up. (8) BEAT UP another first-timer with claims.

Selections(11) Yonghojima (10) Queen Of Racing (2) Forever Dream (6) Mabawi
Next Best8, 9
Fast Start3, 4, 6, 11

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

Juvenile maidens with five of the ten racing for the first time. However, it’s hard to look past (4) I WILL BE FREE. He ran a close 2nd on debut in a fast race over 1000M on October 15th, settling midfield and running on strong. He shouldn’t need to improve on that performance much, if at all, in order to win here. (6) FUNNY LIFE has a 4th and a 3rd in two starts so far, both in fair times at this distance. She is likely to be on pace here and should be involved at the business end of the race. So too should (10) YEONGCHEON SOLE MIO, who ran 5th to Funny Life’s 3rd when they race each other at this distance on October 17th. Were it not for the widest gate, he may even have been favoured to overturn that form. Among the first timers, (3) ILNYEOM CHEONHA ran a decent 2nd, running on well and can be considered first-up. (5) VICTORY NINE, who benefits from an apprentice claim this time, is another in the hunt.

Selections(4) I Will Be Free (6) Funny Life (10) Yeongcheon Sole Mio (3) Ilnyeom Cheonha
Next Best5, 1
Fast Start4, 5, 6, 10

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

Maiden fillies here. (6) SISEON JUMA comes back in trip after a run over 1300M when from a wide draw, she was slow away and ultimately ended 6th. We’ll go on her previous showings at this distance though, including a 2nd place in a good time. With a good gate today – or at least better than last start – she has claims. Likely favourite is (1) SWEET CAMP. Two starts back she came close to making all over this distance, ending in 2nd and then from a handy position ran 3rd at her latest try. From the inside gate she will on pace early and has every chance of leading all the way. (10) BOOSTER ROCKET comes in off an improved 2nd place over 1300M at her last start in September. She’s had ten weeks off since then, but the wide draw shouldn’t be of concern, and she can go close again. (3) SILVER STAR and the first-up (7) DELPHINI are other minor money hopes.

Selections(6) Siseon Juma (1) Sweet Camp (10) Booster Rocket (3) Silver Star
Next Best7, 9
Fast Start1, 8, 9, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

A big field for this standard maiden. Only three of them have a runner-up finish to their name and we’ll side with (1) DROMOS to take full advantage of her inside gate to lead early and all the way. She comes in following 2nd place at this distance on October 22nd, her third career start, and with a touch of natural improvement, she can win. (10) BLUE SKY ran 3rd on debut at this distance on October 10th, beating a couple of todays rivals in the process. She had previously shown consistency in a couple of trials and can make progress here. (14) ADELE BOSS is down no favours at all by the draw, he has a very nice turn of foot about him. With a 2nd and a 3rd in his latest two, both at 1000M. He steps up in trip for the first time and if the gates were reversed between hm and Dromos, so might the top picks. (4) WONDERFUL SMARTY is yet to finish in the top two in sixteen attempts but has plenty of minor money finishes in races like this, while (2) SPRING FIRE is another who shouldn’t be too far back

Selections(1) Dromos (10) Blue Sky (14) Adele Boss (4) Wonderful Smarty
Next Best2, 7
Fast Start1, 10, 12, 14

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

We’re set to have a warm favourite here in the shape of (3) WONDERFUL NIKIYA. She is yet to win in thirteen attempts but has the fastest time of any of these at the distance and comes in after a solid 3rd place on October 23rd when she was handy to the pace throughout. This is arguably a weaker race and from a great draw she can get to the lead right away and she can win. (4) BROWN CHARM has mixed his form across three starts so far but he comes up in trip here at it may well suit. Punters will certainly be alert to Moon Se-young’s presence aboard. (5) CURRERECUS has been consistent, if not exactly quick, across ten starts today and that consistency may see him to another place finish today, while (8) M J STORM and (2) HELLO GEUMSEONG are others in the hunt.

Selections(3) Wonderful Nikiya (4) Brown Charm (5) Currerecus (8) M J Storm
Next Best2, 9
Fast Start3, 5, 7, 9

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

She is yet to win but (9) CHEONGHO LEADER has five top-five finishes from eight starts so far as well as the fastest time of any of these at the distance by some margin. She beat a couple of these on her way to 3rd place at her latest start on October 29th and has proven versatile in running well when on pace or from behind. She is favoured here. (6) YEONSEUNG BRAVO is a clear second pick. He ran 5th behind Cheongho Leader two starts back before leading until the home straight over a mile in his latest outing. He will run on here and can be dangerous. (3) MONEY BAG has mixed his form across his eight starts so far but he is by no means alone in that. On his day he has some talent, and he has a great draw here. (7) BEST HAMSEONG has a 4th and a 5th from two starts so far, both at 1200M. He is expected to be on the pace here and can be involved for a long way. (8) EDGE has just raced the once and could be the wildcard.

Selections(9) Cheongho Leader (6) Yeonseung Bravo (3) Money Bag (7) Best Hamseong
Next Best8, 10
Fast Start1, 2, 7, 12

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race here. (1) LUCKY APPEAL was a winner at this distance at class 6 level two starts back before coming from well off the pace to dead heat for 3rd on his first try at this class on October 23rd. He has tended to get a bit far back in his races, but the inside gate should give his jockey some options and while his running style does mean he may need a bit of luck, he can win. (4) M J BEST comes back up to this trip for the first time since January. He has come on plenty since then and has been running very consistent times over 1300M at this class. He too can get a bit far back, but he has claims here. If you prefer front-runners then despite the wide draw, (10) WINNER IS WELL may be the way to go. He is racing for the first time since May but looked well when trialing two weeks ago and could be a winner first-up today. (12) REAL PACK draws the car park and comes up in class but posted a good time when 2nd at this distance at his latest start and can measure up here. (9) MAD BLADE can have a line drawn through his latest and is worth another chance here.

Selections(1) Lucky Appeal (4) M J Best (10) Winner Is Well (12) Real Pack
Next Best9, 7
Fast Start5, 6, 9, 10
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