Racing returns from its short Lunar New Year hiatus this weekend with the action getting underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 12:00 to 18:00. All betting locations across the country are open but attendance must be pre-booked through the MyCard app and proof of up to date vaccination against Covid-19 is required. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens to kick us off with seven of the fourteen racing for the first time and only two of those with experience having tackled this distance before. (10) YEONGSEONG QUEEN didn’t do much on debut but came out at start number two and ran a good 2nd back at the end of October. She’s been off fifteen weeks since then, Seo Seung-un climbs aboard, and the extra furlong can help. (1) SPECIAL WIND put in a strong trial when prominent throughout. He gets the same inside draw which can help him get to the lead early and potentially go all the way. (6) EUNSEONG YEONGUNG has raced greenly across two starts so far but once he got into a rhythm, last time, she ran through the line well and may appreciate the step up in trip (11) GOLD TAP trialed up well, leading for much of the way around and finishing an unhurried 2nd. She doesn’t get the best of the draw but can go well first-up. (8) HANEUL JILJU among several others not to be dismissed.
| Selections | (10) Yeongseong Queen (1) Special Wind (11) Gold Tap (6) Eunseong Yeongung |
| Next Best | 8, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 11 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Fillies and mares only here and it’s a competitive race. We’ll side with (5) ONE RUSH, who has been knocking at the door across her five starts so far, coming closest at her latest on January 14th when beating three of these on her way to a class and distance 2nd in a good time. She sat handy and ran on that day, is well drawn to do the same here and she can go one better. (8) HAMAN BONGHWASAN ran a very close 2nd place on debut over 1400M on January 23rd when from the inside gate, she was on pace throughout, ultimately only going down a neck. She comes back in trip today and while the draw isn’t quite as advantageous, should be on pace again and looks a big danger. (14) SUSO POWER draws even worse, but an apprentice claim brings her down 3kg from her 5th place behind One Rush last start and this consistent type can get closer here. Disregard the latest start of (11) ANNIKA GIRL and she is right in this. On the contrary, take very much into account the big improvement last time of (4) USEUNG MELODY and she too can go close.
| Selections | (5) One Rush (8) Haman Bonghwasan (14) Suso Power (11) Annika Girl |
| Next Best | 4, 13 |
| Fast Start | 1, 7, 12, 13 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
On the surface quite an ordinary set of gallopers take their chance here and it’s a tricky puzzle to solve. (10) GREAT ONE was anything but in his first five outings but improved significantly at his latest start when coming from off the pace to run a close 2nd over this distance with a few of today’s rivals back down the track. He is not without a chance here. (4) GOSUUI POWER shapes as the likely favourite and he too comes in off a strong performance, in his case over 1400M on January 7th when leading for much of the way around. If we can forgive a previous poor effort at this distance, he enters the calculations. (8) KING GRACE comes in off a fair performance over 1400M when after a poor start, he made up good ground late on. (2) JIN MARK and (7) DIA FORCE, the latter with the fastest time among those who have tackled the distance already, are others who can go well on their day.
| Selections | (10) Great One (4) Gosuui Power (8) King Grace (2) Jin Mark |
| Next Best | 7, 1 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(11) KENDRICK was an emphatic winner on debut over 1000M on January 9th when he settled in midfield and then ran on very strongly. He comes up in class and distance today but neither should be an issue and he can win again. (8) H. DAY ran two very fast times over 1000M at class 6 level and while he got too far back on his first try at this class and distance in December, he ran on strongly for a close 5th and given more of a chance today he has solid claims. (4) TAEPUNGI comes up in class following a good win over this distance on January 9th when she sat handy before running on to win narrowly. She draws nicely here and under a light weight again should go close. (1) TOP ACE weakened from the lead at his latest start but has run well at the distance and can be given placing chances here. (5) HANEUL MISO comes up in class and in distance after two runner-up finishes at 1000M but in this modest company can measure up.
| Selections | (11) Kendrick (8) H. Day (4) Taepungi (1) Top Ace |
| Next Best | 5, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 13 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (8) ALIVE QUEEN returned from seven months out to make all over this distance and on January 14th having previously shown in a trial that she was ready. She comes up in class today but if she runs anything like she did last time, she should have too much for this field. Logical second pick is (10) CHEONGMA HWANGHU. She comes back in trip having run a good 2nd over 1400M on January 7th when she had a couple of these behind her and while she is yet to win in fourteen starts, she knows how to find the money in this kind of company. (2) SPICE INDIE can get a bit far back in her races but from a nice draw and with You Hyun-myung climbing aboard, will feature on plenty of tickets and can go close here. (4) GEUMA STARLET comes up in class following a decent 2nd place over 1200M a month ago and along with (3) HOLLYWOOD QUEEN, looks a place chance today.
| Selections | (8) Alive Queen (10) Cheongma Hwanghu (2) Spice Indie (4) Geuma Starlet |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
A very competitive race but (6) JESSIEUI KKUM looks a worthy favourite. He was a strong class and distance winner on January 21st in a time faster than any of today’s rivals have run and while he comes up 2kg in the weights, she looks to have the potential for more and can win again. (10) BOLAVEN pulled off a good win over 1200M a month ago when sitting handy and running on strong. He carries a full 4kg extra today but looks to be improving and ready for another crack at the extended trip today. (14) MARK ONE has finished ahead of Bolaven twice at this distance and was a class and distance winner on his latest start on January 16th when sitting midfield and running on. He draws awkwardly here but an apprentice takes the weight down and he can run a good race again. (3) HWARANG BEST races for the first time since finishing well back in the Breeders’ Cup race for juveniles in November. He has won at this distance before and looked well when winning a trial on Christmas Day. (8) BABEL DREAMER another in the hunt.
| Selections | (6) Jessieui Kkum (10) Bolaven (14) Mark One (3) Hwarang Best |
| Next Best | 8, 7 |
| Fast Start | 7, 9, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Good race for the level. We’ll give one more chance to (3) MONGTTANG. After ruining his own chances in the Breeders’ Cup he was admittedly flat at his first try over a mile on January 7th, failing to muster speed at the top of the straight. He draws better today and if he can get an easy trip to the front, may well be a different prospect. Probable favourite is (1) DOCTOR FAITH. He won back-to-back races in October and November, the latter at class and distance and while he could only manage 5th at his latest start on Christmas Eve, he too draws better today and will be a big threat. He has finished in the top three on ten out of twelve starts so far and at the very least, should maintain that record today. (13) CHOEGANG LIGER has won two of his latest three and beat Mongttang when scoring at class and distance on January 7th. He came from well off the pace that day so the wide draw shouldn’t be an issue and he can be a danger again. The consistent (10) QUEEN HARLEY along with (2) ADELE PUPIL are others in the frame.
| Selections | (3) Mongttang (1) Doctor Faith (13) Choegang Liger (10) Queen Harley |
| Next Best | 2, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 12 |
Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(4) KING OF THE MATCH was a beaten odds-on favourite at class and distance on January 14th when wide all the way round, but running on well. That was his second consecutive defeat at worse than even money but we’re going for third-time lucky here. (6) GEUMA PSYCHIC has run consistently fast times and at his latest start on January 14th, beat several of these on his way to 2nd place at class and distance. He comes up in weight today, but an apprentice takes the edge off and he can be a danger. (2) ACE DAY led at this latest start when running 3rd behind King Of The Match. From a nice draw expect him to lead again and to be in the this a long way. (5) ROCKY SKY was a class and distance winner two starts back before running 3rd at his latest carrying a similar weight to today. He will be up challenging for the lead early and he can go close. (10) YEONGGWANGUI TIME among others who can enter the calculations in a competitive finale.
| Selections | (4) King Of The Match (6) Geuma Psychic (2) Ace Day (5) Rocky Sky |
| Next Best | 10, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 8 |
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