The weekend’s racing will be headlined on Sunday the Classic trials at both Busan and Seoul. The southern track gets things underway though on Friday with an eight-race card from 12:00 to 18:00. All betting locations are open but attendance should still be pre-booked through the MyCard app. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens kick things off with five of the nine racing for the first time. The hot favourite will be (2) KING SATURDAY. Draw a line through his latest outing at 1400Mwhen from gate ten he got on pace then weakened, and instead go on his first two when he went close at both 1000M and today’s 1200M. From a good draw and against modest opposition he will be hard to beat. (3) YEONGCHEON POWER ran fairly at this distance before and looks the logical second pick while among the first-time starters, (1) GOODBYE RABBITS went the best in trials and from a favourable draw should be aiming for the money first-up here. (5) FANTASTIC MAGIC and (7) POWER GUY are others who could plausibly place.
| Selections | (2) King Saturday (3) Yeongcheon Power (1) Goodbye Rabbits (5) Fantastic Magic |
| Next Best | 7, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 5 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
More three-year-old maidens, this time with three of the eight racing for the first time. We’ll side with one of these first timers, (8) MARIA’S GAL. She was on pace in her trial, ultimately crossing the line in 2nd place and with a bit of natural progression from that looks the one to beat here. (7) GASOK DAY hasn’t exactly shown much in the way of speed in two outings to date, both at 1000M, but she has managed to finish 5th and 4th. The slight step up in trip can suit and she should be in the finish here. So too (3) CROWD ONE who made a significant improvement to 2nd at start number two January 9th. She comes up in distance as well and has claims. (2) ADELE GOLD and another first-time starter, (4) DOKBO are others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (8) Maria’s Gal (7) Gasok Day (3) Crowd One (2) Adele Gold |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(1) PLAY THE INDY has finished 5th in both starts so far, both at 1000M. He worked home fairly enough on both occasions and up in trip and with a nice draw is the one they need to beat here. (4) INTO MARINE races for the first time since last July. He had hinted at some ability in five outings with the best being a 3rd place over this distance. He trialed up fairly at the end of January and can pick up from where he left off here. Draw a line through the latest from (8) BAEK SEOL QUEEN when she was slowly away and never made an impact over 1400M. Her prior form was relatively promising, and she looks worth another chance in this company (5) SORI TAEPUNG and (3) WONDERFUL SMARTY are others who should be in the placing frame.
| Selections | (1) Play The Indy (4) Into Marine (8) Baek Seol Queen (5) Sori Taepung |
| Next Best | 3, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 6 |
Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Competitive race. We’ll take a chance on (8) ARTIE’S GAL, who comes in after a 3rd and a 5th in two starts since returning from several months off. She has the best start among these so should be able to get on pace early and may be able to hold on. (6) GREEN CHEETAH has been improving across four starts so far with her best being her latest over this distance on February 13th when an on-pace 3rd. She will be up on the speed again and can go even closer today. (3) SPEED SUNSHINE didn’t offer much in early appearances but looks to be figuring things out with two 4th place finishes and a 3rd from his latest three. He too will be aiming to get on to the early speed and can maintain his positive run of form here. (9) GALLOP BOY and the first-time starter (4) CUTE GUY are others in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Artie’s Gal (6) Green Cheetah (3) Speed Sunshine (9) Gallop Boy |
| Next Best | 4, 2 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 5: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
It’s hard to go far past (4) ORANGE GARAGE here. He stepped up to this distance on January 28th and beat a few of today’s rivals on his way to 3rd place having sat handy throughout from gate eleven. He gets a much better draw today, will be on pace from the start, and won’t be easy to beat. (3) KING GRACE beat Orange Garage when the pair came home 4th and 5th over 1400M two starts back before running 5th on his first try at a mile on February 11th. He shapes to be the main danger here. (8) HIT RUNNER was 6th behind Orange Garage at his latest start and can be competitive again here while (6) MAJOR FORCE has run a decent time at the distance and comes back up in trip following a good 4th over 1200M when coming from well off the pace last time out. (1) DANGDAE BLUE the best of a limited rest.
| Selections | (4) Orange Garage (3) King Grace (8) Hit Runner (6) Major Force |
| Next Best | 1, 9 |
| Fast Start | 4, 7, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
A competitive race. (11) CHEONGMA YEONGUNG was a winner at this distance at class 6 level two starts back before overcoming gate fourteen to run a good 2nd on his first try at this level on January 21st making up excellent ground late on. He doesn’t get the best of the draw again here and is up a little in the weights but should be running on strong again. A good draw makes (3) HAMAN BONGHWASAN the probable betting favourite. She ran 2nd at this distance on debut before winning on her second outing when making all over 1300M. She comes up in class here but remains well weighted and from a great gate will be aiming to lead all the way again. (10) INDIAN PARTY has the fastest time of any of these at the distance and enters in consistent form. Remarkably he is yet to win but has ten top-three finishes and can maintain that record here. (8) USEUNG MELODY and (9) TAEPUNGI are others in at least the placing hunt.
| Selections | (11) Cheongma Yeongung (3) Haman Bonghwasan (10) Indian Party (8) Useung Melody |
| Next Best | 9, 5 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 9, 12 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(3) ALIVE STAR will take some beating here. A maiden winner at 1200M two starts back, he stepped up to 1400M for his first try at this class on February 13th and ran 2nd to a good winner having been handy throughout. He comes back in trip here, draws good gate and should win. (5) QUEEN STAR was an unfancied winner on debut over 1000M last month. She came from off the pace and worked home well so while this is tougher, it may suit, and she can measure up. (1) TTEUGEOUN MANNAM finished midfield when drawn wide over 1300M at his latest start. A more favourable barrier today and back slightly in trip puts him into contention here. (4) BEAUTIFUL KING and (6) A ONE PLUS are among others with placing chances.
| Selections | (3) Alive Star (5) Queen Star (1) Tteugeoun Mannam (4) Beautiful King |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
(3) GOLDEN POWER comes up rapidly in class having won two of her latest three, most recently a smart score at class 5 level over 1400M on January 21st when coming from off the pace and running on. Her racing style suggests a mile will suit and under a light weight she has every chance of continuing her hot streak. (11) RUN FIGHTER is ultra-consistent having finished no worse than 5th in eight starts to date. He comes in off a 2nd and a 3rd at this distance, the latest of which was at this class, and he will surely be very competitive again. (9) GALLANT WARRIOR races for the first time since winning over 1800M at class 5 level last November. He is another who should suit a mile and he looked well enough when trialing two weeks ago. (6) GEUMA STARLET and (2) ROSE BULLET others in the hunt.
| Selections | (3) Golden Power (11) Run Fighter (9) Gallant Warrior (6) Geuma Starlet |
| Next Best | 2, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 6, 7 |
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