April’s racing gets underway with an 8-race card at Busan on Friday running from 12:00 to 18:00. All betting locations will be open, however, attendance must be pre-booked using the MyCard app. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens to kick things off and there are a few who look ready to win. (3) TWO OF US won a trial in good style, leading her to be sent off as favourite on debut at this distance on February 25th. She sat handy throughout, ultimately finishing in 2nd place and with some natural improvement, as well as a good gate, can go one better this time. (2) SAEROUN HAMAN has been consistent across three starts so far with his best being 3rd place in a time a full second faster than any of the others have achieved at this distance. He tends to get back in his races but finishes off well and can go close here. The other logical on at the top of tickets will be (6) DONGBU WORLD. He was well back on debut before running on for 4th but was handy to the lead on his second outing on March 6th at 1300M when he ended up in 2nd and a similar run will put him firmly in this. There are two first-time starters and of them (12) GOLDEN POINT looked well in his trial and can put in a bold showing first up. (5) DOCTOR PENTAGON another in the frame.
| Selections | (3) Two Of Us (2) Saeroun Haman (6) Dongbu World (12) Golden Point |
| Next Best | 5, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Maiden fillies and mares here. (9) DOCTOR CANDY has shown an uptick in form in her latest two, most recently just two weeks ago when 3rd over 1300M with a front-running performances. She backs up quickly, looks nicely in here, and this could be her day. (6) FANTASTIC MAGIC returned from four months out to run 2nd over 1200M on March 4th when handy early and briefly leading. She won’t need to go much better here to have winning chances. (4) MAHAMERU didn’t exactly catch the eye in two outings last autumn when 6th on both occasions at 1000M. The latest of those was on November 6th, but she looked a completely different prospect when on pace and 2nd in a fast time in a trial two weeks and improvement will be expected here. (10) ARTIE’S GAL has been well backed on all her seven outings to date with a best finish being two 3rd places. Despite the wide draw she should be on pace here and can go close. Under a very light weight, (7) SEUNGNIUI BULGIL may sneak some minor money.
| Selections | (9) Doctor Candy (6) Fantastic Magic (4) Mahameru (10) Artie’s Gal |
| Next Best | 7, 8 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(3) JJANG I first trialed up all the way back in August 2020 and finally makes it to the races. It’s hard to have a huge among of confidence in him as his most recent trial was back in January but it was a good performance, as he led and ultimately was a close 2nd in a fast time. He draws well to be on pace, and he won’t find a better race to debut in. (8) EUNSEONG YEONGUNG hasn’t shown much in the way of speed across four starts so far, but he has run consistently, finishing no worse than 5th and with a best of 2nd, two starts back at 1200M when she went right back and ran on. At her latest she was ridden on pace, coming home 3rd, and she should be a big player here. For the first time (1) MILK DAY draws a decent gate for the first time, having received no better than in gate nine in six previous outings. That may have contributed to him getting a long way back, but he overcame that for a good 3rd at his last start and should be in the hunt today. (2) SORI TAEPUNG and (11) GALLOP BOY are others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (3) Jjang I (8) Eunseong Yeongung (1) Milk Day (2) Sori Taepung |
| Next Best | 11, 12 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 8, 12 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
A small field here and it’s hard to look very far past (7) HAMYANGEUN SANSAM. He was flawless on debut just two weeks ago when leading all the way for an eleven-length win and while he is up in class today, he comes down in the weights and should have too much. (8) JATNAMUGIL was a winner three starts back at class 6 level and since then has run 5th and 2nd in two outings at this class. He overcame gate twelve last time out and can be handy and then running on strong here. (4) UNJU BULPAE comes up in class having secured his maiden win at start number six on March 6th. It had been coming with two placings leading up to it, including a 3rd behind Jatnamugil, and he should be able to measure up in this company. (2) JUMAL BOBAE is another who has beaten Unju Bulpae, which he did when getting his sole win to date in January. He comes in after an in no way disgraced 5th place in the Gyeongnam Shinmun Trophy over 1400M, and this is a softer assignment. Another up in class, (3) GREEN CHEETAH, can also enter the calculations.
| Selections | (7) Hamyangeun Sansam (8) Jatnamugil (4) Unju Bulpae (2) Jumal Bobae |
| Next Best | 3, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(2) FLYING THE CHAMP broke through in emphatic fashion at start number three on March 6th when he settled midfield but having struck the front midway through the race, ran on to win by nine-lengths over the 1300M. He comes up in class and slightly in trip but draws very nicely and is very much the one to beat again. (9) POWER GUY was a winner on debut at 1200M on March 4th when settling back and then running on very pleasingly. He comes up in class and in trip but neither should be an issue and he can be a danger to the favourite. So too can (4) HAMAN BONGHWASAN. She will need to be forgiven her first attempt at class and distance on March 4th when she weakened, but she had shown ability in her previous two and can bounce back here. (3) GREEN PAPAGO too only ran fairly on her first try at this class. She too had gone well previously and can be given another chance here. (8) QUEEN STAR another who could place.
| Selections | (2) Flying The Champ (9) Power Guy (4) Haman Bonghwasan (3) Green Papago |
| Next Best | 8, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Competitive race. (6) HWARANG BEST comes back in trip following a 5th place over 1400M at his latest start on February 11th. He has won at this distance and has posted good times as well and from a good gate, can win this. (10) H DAY is probably going to be the favourite. She comes up rapidly in class having won two of four starts so far, including at this distance last time out. He has won when racing handy and when settling back, and under a light weight she will be a major player here. (9) BEAUTIFUL KING comes up in class after an all the way win over this distance on March 4th. Today’s conditions means that despite the class rise, he also goes up in the weights, but he can still be competitive in this company. (5) DONGNAM BULPAE is another up in class following a last start win at 1400M. From a good draw, he should be on pace here and be in this a long way. (11) BANJIUI MAGIC another in the minor money hunt.
| Selections | (6) Hwarang Best (10) H Day (9) Beautiful King (5) Dongnam Bulpae |
| Next Best | 11, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 7: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Small but competitive field. (1) JESSIEUI KKUM comes up in class following back-to-back wins over this distance at class 4 level. He draws well here, comes down slightly in the weights and can settle back and run on to complete a hat-trick of wins. (7) GEUMA PSYCHIC has been doing his recent work over 1200M, posting some consistently good times. He has six top-two finishes from eleven starts and has run well at this distance too. Tactically versatile, he will probably go forward to the speed here and can be considered. (6) QUATTRO MAX is a bit of a non-winner with just one of his eleven top-three finishes being on top. He is of course a model of consistency and comes back in trip after recent efforts over a mile and 1800M. He has solid placing claims again in this company. (2) BABEL HIT has the fastest time of any of these over the distance and while he can mix his form, he has placing claims here, along with (8) JANGSAN BOBBY.
| Selections | (1) Jessieui Kkum (7) Geuma Psychic (6) Quattro Max (2) Babel Hit |
| Next Best | 8, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 8: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(9) FANTASTIC MAN broke the track record at 2000M (albeit on a very fast running surface) last November, which punched his ticket to the President’s Cup in Seoul later in the month. His 5th from gate fifteen that day wasn’t bad and while he hasn’t really impressed in three starts since, there is evident ability there and this looks set to suit. (5) B.K JOHN was a class and distance winner last November and has been consistent in three starts since with two 4ths and a 3rd. He can sit midfield here and run on and has every chance of going close. (7) MAN OF TOP was a swift winner over a mile at class 3 level two starts back before running well for 5th over 2000M on his first try at this class on March 6th when handy to the lead throughout. He is nicely weighted again and can be a danger. (6) JANGSAN DOKKI and (3) DIAMOND MARINE are others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (9) Fantastic Man (5) B.K John (7) Man Of Top (6) Jangsan Dokki |
| Next Best | 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 5, 6 |
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