The summer racing season continues on this weekend and the action gets underway at Busan on Friday with 7 races from 15:35 to 21:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

A maiden to kick things off and it’s wide open. (3) UNJU STAR has as good a chance as any following a decent 2nd place at this distance on June 19th when close to the pace throughout. That’s not the first time he has hinted at having some ability and he also has the fastest time among these at the distance. (2) PURE MAGIC has a 5th and a 2nd from two starts so far. He draws nicely and will be expected to lead here and be in the mix a long way. (10) TRIPLE THUNDER has mixed his form a little across five starts so far and we’ll draw a line through his latest and instead go on his good 2nd at this distance in May. He has a strong finish so the wide draw may not be too inconvenient. (11) LET IT GO and (9) POLE TO WIN are among others who can be competitive.

Selections	(3) Unju Star (2) Pure Magic (10) Triple Thunder (11) Let It Go
Next Best	9, 1
Fast Start	1, 2, 9, 11

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

Another competitive maiden. (4) MILK DAY has put in some consistent performances recently and looks to be working up towards a win. He likes to sit back in his races and then run on and he shapes as the one to beat here. (11) BOUNTY HUNTER came very close to getting his maiden win on his latest start on July 1st when leading for a long time only to get overhauled on the line. That gives him another crack at this level and under a relatively light weight again, he looks a place chance. (7) S. L. KING has actually won a race but because it was back when racing was being run for vastly reduced prize money, he is still at class 6. That win was over a mile all the way back in April of 2021 and he hasn’t raced since. He looked very well in a trial in June and in this company can go well first-up. (8) SORI TAEPUNG and (3) AGAIN HELEN others in the frame.

Selections	(4) Milk Day (11) Bounty Hunter (7) S. L. King (8) Sori Taepung
Next Best	3, 10
Fast Start	1, 8, 9, 10

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Having secured his maiden win over 1000M last October, (3) JEONGMUN DRAGON was out of action until June 17th. He returned very handily though, with a front-running 2nd over this distance. He comes up in the weights today but should have come on for that run and from a good draw can be on pace and is very much the one to beat. (5) GLOBAL CHOEGO comes back in trip following recent good work at further. He got his maiden win three starts back over 1300M before finishing 4th and 3rd in two goes at 1400M. He has a runner-up finish to his name at this distance too and he looks to be the main danger. (1) JUMAL BOBAE has only missed the top three on one of six starts so far. That was his latest at 1300M but he comes in here after three months out and from a good draw can go close. (6) UNJU OCEAN and (8) BABEL PHOENIX are other placing chances.

Selections	(3) Jeongmun Dragon (5) Global Choego (1) Jumal Bobae (6) Unju Ocean
Next Best	8, 2
Fast Start	3, 4, 6, 7

Busan Race 4: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(3) EUNSEONG YEONGUNG comes in having won his latest two in good fashion, the most recent at this class and distance on June 17th. He comes up significantly in the weights here although that is balanced a little by a good draw and he has every chance of making it three in a row. Also looking for three in a row is (10) HAENGBOKAN HAMAN. She is up rapidly in class after consecutive victories over 1300M. She carries a light weight and can measure up at this level. (6) BEASTLY is two starts into a comeback following almost a year on the sidelines. Those two outings have yielded a 4th and a 3rd, the latter at this distance and he could well be peaking today. (5) NAMED is up in class after a good win over 1300M on June 12th. He carries a light weight and draws well and should be competitive. (2) SEOGWI POINT among others to consider.

Selections	(3) Eunseong Yeongung (10) Haengbokan Haman (6) Beastly (5) Named
Next Best	2, 4
Fast Start	4, 5, 7, 9

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

Another big and competitive field. (8) SAEROUN HAMAN gets the nod based on his 2nd place last time out on June 17th when he settled back and ran on but couldn’t quite get to the winner. He was favourite that day and probably will be again here and this time he should go one better. (5) UNJU BULPAE is the logical second-pick. He ran on well for 2nd behind Man Of The Star over 1400M on June 19th and while he comes up in trip to a mile for the first time, it should suit and he can go close. (1) DAMYANG DOLPUNG ran on well for 3rd at class and distance on June 24th. He does come up 2kg today but draws nicely in the inside and can be competitive. (11) ACE FOUR TEN and (6) GRAND CHUKJE among a number of others with at least placing claims.

Selections	(8) Saeroun Haman (5) Unju Bulpae (1) Damyang Dolpung (11) Ace Four Ten
Next Best	6, 4
Fast Start	1, 4, 10, 11

Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(8) I WILL BE FREE is a winner of two from five and is yet to finish worse than 5th. He comes up in class following his second victory which came at this distance on June 17th when he sat behind the leader early before taking things up heading to the straight and running on to score by five-lengths. This is harder but the manner of that victory suggests there is more to come and he’s the one to beat here. (9) GEUMA GOOD POINT is also up in class following a good on pace win over a mile on June 24th. He comes down in the weights and should have enough early speed to get on pace again and be in this a long way. (2) ROYAL PENNANT returns to action for the first time since May 2021. He was working his way towards a win before the layoff but returns here, gelded, and having looked quick when trialing. He carries next to no weight and could be interesting first-up. (6) WARRIOR CLASS and (1) K CHUKJE are others in the frame.

Selections	(8) I Will Be Free (9) Geuma Good Point (2) Royal Pennant (6) Warrior Class
Next Best	1, 4
Fast Start	2, 3, 8, 9

Busan Race 7: Class 2 (2000M) Allowance / KRW 90 Million

All but one of this small field raced one another at class and distance on June 17th. From a much better draw, (1) COOL GUY, who was a narrow 2nd in that race, can go one better here. He comes up in weight but still meets that day’s winner 1kg better off and he will be the favourite. That winner was (2) BLUE POWER, who got the better of Cool Guy by a neck. He rarely misses out on a cheque and while he is up 3kg in the weights, he can be dangerous again. Those two were eight-lengths clear of the rest on June 17th. (6) B.K JOHN was 3rd in the race continuing a very consistent run of form that has seen him no worse than 4th in seven class 2 outings. He can push for a place again. The intriguing one is (4) BULMYEORUI GIL. He has the same owner and trainer as Blue Power and also ran out a winner on June 17th. That was over 1800M at class level. He qualifies for class 3 so this is perhaps a shy at the stumps but he may well appreciate the extended trip. (3) DOCTOR TAKE another in the hunt.

Selections	(1) Cool Guy (2) Blue Power (6) B.K John (4) Bulmyeorui Gil
Next Best	3, 5
Fast Start	1, 2, 5, 6