The weekend’s racing gets underway on Friday at Busan with a 9-race card from 12:30 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
Juvenile maidens in the opener with six of the eight racing for the first time. We’ll side with experience and (7) HANEUL SEUNGNI, who led for much of his debut on September 30th, ultimately coming home in 3rd place in fast time. He should have derived benefit from that run and won’t need to improve much to win here. There are some promising first-timers. (5) YONGSANG UNGI won her trial, sitting handy and then running on in fair time. If she brings that form to the races, she can go close. (1) HAERANG YOUNGUNG showed prominently in his trial and from the inside gate, should be on pace here and in this a long way. (9) SUCCESS MOCCA improved in the second of two trials and if he has continued to make progress, can be competitive here. (2) EVER STAR didn’t do much on debut but draws nicely and can improve.
| Selections | (7) Haneul Seungni (5) Yongsang Ungi (1) Haerang Youngung (9) Success Mocca |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million
The second division of the juvenile maiden with six of the eight runners racing for the first time. This time the favourite will be a newcomer in the shape of (1) BREAD HIT. She made all in her trial, stopping the clock in a fair time and from a good draw and with an apprentice claiming 3kg, she may take some beating first-up. The main danger is one of the experienced ones. (3) BLUE ICON was a much-improved 3rd at start number two on October 7th when sitting behind the early leaders and running on well. She comes down significantly in the weights under an apprentice claim here and she can be competitive. Returning to the first timers, (7) SUCCESS TIME was the next best in trials and looks a money chance with (8) HAMPYEONG IS BACK and (4) RUN FIRST others to keep an eye on.
| Selections | (1) Bread Hit (3) Blue Icon (7) Success Time (8) Hampyeong Is Back |
| Next Best | 4, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 8 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
It’s hard to look too far past (2) AREUMDAUN INYEON here. She has steadily improved across three starts to date, culminating in her latest on October 7th when she beat three of today’s rivals on her way to 2nd place over this distance. She was slowly away that day and settled right at the back but she has run on pace before and from a great draw, Chae Sang-hyun can pick his spot and she won’t need to improve much to win here. (6) HWANGU FIGHTER was 3rd in that October 7th race. He has a length and a half to make up over Areumdaun Inyeon here but he too has shown progress across his three starts and could continue to get better. (4) MYEONGSEONG CHARGE enters off a much-improved runner-up finish over 1300M on October 2nd. She raced on pace that day and is well drawn to get forward again and she can be in this a long way. (8) TAP DREAM and (5) PURE MAGIC among others on a place line.
| Selections | (2) Areumdaun Inyeon (6) Hwangu Fighter (4) Myeongsong Charge (8) Tap Dream |
| Next Best | 5, 12 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 8, 12 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (2) THUNDER CLOUD got her solitary win to date over this distance four starts back in a time faster than any of the others have achieved. Since then she has established herself as competitive at this level including a good 2nd in another fats time in September. She draws much better than she did when 5th on her latest outing on October 9th and an apprentice jockey takes the weight down. She has strong claims here. It’s been a long time since (5) SPICE INDIE won but her latest couple of outings read well with a 4th and a 5th, at a mile and at this distance. She tends to go right back but she has a strong finish on her and should be working home well. (1) GOLD ROSE was an excellent all the way winner on debut and while she has come up short in two outings since, she is perhaps worth another chance today from a very good gate. (7) GREAT GO and (4) JEONGDUN-RO are others in at least the placing frame.
| Selections | (2) Thunder Cloud (5) Spice Indie (1) Gold Rose (7) Great Go |
| Next Best | 4, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 6 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
The second division of the class 5 handicap for fillies and mares. (6) WONDERFUL FILE returned from three months out to run a creditable 6th at this distance on October 23rd, breaking from a wide gate and settling back before finishing off well. She should have come on for that run, she draws better today, and she has as good a chance as any here. (9) GAMDONG ENERGY is yet to win in nine attempts but has some decent runs behind her. Two previous efforts at this trip didn’t go especially well but she looks ready for another crack here and an apprentice keeps her carried weight nice and light. (5) OMEGA GIRL mixes her form but she has the fastest time of any at the distance and can be a threat. (2) HONOR QUEEN has settled back in her latest two and run on well both times. In this company she can be competitive. (8) SUSO POWER another with minor money hopes.
| Selections | (6) Wonderful File (9) Gamdong Energy (5) Omega Girl (2) Honor Queen |
| Next Best | 8, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Since returning a year on from his debut, (8) PATRIOT has run well, registering a 2nd place and a win in two appearances at 1200M and 1300M, racing on pace both times. He comes up in class here but he should have enough about him to get to the front and lead all the way again. (7) SSAEKSSAEGI comes up in class having registered his maiden win at start number five on Jul22nd. He has had over three months off since then but has run well first-up before and comes down in the weights under an apprentice claim. (4) HAENAM JJANGDOL ran out a winner on his only start to date back in June. He didn’t offer too many clues in a pair of October trials but this isn’t an intimidation field and he can be considered. (2) BORAMI and (10) SUPER CRACK among others in the hunt.
| Selections | (8) Patriot (7) Ssaekssaegi (4) Haenam Jjangdol (2) Borami |
| Next Best | 10, 11 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(9) UNBREAK was a winner on debut back in December 2021 but didn’t reappear until September 29th when she was handy throughout, ultimately finishing 3rd at this class and distance. She should have derived benefit from that run and has solid claims here. (1) HUIMANG PUNCH enters looking for a hat-trick of wins. She made all on her latest appearance on October 7th at class and distance and while she comes up 2.5kg in the weights, she will probably start favourite again here. There is one debut-maker and she is an intriguing one. Two-year-old import (6) GANGSEO GIANT won a trial two weeks ago settling handy and running on. The trainer/jockey combination catches the eye and while this is a tough race, she should be kept safe. (8) GREEN CHEETAH and (3) CROWD ONE others who can challenge for the places.
| Selections | (9) Unbreak (1) Huimang Punch (6) Gangseo Giant (8) Green Cheetah |
| Next Best | 3, 11 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(8) SEOBU TEUKGEUP has three runner-up finishes from her last four outings but is strongly favoured to get back to winning ways here. At her latest start on October 7th, she led almost from gate to wire, ultimately finishing in 2nd place at class and distance with plenty of today’s rivals behind her. She will be on or close to the speed again here and she should have too much. (2) INDIE MAGIC ran 4th behind Seobu Teukgeup in that October 7th race. He has four lengths to make up in the faovurite here but draws better and continues to carry a light weigh. He can be competitive. So too (3) LINE BREAKER who is a winner at this distance A combination of an apprentice claim and today’s handicap conditions take him down considerably in the weights and into the reckoning. (9) SEOGWI POINT and (7) INDY CHOICE among others who can enter the calculations.
| Selections | (8) Seobu Teukgeup (2) Indie Magic (3) Line Breaker (9) Seogwi Point |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 9: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
Tricky race to conclude with. (4) ONNURI JILJU has consistently run fast times at this distance and comes back in trip having led for much of the way around over 1400M last time out on October 9th. An apprentice claim keeps him competitive here, he draws well and can win. (7) DOCTOR FASHION races for the first time since beating three of these, including Onnuri Jilju, when 2nd at class and distance on September 18th having led almost all the way only to be denied by Busanhang Galmaegi. He comes up slightly in the weights but looks nicely in again and can be considered. Stablemates (5) WORLD SOCKS and (1) SSONSAL CHEOREOM both come up in class having run 1st and 3rd respectively when they raced each other on September 30th. Both were on pace that day and the latter especially is very nicely treated by the weights here. Both can measure up. (2) BABEL HIT another with minor money chances.
| Selections | (4) Onnuri Jilju (7) Doctor Fashion (5) World Socks (1) Ssonsal Cheoreom |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Horse Racing in Korea 