After a week off for the Lunar New Year holiday, racing returns to Korea this weekend. Things get underway on Friday at Busan with a 10-race card from 11:00 to 18:00. It’s quite a star studded line-up for a Friday as Speed Young, who won the Breeders’ Cup Champion Juvenile race in December, goes in race 9 while filly Triple Crown winner Golden Power seeks to return to form in a very challenging race 10. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maiden fillies get things underway with five of the twelve racing for the first time. We’ll side with experience though and (11) AMAZING MOVE who, after a positive trial, ran a solid enough 5^th on debut on December 18^th, settling back and running on. That suggests the wide draw shouldn’t be too problematic here and having derived benefit from that run, she can win here. (6) ACE HORANGI was well backed on debut in the same December 18^th after a quick trial and while she could only manage 7^th, she can improve here. (3) GIJEOGUI GEUMBIT is another who ran 5^th on debut at this distance on Christmas Day, overcoming a wide draw. The time was significantly slower than Amazing Move’s and Ace Horangi’s but she too can make progress today. As for the first timers, (2) MAGIC SWEETIE and (5) UNJU AKANSHA look the most likely to make an immediate impact.

Selections	(11) Amazing Move (6) Ace Horangi (3) Gijeogui Geumbit (2) Magic Sweetie
Next Best	5, 8
Fast Start	2, 3, 5, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens. (12) GEUMA DEFT beat three of these on debut on December 16^th over 1000M when crossing the line 1^st and stopping the clock in a fast time only to be demoted by the stewards for interference. He has the challenge of the widest gate here, but the manner of that run suggests that with a touch of luck at the start and a touch more discipline at the finish, he can finish ahead of those same rivals today. (2) DUBAI WONJEONGDAE ran 4^th in that race. He was a full ten-lengths behind Geuma Deft but the step up in trip can suit and he can get closer today. There are three first time starters and among them (6) HAVE A GOOD YEAR was the best in trials. He went through two heats, significantly improving in the second of them when leading for much of the way around. He can be on pace here and put in a bold showing. (5) ROAD TO GLORY and (9) RUN TO KING other placing hopes.

Selections	(12) Geuma Deft (2) Dubai Wonjeongdae (6) Have A Good Year (5) Road To Glory
Next Best	9, 7
Fast Start	1, 4, 6, 12

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) KRW 25 Million

A regular maiden here and it seems wide open.  Four of them raced each other over 1300M on December 23^rd and that looks to be a good reference. (11) PURPLE LINE debuted in that race, settling towards the rear of midfield and running on for 3^rd. He should have come on for that experience, the extra distance can suit, and he has as good a chance as any here. It will require him to make up almost two lengths on (6) COOL RUNNING. He led that December 23^rd race until the closing stages, ultimately coming home in 2^nd place. He has shown improvement across his three starts so far, he can be on pace again, and he shouldn’t be ruled out. Also making progress over three previous appearances has been (12) VEREUDA. She finished off well for 4^th in that December 23^rd race from a similarly wide draw to today, and she can continue to improve here. Of those who didn’t go in the December 23^rd race, (7) DOCTOR SHARK and (2) PEGACORN look the best.

Selections	(11) Purple Line (6) Cool Running (12) Vereuda (7) Doctor Shark
Next Best	2, 9
Fast Start	2, 4, 6, 10

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Fillies (and two mares) only and it’s a good race for the level. (3) SPECIAL ROAD justified favourite status to make all at start number two on December 18^th over 1200M, winning comfortable. She comes up in class and distance here but draws very nicely and has every chance of scoring again. So too (4) GRAPHENE RAP WORLD. Having won over five furlongs in a super quick time back in November, she than ran a solid 3ns on her first try at this class over 1200M on December 16^th. She does come up in the weights here but draws well and the additional half furlong can suit. (2) BLUE ICON is yet to win but enters off three consecutive runner-up finishes, most recently at class and distance on December 23^rd when on pace throughout. She draws very nicely here and it’s not impossible she could go one better at last. (5) THUNDER FURY has placed at this class and along with up in class (7) DALEHOLRINGWANGDAE is another in the hunt.

Selections	(3) Special Road (4) Graphene Rap World (2) Blue Icon (5) Thunder Fury
Next Best	7, 6
Fast Start	2, 3, 4, 6

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

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