The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with a 9-race card from 11:00 to 18:00. Seo Seung-un, who rode a remarkable 14 winners in January, is suspended while You Hyun-myung had surgery following a fall last week and will be out for some months. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maidens in the opener and there will be a hot favourite. (7) DAHAMKKEDALLIJA has raced twice so far, finishing 3rd on both occasions most recently over this trip in a good time on January 13th when handy and running on. He will be up to class 5 with any top-three finish and can be expected to win here. (1) POWER PLANE was a much improved 4th at start number two over 1200M on January 8th settling back and running on. The additional half-furlong should suit and he gets a much better draw today. (2) SUPER KANEL also showed marked improvement on his latest appearance four weeks ago, running on for 2nd over this trip. With an apprentice engaged today he comes down significantly in the weights and should be going close again. (8) NAKDONG JEONSAN and (9) STORMY DAY others with the potential to improve.
| Selections | (7) Dahamkkedallija (1) Power Plane (2) Super Kanel (8) Nakdong Jeonsa |
| Next Best | 9, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 8, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
More three-year-old maidens and another hot favourite. This time it is (9) MY MANTRA. After running 5th of twelve over 1000M on debut in November, Peter Wolsley’s filly was an on pace runner-up when stepped up to this trip on December 18th. Despite being drawn a touch wide, she can be on pace again and should be too good for this lot. (8) DOCTOR CUCKOO comes in having run a very solid time over this distance on his latest start on January 15th. His 4th place that day, coming from off the pace, was his best so far and he can continue to make progress here. (7) HONOR LORD raced twice over 1000M late last summer. He comes in here having looked very well across two trials and will be backed first-up. There are two first time starters and both (4) GREEN LEGEND and (2) YONGSAN KEUNBYEUL did enough in their trials to suggest they can measure up in this somewhat limited company. Both should be on pace from good draws.
| Selections | (9) My Mantra (8) Doctor Cuckoo (7) Honor Lord (4) Green Legend |
| Next Best | 2, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
Standard maiden here. (7) SOUTHERN JOY has been relatively consistent across her five outings to date and her runner-up finish on her latest start on January 6th when she overcame the widest draw to settle midfield and run on for 2nd place is enough for her to get the nod here. (2) FAST FURY could only manage 6th when well supported in the same race, but she previously ran the quickest time of all of these at the distance when runner-up back in October. She should be on the speed again here and can be in this a long way. (11) THEIA ran fairly for 5th on debut over 1300M on January 13th. She should have come on for that experience and with some natural improvement may offer some value at an each-way price. (6) GOLDEN RACER and (8) ALPHA BRAVO are others who have demonstrated ability and can be in the money frame here.
| Selections | (7) Southern Joy (2) Fast Fury (11) Theia (6) Golden Racer |
| Next Best | 8, 12 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
It could be thirteenth time lucky for (3) YEOSU TORNADO here. He’s been knocking at the door in his latest few and most recently got his first runner-up finish when overcoming a wide draw to sit handy to the speed and then run on over this distance on January 13th. He draws much better today and a similar run can see him home on top. The main danger looks to be (7) ARTHUR KING IJI. He was 3rd in that January 13th race on what for him too was his first try at a mile having raced prominently throughout. He has three-lengths to find on Yeosu Tornado but perhaps has more scope for further improvement than the favourite. (12) HAMAN BAEIKISAN was 5th in that race having settled back and running on when it was too late. He was runner-up at this distance two starts back and with the same apprentice keeping the weight down, he can run into some money again. (1) ECTON POWER and (6) SPECIAL FACT among others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (3) Yeosu Tornado (7) Arthur King Iji (12) Haman Baekisan (1) Ecton Power |
| Next Best | 6, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (1) HONOR CAL was an all the way winner over this distance at the end of last September on what was her second career start. She then struggled from a wide draw on her first try at this class, weakening late on over 1300M in October. She comes in following fourteen weeks off and from a much better draw and back in trip, she has a chance here. The main danger and probable betting favourite emerges from the other end of the gate. (12) BREAD HIT was an eye-catching winner on debut over the minimum trip in November before working hard to get on pace on her first try at this class and distance on January 6th. Ultimately finishing 4th. The draw does her no favours again but she has enough early speed to find a good position and she can win. (6) TWO TWO LIME ran 3rd in the January 6th race ahead of Bread Hit having settled right back and run on and she can go well again. (5) CHEONGMA POWER returns to action for the first time since last May but looked very sharp in a trial just before the Lunar New Year break and can put in a bold showing first-up. (10) MY LULLABY, up in class following a maiden win, another in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Honor Cal (12) Bread Hit (6) Two Two Lime (5) Cheongma Power |
| Next Best | 10, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 7, 9, 12 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
A very competitive race. We’ll take a chance on (9) PATRIOT to get back to winning ways after a couple of ordinary – but not bad – efforts at this class over 1200M. He comes back up to the trip at which he got his sole win, albeit at class 6, and he has as good a chance as any here. (11) BEST DUO enters off a smart runner-up finish at class and distance on January 6th when settling midfield and running on. He comes up 2kg in the weights but the wide draw shouldn’t be a problem and he can have a big say here. (5) GRAND SUN is the wildcard. He returns to action eleven months after his latest start which saw him win at class 6 level over 1300M. He trialled up fairly and while he will obviously need this, he should be kept safe. (10) GLOBAL CHOEGO returned from a lengthy absence of his own in December and should strip fitter for his run then while (4) NICE DAY is better than his most recent effort suggests and can be given another chance.
| Selections | (9) Patriot (11) Best Duo (5) Grand Sun (10) Global Choego |
| Next Best | 4, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
This isn’t a strong race but it’s probably the most competitive of the day. That enables us to take a chance on (1) GOOD STAR. He returned from seven months out on January 6th to run 4th over 1300M when slowly away from the widest gate and settling right back before running on. He should be better for that run and from a much better gate can get closer this time. (2) MY SONG has won over this distance and enters in fair form. He is rarely too far away and from a nice gate is to be considered here. (11) MONEY CASE comes back in trip today following a couple of useful spins around a mile and 1800M. There is absolutely no early speed in this race so the wide draw may not stop him from getting forward and to a good position. (3) DOCTOR PENTAGON and (9) TRIPLE THUNDER are among others who can be considered but the traditional method of sticking a pin in the card is just as likely to yield results.
| Selections | (1) Good Star (2) My Song (11) Money Case (3) Doctor Pentagon |
| Next Best | 9, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 9, 7, 11 |
Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
(8) BETELGEUSE saw his winning streak come to an end on January 6th when drawn widest at class and distance and ultimately finishing 2nd. He is a two-time winner over this trip and though and remains among the most promising of the three-year-old crop and can be given another chance here to get back to winning ways. (12) HAENAM HAMMER enters off back-to-back wins most recently a valuable race over this distance in December. She is ostensibly up in class here but comes down in the weights and while she draws wide, she has solid claims. (9) CLEAN SHOT may not win out of turn but is a model of consistency with fourteen top-four finishes from twenty-one appearances. He likes to settle back and run on and while he may find one or two too quick again, another money finish is likely. (10) BOLAVEN and (5) GIJEOGUI JEOKTOMA among others in the frame.
| Selections | (8) Betelgeuse (12) Haenam Hammer (9) Clean Shot (10) Bolaven |
| Next Best | 5, 1 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 10, 12 |
Busan Race 9: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) MAGIC CLASS ran 2nd in the Listed Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo Trophy for juveniles last November before finishing off her season with another runner-up place when on pace over 1400M in an all-filly race over 1400M on December 23rd. She comes up in trip here but is very nicely in at the weights and she has every chance. The main danger is (12) WORLD LEGEND. His form is almost identical to that of Magic Class with 3rd in the Gimhae Mayor’s Trophy the standout on his resume so far. He is up in class here following a strong 2nd place in a fast race over 1400M a month ago, but he comes down significantly in the weights and the step up in trip can help. (7) GEUMA INFINITE can mix his form but comes back in trip here and third-up this preparation can be peaking fitness-wise. (9) LANE KILLER and (4) GOBLIN among others in the hunt.
| Selections | (6) Magic Class (12) World Legend (7) Geuma Infinite (9) Lane Killer |
| Next Best | 4, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 12 |
Horse Racing in Korea 