The weekend’s racing gets underway with a Good Friday card at Busan consisting of 8 races from 12:00 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weigvht A / KRW 40 Million
Three-year-old maiden fillies in the opener. (9) UNJU OREUM looks the one to beat. She has a 2nd and a 4th from her latest two at this distance and 1300M, both times from wide draws. She has the fastest time among those who have tackled the 1200M before and with Seo Seung-un climbing on, she can win. (5) MASTER ROAD was a solid 3rd of twelve in a very tight three-way finish over this distance on debut on March 3rd, racing on pace and beating a couple of today’s rivals in the process. She should have come on for the experience and with some natural improvement can be a danger here. (6) MORO has been sent out at any old odds on all her four starts so far but she was much improved 2nd on her latest appearance on March 10th, coming from off the pace. A repeat of that effort will see her in the mix here. There are a couple of first-time starters and both (10) NARAE and (3) MAGIC ELEVEN hinted at ability in trials and can go well first-up. As ever, watch the market for clues.
| Selections | (9) Unju Oreum (5) Master Road (6) Moro (10) Narae |
| Next Best | 3, 11 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million
(9) VICTOR BASIUM has finished between 3rd and 5th in seven of his eight starts to date, generally racing on pace before being caught and passed late on as happened on his latest over 1300M on March 24th. He makes a quick return here, dropping back in trip, and we’ll give him another chance to make the breakthrough. (8) DOCTOR CUCKOO can be given a pass for his latest on March 3rd when he used up plenty of energy from a wide gate to sit handy before weakening. The margins weren’t huge though and he came into that off the back of two solid 4th place finishes, also at this distance. He comes up in the weights, but that’s balanced by Choi Si-dae taking the reins, and he can go close. (4) ANY SINGS overcame gate eleven to get on pace and run a significantly improved 4th over 1300M at start number three on March 19th. That was the first time she had been ridden on pace and from a better gate today, can get an easier run. (1) FLYING TOUCH and (11) WIN STING among others with placing hopes.
| Selections | (9) Victor Basium (8) Doctor Cuckoo (4) Any Sings (1) Flying Touch |
| Next Best | 11, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million
(1) ALL OR NOTHING was an on-pace winner over 1000M on debut in December before overcoming gate eleven to sit handy and run on for 3rd over 1400M on his first try at this class back on January 29th. He’s had ten weeks off since then and he comes up very slightly in the weights, but from a good draw, he can be on pace and in this a long way. He’ll be a prohibitive favourite. (10) PILGRIM remains a maiden, but he’s been knocking on the door recently, including 2nd place at this class over 1200M on March 26th when running on strongly from a long way back. He makes a quick return here and Seo Seung-un’s presence will ensure support. (2) BAEDARI ICON was a big-priced 3rd over 1800M on March 17th. That was her joint-best finish in thirty-two attempts but while she makes a big drop back in trip, she is nicely weight, well drawn, and can aim to match that here. (3) DOCTOR KHALIFA and (8) MIGHTY STORM can mix their form but, in this company, shouldn’t be far away.
| Selections | (1) All Or Nothing (10) Pilgrim (2) Baedari Icon (3) Doctor Khalifa |
| Next Best | 8, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1600M) Special Weight B / KRW 40 Million
It’s hard to go too far past (4) MA GUN here. After two encouraging runs last summer, he didn’t reappear until March 5th, but when he did, he ran out a five-length winner in fine style over 1400M, stalking the leader early before taking things up a long way out and racing clear. He comes up in class and in distance and while the set weight scale here doesn’t really do him any favours, the draw does, and he should have too much. The main danger is probably (9) MONEY CASE. He was a beaten favourite on his most recent appearance on March 5th when 2nd at class and distance but despite the wide draw, he should be able to get forward again and can be close again. (3) HWANGOO MONEY got promoted to this level with three consecutive 3rd place finishes from his first three starts. The Goldencents colt more than measured up though when recording his best finish to date when stepped up to this class and distance on February 24th when he settled right back and ran on. There might not be an awful lot of speed for him to target here but he should be running into the money again. (12) TOP FRIEND and (1) YEOSU TORNADO others to keep safe.
| Selections | (4) Ma Gun (9) Money Case (3) Hwangoo Money (12) Top Friend |
| Next Best | 1, 10 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million
A winner of two from four so far, (2) INDIE BULPAE comes rapidly up in class having won two of three since returning from a seven-month spell after his debut. The latest of those was a striking score over this distance on March 10th when he led every step of the way, and while the set weights here mean he carries even more than he did at the lower levels, he draws well and Mr. Afleet’s little brother can continue on his merry way here. The one with the best chance of beating him is (6) YEOSU FIGHTER. He rana very close 2nd over a mile on his first try at this class on March 10th and while he comes up to race around two turns for the first time, it should suit. He comes up 3kg in the weights but still has 3kg in hand on the favourite. (5) ADELE ALLIE’S is another who comes up in weight, but he enters in consistent form. A previous go at this distance didn’t end well but he’s worth another chance on a place line here. (10) DEMON SPY and (7) ANNIKA GIRL other minor money hopes.
| Selections | (2) Indie Bulpae (6) Yeosu Fighter (5) Adele Allie’s (10) Demon Spy |
| Next Best | 7, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 6 |
Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1800M) Special Weight B / KRW 60 Million
Possibly the most open race on the card. We’ll side with the experience of (5) SINJIN GANGHO who it is fair to say doesn’t win out of turn but who also enters in good form with two 3rd places among his latest three outings. He lokes to settle back and run on and he is capable of fast times at this distance. He carries plenty of weight but has every chance of snapping his eleven-run fallow streak here. The danger is the up and comer. (8) BRAVO HAMYANG got his maiden win at start number nine when pretty much making all over a mile on March 5th and holding on in a tight three-way finish. He comes up in class here, and up to the two turns for the first time, but he remains nicely weighted and should be close. Nothing else in the field finished better than 8th in their respective latest outings so we’re having to offer a full amnesty for next best. (2) DOCTOR PERSIA ran 2nd on his only previous try at this distance and while it was at class 5 level, he looks nicely in here. (3) CHAMP GO and (11) HAVE A GOOD DAY are others who are potentially still better than recent form suggests.
| Selections | (5) Sinjin Gangho (8) Bravo Hamyang (2) Doctor Persia (3) Champ Go |
| Next Best | 11, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Two standouts here. We’ll side with Thomas Gillespie’s (4) FANTASTIC DAY, a winner of two from three so far including his latest over 1300M at class 5 level on March 3rd when he was really made to work for a narrow victory. He comes down significantly in the weights, comes into a nice gate and despite the step up in class and trip, he can win again. (10) AMAZING FOOT has probably earned favourite status. He made all to win at class and distance on March 10th, scoring by a full seven-lengths. He has a less favourable draw today and comes up a full 5kg in the weights, but a repeat can’t be ruled out. (1) SPECIAL TOGETHER is up in class following a win over 1300M on March 12th when unusually, he was ridden on the speed. He comes down 5kg in the weights and from a good draw, he can be considered. (9) MAN OF THE MAN and (12) HAMAN BONGHWASAN among others with placing chances.
| Selections | (4) Fantastic Day (10) Amazing Foot (1) Special Together (9) Man Of The Man |
| Next Best | 12, 11 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(11) CARPE BABEL’s win had been coming and it duly arrived at the fourth time of asking on February 19th when she led all the way around over this distance, crossing the line with nine-lengths in hand of the rest. She comes up in class here and draws a touch wider than ideal but she should still have too much for this lot. (2) GOLDEN also comes up in class. He is in the best form of his lengthy career and drawn well, in addition to being massively down in the weights, he can be competitive here. (12) SONHADOR returns to action for the first time since last August. She looked well in a fast trial a couple of weeks ago and under a light weight can go well first up here. (10) RAON THE FLASH was an all the way winner over 1400M on March 5th and is another up in class but down in weight and in the hunt. (9) D’LOVELY QUEEN another who can enter the calculations in this company.
| Selections | (11) Carpe Babel (2) Golden (12) Sonhador (10) Raon The Flash |
| Next Best | 9, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 10, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 