The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with an 8-race card from 12:00 to 18:00. Seo Seung-un and Park Jae-i, respectively 1st and 4th in the 2023 Busan Jockey Premiership, are both absent as they are in Seoul to ride in Sunday’s Herald Business Cup. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million

Three-year-old maidens. (7) SANSANGGEUISANG has made steady progress across four starts so far, culminating in a narrow 2^nd, beaten only a nose, when on pace over this distance on March 19^th. He’ll be on pace again and this time can go one better. (9) EVERY KING IJI was an improved 2^nd at start number two over this trip back at the start of February. He settled back and ran home well that day so the wide draw shouldn’t be a problem and while he’s had ten weeks off since then, he can be a danger. (1) HAVE A GOOD YEAR also improved second-up when 4^th at this distance on March 10^th. He draws very well again to challenge for the lead and should be in this a long way. He’ll be joined up front by (4) ARION QUEEN, who has run 4^th in both her latest two, both times on pace and she can match or better that here. (6) CHOEGANG CHONGAL another potential improver.

Selections	(7) Sangsanggeuisang (9) Every King Iji (1) Have A Good Year (4) Arion Queen
Next Best	6, 3
Fast Start	1, 2, 4, 7

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(3) VELOCIRAPTOR has hinted at ability across her seven outings and comes in following her best finish to date when 3^rd over this distance o March 26^th when she was bumped at the start causing her to be slowly away and settled right back, before shifting out wide and running on strongly in the straight. She can build on that here and with a better start, has strong claims here. (5) QUEEN ROMANCE was 4^th in that same March 26^th race racing handily throughout. She was just half a length behind Velociraptor and while she does come up in the weights in the absence of an apprentice claim, Franco climbs on and she can be a danger. (8) E-CASH has the fastest time among these for the distance and looks nicely in here with a 3kg claim. She can be running on late. (7) GOLDEN CAMP and (4) CHOICE ROAD are others with minor money hopes.

Selections	(3) Velociraptor (5) Queen Romance (8) E-Cash (7) Golden Camp
Next Best	4, 6
Fast Start	1, 4, 6, 9

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

This is a weak maiden. (1) TWOTWO FLYING has five top-five finish from eight starts including a 2^nd place over 1200M in a good time in February. She finished well back on his latest appearance on March 12^th but comes into a better gate and comes down in the weights. There isn’t much early speed so she could get an easy run from the inside. Four of these raced one another over this distance on March 19^th with (4) KICK’N RUSH having finished the best of them in 2^nd having settled in midfield and then run on. That was her best performance to date and is enough to put her in the mix here. (7) ROCKS ran 3^rd in that race, half a length behind Kick’N Rush. For her too that marked a best finish to date and while she comes up in the weights without an apprentice claim, she can challenge again. (5) PURPLE STAR returned from almost a year out to run 5^th in that race and should strip fitter for the run. (3) SUCCESS YEONGGWANG another in the placing hunt.

Selections	(1) Twotwo Flying (4) Kick’N Rush (7) Rocks (5) Purple Star
Next Best	3, 6
Fast Start	1, 3, 5, 7

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

Good race for the level featuring five last-start winners, four of whom are up in class as a result. We’ll side with one who wasn’t a last start winner though. (3) FAST GUN got his maiden win over this distance in January before running 2^nd on his first try at this class over 1400M on March 12^th. He comes up 3kg in the weights but that’s balanced a bit by a good draw, and he can win here. (2) SAEKDAL FIGHTER has won his latest two, most recently at this class over 1200M on March 17^th when uncharacteristically coming from well off the pace. He too comes up in the weights but should be competitive here. (12) K GOLD BAR is one of those last start winners having led for most of the way around before scoring by eight-lengths over 1400M on March 17^th. The draw does him no favours here, but the manner of that win suggests there is more to come. (7) DONGNAM WINNER and (9) NAKDONG JEONSA among plenty of others in the frame.

Selections	(3) Fast Gun (2) Saekdal Fighter (12) K Gold Bar (7) Dongnam Winner
Next Best	9, 8
Fast Start	2, 5, 7, 12

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race. (8) FAST FURY enters with recent form reading well. She got her solitary win at class 6 level three starts back over 1200M and has followed up with two solid runs for 4^th at this level. While she draws a touch wide, she has good early speed so should find her way to the front, and she can win here. (4) MULTI HIT made all to secure his first win at the fourth time of asking back in February. He finished midfield on his first try at this class on March 17^th, but he was less than three-lengths away from the winner in a tight finish and had to contend with the widest gate. From a better draw today, he should be closer. (2) GOLDENTHUNDERBOLT dead-heated for 3^rd place in that March 17^th race (the margins really were small that day) coming from off the pace and can be working home strongly again. (7) TWO TWO LIME and (6) MILK DAY among other potentials.

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