This weekend sees the penultimate big races of the season with the Breeders’ Cup Rookie, the champion juvenile race, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Queen, for fillies and mares at Busan on Sunday. That means plenty of Seoul-based jockeys are also in town as the weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 9 races from 11:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

Juvenile fillies in the opener and it should be competitive. (11) SMART SMILE has made progress across three starts so far, most recently a 2^nd place over this distance in a similar all-filly race on November 10^th when settling right back after a slow start and running on well. She has also posted the fastest time among these for the distance and has every chance of making the breakthrough here. (6) DAEJIUIYEOJEONSA ran 4^th on debut over 1000M in September before repeating that finish when tried at this distance for the first time on November 3^rd. In this company she can be ridden on pace, and she looks a danger. (1) UNJU JILJU raced once in July finishing a fair 6^th over 1000M in a decent time. She looked well in a November trial and can be competitive first up here. (9) ALICE MARINE and (2) GREEN CHIEF others in the hunt.

Selections	(11) Smart Smile (6) Daejiuiyeojeonsa (1) Unju Jilju (9) Alice Marine
Next Best	2, 10
Fast Start	1, 6, 8, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(6) HI WINNER has a 4^th and a 3^rd from two starts so far, most recently over 1400M on November 17^th when handy throughout. She can sit behind the speed again here and with a bit more natural improvement, she can win this. (5) HEUIMANG FLYING ran 3^rd on debut over 1000M before overcoming the widest gate to finish a fair 5^th in a very slow race on November 12^th. The pace should be a little more honest this time around and she can get closer. (2) BURUI JEWANG comes in off a 5^th and a 6^th place from her latest two, both at this distance. She draws nicely and a similar run can see her get closer today. (8) HERE THE QUEEN and (7) GWANGSOKMA, the latter who shouldn’t be judged on his debut in that November 12^th race when they went at a crawl, are others to consider for improvement.

Selections	(6) Hi Winner (5) Heuimang Flying (2) Burui Jewang (8) Here The Queen
Next Best	7, 1
Fast Start	1, 2, 3, 7

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

More maidens with the four widest drawn all racing for the first time. None caught the eye in trials, so we have to side with the experience, even though that form is patchy itself. The favourite will probably be (3) BROWN FALCON who has finished between 4^th and 6^th in her three starts so far, settling back and running on. Form a good draw and with a lack of early speed in this race, she may well be ridden further forward today, and she has a smart finish on her. (4) GLOBAL WEEK ran three times in the spring and the early summer with a useful 4^th sandwiched between two very plain efforts. He steps out for the first time since July and if he can bring his November trial form to the races, then he should go well. (1) CHRYSOL HERO has the fastest time among these for the distance and that’s enough to put him in the hunt for the minors here. (2) WHITE FALCON and newcomer (9) TRIPLE AXEL perhaps the best of a limited rest.

Selections	(3) Brown Falcon (4) Global Week (1) Chrysol Hero (2) White Falcon
Next Best	9, 6
Fast Start	1, 5, 6, 10

Seoul Race 4: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(9) KOHINOOR has shown steady improvement across four starts so far, culminating in a 3^rd place over 1200M on November 12^th. She likes to settle back and run on and the step up to this trip for the first time can be to her benefit. (3) YEONGGWANGUIPRINCE was a significantly improved 3^rd over 1300M on November 10^th when settling midfield from a wide agate and running on. He is another for who the additional distance can be a plus and he should be in this. (8) YONGBI KHAN beat thee of these on her way to a best finish of 3^rd over this distance on November 10^th and that’s enough to put her in the frame here. (5) GOOD KING MAN and (2) AQUARIUS others to keep safe on a place line.

Selections	(9) Kohinoor (3) Yeonggwanguiprince (8) Yongbi Khan (5) Good King Man
Next Best	2, 4
Fast Start	1, 3, 6, 9

(more…)