The 2024 racing season gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 11:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

The New Year kicks off with a full field of three-year-old maidens with ten of the twelve racing for the first time. Both the two with prior experience did well, coming home in 3^rd place in their respective debuts and they will be the top picks. (4) FLEX DAY settled midfield on her debut on October 29^th, settling midfield and running on well in a fair time. She has had ten weeks off so comes in fresh again and looks the one to beat. (10) BLACK JILJU raced on pace on her debut on December 1^st. Her time was slower than that of Flex Day and she has the challenge of a wide draw here, but she is the man danger. As for the first-time starters, (9) MIRACLE MARINE won a trial in December leading all the way and shapes as the most likely to make and immediate impact. (12) BLAZING MAN and (7) NAEPYEON others who hinted at ability in the mornings.

Selections	(4) Flex Day (10) Black Jilju (9) Miracle Marine (12) Blazing Man
Next Best	7, 5
Fast Start	1, 5, 9, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(10) KWAEHAN YEONGUNG will be a short price favourite here. He ran 3^rd on debut back in August and then didn’t return until December 10^th when he repeated the trick over this distance and with three of today’s rivals behind him. He may need some early luck from the wide gate, but he won’t need to improve much to win this. (9) SHACKLE ZONE comes in having run a much-improved 2^nd over this distance on December 1^st. The time wasn’t quick, but he finished off well and can be given another chance here. (3) OAK RIDGE and (8) MACH MAN came home 4^th and 5^th respectively behind Kwaehan Yeongung in that December 10^th race and both can be considered to match or better that here. (4) MORPHEUS among others in the placing hunt.

Selections	(10) Kwaehan Yeongung (9) Shackle Zone (3) Oak Ridge (8) Mach Man
Next Best	4, 6
Fast Start	4, 8, 10, 11

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Fillies only in this maiden. (8) DAEJIUIYEOJEONSA has a pair of 4^th places and a 3^rd from three starts so far, most recently over this distance on December 8^th when coming from well off the pace. She has proven capable to race on the speed as well and she is the one to beat here. (10) QUEEN’S FLETAR comes into contention following a strong 2^nd place at this distance on December 8^th. In doing so she recorded the fastest time among those who have tackled the distance before, and she has proven herself to have a strong finish. That makes her second pick here. (7) HEUIMANG FLYING was 3^rd behind Queen’s Flatter in that race, having led for part of the way around. That continued a consistent start to her career, and she should be there or thereabouts again today. (2) LIGHT BROWN and (6) SMART SMILE the others who can enter the calculations.

Selections	(8) Daejiuiyeojeonsa (10) Queen’s Fletar (7) Heuimang Flying (2) Light Brown
Next Best	6, 1
Fast Start	2, 5, 8, 9

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(10) ROAD STAR was a winner over 1200M at class 6 level in November before running 3^rd behind Baekduui Kkum in a Listed race for juvenile fillies at the start of December at big odds. She has run consistent times; she has been versatile in her running style and the slight step up to 1300M can suit here. (4) HANEUL EUTTEUM ran out a winner on debut over 1200M on December 1^st, settling handy and running on. He comes up in class and slightly in distance here but draws well and a repeat isn’t impossible. (7) GUKDAE HERO is up in class following a win at start number four in a quick race on a very wet track over this distance. He doesn’t get a weight drop, but a repeat of that effort will put him in the mix again. (11) BLUE CAPTAIN and (1) TWO TWO LIME others in the minor money frame.

Selections	(10) Road Star (4) Haneul Eutteum (7) Gukdae Hero (11) Blue Captain
Next Best	1, 9
Fast Start	2, 4, 5, 10

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(5) LEMON PIE was a winner back on debut and has since run well for a pair of 4^th places and a runner-up finish in three goes at this level. She draws well to get a nice run to the lead here and she is very much the one to beat. (1) YONGBI STAR comes up in class having scored her maiden win at start number six over this distance on December 3^rd, when slowly away but quickly on pace and proving too strong. The win had been coming and she can measure up in this company. (2) DOCTOR KONGDOLI can mix his form, but he has loads of experience at this level and looks nicely in under a light weight and in a good gate. (4) CHAS PALPAL and (6) MOST RAPID among others in the hunt.

(more…)