The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8-races from 11:25 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Three-year-old maidens with three of the twelve racing for the first time. One of those first-timers is (2) HEUIMANG TAEYO, who overcame a wide draw in his trial to run on pace and cross the line 2nd in a quick time and just a couple of lengths behind the class 2 veteran B.J. CHIEF. From a great draw, if he brings that form to the races, he can win. (10) ALL ROUND ONE raced once last October for a fair 4th. He has been gelded in the interim and looked well when trialing up at the start of this month. (6) VICTORY STORY was an improved 4th at start number two on April 20th, beating a couple of today’s rivals in the process, and he can get closer today. (3) S. BELLE and debut-maker (11) WORLD TOP TIER are others to consider.
| Selections | (2) Heuimang Taeyo (10) All Round One (6) Victory Story (3) S. Belle |
| Next Best | 11, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 7 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(11) NAMHAE MAGIC has a 3rd and a 2nd from two starts so far, both at 1200M and most recently coming from off the pace behind a good winner on April 6th. The wide draw shouldn’t be a problem, Seo Seung-un climbs on, and with an extra half-furlong to play with, he can go one better here. (3) APDOJEOK NUMBERONE has two 4th places and a 2nd from three outings to date, showing handy or on pace each time. He draws very well and can be in the finish again. (5) TANTAN DAERO was an improved 2nd at start two at this distance on April 27th, doing his best work late, and he too can be a danger here. (9) HIGH TENSION and (7) BORYEONG MIRACLE others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (11) Namhae Magic (3) Apdojeok Numberone (5) Tantan Daero (9) High Tension |
| Next Best | 7, 4 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(4) CHOGYEOKCHA won back-to-back races at the end of last year to get rapidly promoted to this class and has since been the beaten favourite in three outings – including in Busan’s Classic Trial. He enters off a quick 3rd place over a mile on April 13th and coming into much more amenable company, he will be favourite again. (2) HONORED KHAN was a class and distance winner in February and while he is up 3.5kg from that mark and had a hard time last start, he can be given a chance. (1) BREEDO ODIN returned from four months out to run an improved 3rd at a mile on April 18th when sent off as the longest but one shot on the board. He comes up to 1800M for the first time but should strip fitter for that run. (9) DAESEUNGNIJA and (6) NANGMAN DAERO other potentials for the minors.
| Selections | (4) Chogyeokcha (2) Honored Khan (1) Breedo Odin (9) Daeseungnija |
| Next Best | 6, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(9) UNLIMITED RUN got his maiden win at start number three over 1300M and has since run 3rd in two outings at this class and 1400M and most recently this distance on April 18th. In this company he can settle just behind the speed, and it can be third time lucky at this class. (10) CHOEGANG TRIPLE is up in class following a maiden in at start five over this distance on April 20th when overcoming the widest gate to race on pace. He comes down 3kg in weight, and he can measure up. (4) BREEDO MIRACLE is yet to win but is up in class following back-to-back runner up finishes at this distance in contrasting styles. He to is down 3kg in weight and he can be competitive. (8) HAMAN YEOHANGSAN and (2) SING FOR ME others to consider.
| Selections | (9) Unlimited Run (10) Choegang Triple (4) Breedo Miracle (8) Haman Yeohangsan |
| Next Best | 2, 11 |
| Fast Start | 2, 7, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Fillies (and one mare) only here and it’s competitive. (1) QUEEN SPICY ran 4th on debut before getting her maiden win at start two at 1300M on April 18th, leading all the way. She is up in class and slightly in trip, but is down in weight, draws well to lead again, and she can be in this a long way. (8) THE NOMINATE is the danger. After getting her maiden win, she then ran a close 2nd at this class and distance on April 20th, settling midfield and running on. She only comes up 1kg in weight and has every chance. She will need to overturn form on (2) RIGHT CHAMP, who was the 16/1 winner of that April 20th race, when ridden further forward than usual. She is up 3kg in weight but that’s balanced by a much better gate, and she warrants more respect this time. (7) WORLD PINK CAT and (5) WANNABE WITH YOU among plenty of others who can go well.
| Selections | (1) Queen Spicy (8) The Nominate (2) Right Champ (7) World Pink Cat |
| Next Best | 5, 10 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 6: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(7) BATTLE CRY has won three in a a row, two at this distance and one at 1300M, to get rapidly promoted to this class. He comes down 3kg in weight, draws fairly enough to lead again and can potentially go all the way. (1) HEUIMANG GARAM was a class and distance winner two starts back before running 4th when stepped up to mile on April 25th. He carries his fair share of weight, but he draws well to be on pace, and he shapes as the main danger. (11) COLUMBIA CHAMP enters off a close 2nd at this class over 1200M on April 18th. He has the challenge of the widest gate, but he has won over this trip before and he can be a danger late. (3) MORNING FLOW has two wins and four placings at this distance and under a light weight and from a good gate can be close. (10) BEAT DRAGON is better than his latest suggests.
| Selections | (7) Battle Cry (1) Heuimang Garam (11) Columbia Champ (3) Morning Flow |
| Next Best | 10, 2 |
| Fast Start | 5, 7, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) BEOLGYO MASULSA has won two of his latest three, all at 1400M, to come rapidly up into this class. He is down in weight, Munro stays on, and he has every chance of continuing on his merry way here. (1) WONDERFUL CUTIE is now a six-year-old, but she rarely runs a bad race and has been getting closer across her latest few. Her most recent was a runner-up finish at this class and distance on April 18th with a couple of today’s rivals back down the track, and she can be there or thereabouts again. (10) ALL TIME LEGEND had a hard time behind a couple of these in a quick race on what was his first try at this class and distance on April 13th. The margins weren’t huge, and he may well have benefited from the experience. (11) CAPTAIN DIA and (4) WONDERFUL GROOM others in the hunt.
| Selections | (6) Beolgyo Masulsa (1) Wonderful Cutie (10) All Time Legend (11) Captain Dia |
| Next Best | 4, 7 |
| Fast Start | 4, 7, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 8: Class 2 (2000M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(11) SMART BOSS won three in a row between December and March, two of them at 1800M, before running 3rd in the NZTR Trophy, also at 1800M on April 13th. He is up to 2000M for the first time, but there is nothing about him that suggests it won’t suit, Seo Seung-un, who has ridden him to all three wins stays on, and he can return to winning ways today. (1) YEONGGWANGUIFIRST beat several of today’s rivals on his way to victory at this class and distance on April 27th when settling back and running on. He has the steadier of a big weight rise of 6kg but shouldn’t be dismissed. By contrast, (9) BACCHUS comes down 6kg as he comes up in class following a runner-up finish at 1800M in March. He tackles 2000M for the first time and he can be in the finish. (8) HUNTER DRAGON and (5) BACKTOTHELEGEND others to consider.
| Selections | (11) Smart Boss (1) Yeonggwanguifirst (9) Bacchus (8) Hunter Dragon |
| Next Best | 5, 2 |
| Fast Start | 5, 8, 9, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 