The weekend’s racing gets underway with a 10-race program at Busan on Friday from 10:50 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
Three-year-old maidens. (1) FAPPI BABE has raced twice before, finishing in 3rd place both times at this distance, settling behind the speed and running on. Third-up she can be peaking, and she won’t need to improve much to win this. There are three debut-makers and of them, (6) GYEONGBOK ATOS looks best equipped to make an immediate impact. He was an on-pace 3rd in his trial in a quick time and if he brings that form to the races, he will go close. (2) RED KING got a long way back on debut before running on for a fair 6th of ten and can have come on for that run. (8) SUCCESS QUEEN and (9) SWEET POWER are others who can improve.
| Selections | (1) Fappi Babe (6) Gyeongbok Atos (2) Red King (8) Success Queen |
| Next Best | 9, 7 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 9, 11 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(6) WORLD FIGHTER MAN has shown promise across three starts so far with a 3rd, a 4th and most recently at this distance on December 21st when coming from off the pace. Franco stays on and the slight step up in trip can be exactly what he needs to make his breakthrough. (10) TAEYANGUIYEOLJEONG has made steady progress across her three starts so far, culminating in a close 2nd at this distance on December 21st when coming from off the pace. In this company, where there isn’t much early speed, she may be further forward than before, and she can be in the finish. (5) GRAND CRU returned from a year out to run 4th over 1400M on December 21st. He can strip fitter for that run and be competitive here. (8) BIG SMILE and (9) FANTASTIC BOSS others in the frame.
| Selections | (6) World Fighter Man (10) Taeyangyeoljeong (5) Grand Cru (8) Big Smile |
| Next Best | 9, 4 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(6) FLASH TO ME was 4th on debut over 1200M and then a beaten favourite over this distance on December 5th when well positioned but a but one paced. Third-up she can be peaking, Seo Seung-un returns, and she can win. (3) FLARE UP enters off a 3rd place at this distance on December 21st when close to the pace throughput. From a good draw, he can lead here and can be in this a long way. (10) EUNSEONG JILJU and (9) BREEDO QUEEN STAR came home 2nd and 3rd when they raced one another at this distance on Boxing Day. They were both well-back behind a good winner, but can both be in the placing hunt again today. (7) KISS THE RAIN another in the hunt.
| Selections | (6) Flash To Me (3) Flare Up (10) Eunseong Jilju (9) Breedo Queen Star |
| Next Best | 7, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(5) ISIMNYEON JIGI was a winner at start number two over 1200M in November when making all the running, before running 4th on his first try at this class on December 12th. He was the beaten favourite that day and while he didn’t settle, he should get an easy run to the lead here and is worth another chance. (8) AEGIS CROWN similarly failed to settle last time out when well fancied and finished well back. Instead, we’ll go on his maiden win at the end of November and extend him the courtesy too of another chance. (3) TAMNA FIRST returns to action for the first time since last August. He looked well when 3rd in a trial at the end of last month and with an apprentice claim can go well first-up. (7) D’LOVELY KING and (4) STUKA are other place chances.
| Selections | (5) Isimnyeon Jigi (8) Aegis Crown (3) Tamna First (7) D’Lovely King |
| Next Best | 4, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 5, 8 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(1) TANTAN DAERO is yet to win in ten starts but has five top three finishes, including his latest two when 2nd at this trip in November and then 3rd over a mile on November 30th. From the inside gate, Choi Si-dae can pick his spot behind the speed and today can be his day. He will need to overturn the form on (8) BREEDO SOL who beat him over a mile in October when Breedo Sol led all the way to pick up his second consecutive win. That led him to be given a chance in the G2 Breeders’ Cup Rookie and while he finished down the field, he is back in shallower waters today and can be a danger. (4) ALL THE BEST stepped up to this trip for the first time on December 7th and led almost the entire way around, ultimately finishing in 2nd. He is up 2kh in weight but draws well to lead again. (5) MUHAN NAREUSHA and (6) ILNYEOM SINHWA are the other minor money chances.
| Selections | (1) Tantan Daero (8) Breedo Sol (4) All The Best (5) Muhan Nareusha |
| Next Best | 6, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 6, 8 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(10) WHITE FLARE had been working towards his maiden win at it duly arrived over 1300M on December 7th when on pace throughout. He is up in class here as well as slightly in trip but while he doesn’t get a weight break, it shouldn’t matter, and he can win again (9) POWER TREE also comes up in class having scored his maiden win, in his case at start three over this distance on December 19th. He doesn’t get much in the way of a weight drop either but has every chance of measuring up. (6) HANEUL GOLD also got his maiden win at this distance and while he was only 5th on his first try at this class a month ago, he comes into a better gate today and can be closer. (3) SCYTHAI and (5) BURUI SINJEON are the other place chances.
| Selections | (10) White Flare (9) Power Tree (6) Haneul Gold (3) Scythai |
| Next Best | 5, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 8, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
After running 2nd on debut over 1200M, (9) GLOBAL PRINCE was a winner at 1300M at start number two on December 12th, racing handy throughout. He comes up in class and in trip here, but neither should be a problem and down in weight, he can win again. (5) HEUIMANG DANBI got her maiden win at this class over 1400M two outings back before running 3rd on her first try at this distance on December 14th when she led for much of the way around. She can lead again here and will be in things a long way. (11) ENCORE has two 3rd places and a 2nd from his latest three, all at this class and most recently at this distance and he should be there or thereabouts again, despite not getting an apprentice claim this time. (10) DEIMOS and (2) HWANHUI BANK other chances.
| Selections | (9) Global Prince (5) Heuimang Danbi (11) Encore (10) Deimos |
| Next Best | 2, 8 |
| Fast Start | 3, 8, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(10) FORCE BE WITH YOU won on debut and then, after several near misses, finally followed up on December 21st when coming off the pace to score at this distance. 1800M has been his go with three placings to go with that win from four attempts and while he is up in class, he can go back-to-back. (2) DOCTOR CURLIN tackled this distance for the first time on December 7th, and he obliged, settling behind the speed and proving too strong. The win had been coming and while he is up in class, he remains under a light weight and he can measure up (5) SEOUL DRAGON has a 2nd and a 4th form his latest two, both at this class and distance, coming from well off the pace and he should be in the mix again. (9) UNJU CHALLENGE and (7) GLOBAL WEEK others in the frame.
| Selections | (10) Force Be With You (2) Doctor Curlin (5) Seoul Dragon (9) Unju Challenge |
| Next Best | 7, 8 |
| Fast Start | 6, 7, 9, 11 |
Busan Race 9: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
Competitive race. After finishing 5th of eight in Listed juvenile company last September, (5) KING’S KING has won twice at 1400M and 1300M which brings him rapidly up in class here. He draws well to be on the speed and under a light weight, he has every chance of completing his hat-trick. (11) CHEONGCHUNEUNJAYU also enters on a hat-trick, having won his latest two at 1200M and 1400M. He too is up in class, but he won from a wide gate last time and a repeat would be no surprise. (1) PLUTO has plenty of experience at this class and comes in following a 2nd place over this distance on December 14th. An apprentice claiming 4kg keeps his weight down and that should be enough to have him in contention. (8) FANTASTIC BLUE and (7) TWOTWO FLYING are others to consider on a place line.
| Selections | (5) King’s King (11) Cheongchuneunjayu (1) Pluto (8) Fantastic Blue |
| Next Best | 7, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 11 |
Busan Race 10: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(4) NEVER GIVE UP won three in a row between June and August and since then has run 3rd and 5th in two tries at this class, both over 1800M. He drops back slightly in trip today to a distance at which he has won in the past, and he can win here. (7) GEUDAEMANUI BLUE finally got this maiden win at the eleventh time of asking on December 7th It came over this trip and while he is up in class, he can measure up. (3) WONDERFUL BIDDER had a poor day at the office when behind a couple of these at class and distance back in November. Prior to that he was going to well and coming in fresh here following eight weeks out, he can be given another chance. (11) STAR FURY and (5) MAX THE DRAGON among others in the frame.
| Selections | (4) Never Give Up (7) Geudaemanui Blue (3) Wonderful Bidder (11) Star Fury |
| Next Best | 5, 6 |
| Fast Start | 6, 7, 9, 12 |
Horse Racing in Korea 