The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with an 8-race card from 11:15 to 17:55. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Maidens with three of the ten racing for the first time. (4) NINETEEN NINE WON has raced twice and finished 2nd twice in filly only maidens, both over this trip, first showing handy and then coming from midfield. She should be on pace and against this set of opponents, she should have far too much. (3) NORTHERN QUEEN has a 4th place on her record and while she only managed 7th of twelve last time out over 1300M when she was on pace, she did beat a couple of today’s rivals. Back in trip today, she should be closer. (1) SO POWERFULL did nothing in three starts last year and not all that much on his return on March 13th. He should strip fitter for that run though and can improve. Debut-makers (9) AEGIS CHEONMA and (8) UNJU DAEBAK are two debut-makers who hinted at ability in trials.
| Selections | (4) Nineteen Nine Won (3) Northern Queen (1) So Powerfull (9) Aegis Cheonma |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Competitive maiden. (5) OASIS HAPPY did nothing on debut at the end of last year but agter going back to trial, was a much-improved 2nd on March 15th when he ran on from midfield and beat three of today’s rivals. He stays under an apprentice claim, and he can go one better today. (4) NICE MYEONGGA has a 2nd and two 4th places from three starts so far, finishing off her races well. She comes up to the 1400M for the first time, and it can suit. (11) THEMIS stepped up to this trip for the first time on March 6th and recorded her best finish to date when an on-pace 2nd. She has the challenge of a wider draw this time, but she can be in the finish again. (1) WONDERFUL BAND and (6) STRONG WINNER among others firmly in the frame.
| Selections | (5) Oasis Happy (4) Nice Myeongga (11) Themis (1) Wonderful Band |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 9, 11 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
After two good trials, (9) WONDERFUL FASHION ran 2nd on debut over 1400M on March 15th, racing handy throughout and beating a couple who re-oppose here. He should have come on for the run, the step up to a mile can suit, and he is favoured to go one better today. (10) DOKKI TIGER was one of those back down the field on that March 15th race when she got a long way back from a wide draw and never threatened. We’ll go on her 3rd place two starts ago and give her another chance here on what is her first try at a mile and Seo Seung-un’s first time up. (5) DOLGYEOK SPECIAL comes in off three consecutive 4th place finishes, most recently on her first try at this distance on March 20th and she can be aiming to at least match that here. (1) QUEEN THE GOLD and (12) DOCTOR CARA can arrest recent slumps.
| Selections | (9) Wonderful Fashion (10) Dokki Tiger (5) Dolgyeok Special (1) Queen The Gold |
| Next Best | 12, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 9, 12 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) ROAD TO CLEO was a winner on debut last October before rounding out her juvenile campaign with two very average runs and was lame after the latter. She looked very well when going through a March 26th trial and first-up from a good draw, she has every chance. (10) MAGIC SWEETIE got her second career win at start twenty-nine in January before following up with 2nd place ahead of a couple of these on March 8th. She carries 3.5kg more than when she won, but she’s clearly in form and can be close. (3) B K. SPIRIT has been well backed on both her last two starts but has disappointed both times with not a huge amount of excuses bar a wide gate last time. He was 2nd at this class and distance in December and from a good draw can get forward and go much better. (5) TAEYANG EUTTEUM and (9) STORM POINT perhaps the best of an out of form rest.
| Selections | (2) Road To Cleo (10) Magic Sweetie (3) B K. Spirit (5) Taeyang Eutteum |
| Next Best | 9, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 5, 11 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(9) BORYEONG ULTRA MAN has four top three finishes from five starts and got his maiden win over this distance on January when leading all the way. He followed up with 2nd place on his first go at this class on March 20th and while his only previous try at this trip was his only previous bad run, he should have too much for this set of opponents. (5) FLEX TAP was a class and distance winner in all-filly company two outings back and then ran a fair 4th on March 22nd. In this company she can be on pace, and she can be in the finish again. (12) STUKA has been hinting at a return to form of late with a 3rd and a 4th among his lates three. His best results have come when he has been on pace so the widest gate is a challenge, but he should be beating plenty of these. (6) TOHAMSAN SONIC and (1) FINAL ATTACK are place chances.
| Selections | (9) Boryeong Ultra Man (5) Flex Tap (12) Stuka (6) Tohamsan Sonic |
| Next Best | 1, 4 |
| Fast Start | 5, 9, 11, 12 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) GWANGSOKMA has won just once in twenty-four attempts, but he comes in following a 2nd and a 3rd from his latest two, both at this class and distance and both times racing handy. He draws better than last time to be on the speed, and he can potentially go all the way. (5) SUCCESS COW similarly doesn’t win out of turn with one from seventeen, but enters after a 2nd place, beaten four-lengths by Bunker Buster but well clear of the rest of the field, over 1400M on March 15th. He is up 2kg on that but there is nothing of Bunker Buster’s caliber here and he is a big danger. (1) CARAT KING is still a maiden after ten starts but comes up in class following a 2nd and a 3rd from his latest two. He is lightly weighted and this isn’t much harder than the maidens he has been running in. (3) DOCTOR ACE and (8) NEW LEADER others in the hunt.
| Selections | (2) Gwangsokma (5) Success Cow (1) Carat King (3) Doctor Ace |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 10 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(11) RUSH WILD won on debut over 1300M in a filly only maiden in February, leading all the way, before finishing 2nd when stepped up to a mile on her first try at this class on March 13th when she led from a similarly wide draw. She comes up in trip, but she looks to have scope for much more progress and she can win. She will have to overturn the form on (8) DOCTOR CARRY, who won that March 13th race by just over a length, coming from well off the pace. He has an extra 3kg to contend with here but the step up in trip should suit and making it three in a row isn’t impossible. (6) GRAND CRU was 3rd in that race. He’s never been outside of the top five and can put in another vintage effort here for Hye-sun and Jae-i. (3) ALICE MARINE is the only one in the field to have won over the trip and can offer some each-way appeal. (5) SWORD WING a place chance.
| Selections | (11) Rush Wild (8) Doctor Carry (6) Grand Cru (3) Alice Marine |
| Next Best | 5, 4 |
| Fast Start | 3, 6, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(8) NANEUN KKUM finally got this maiden win at start ten at this class and distance on March 13th when settling midfield and running on to beat plenty of these. He comes up 3kg in weight, but Franco stays on and, in this company, he can be further forward from the start and he can win again. (4) SUN LIGHT is a determined non-winner of fourteen but has eleven top five finishes. She’s placed in her last three, all over this distance and most recently her first try at this class on March 20th. She’ll be there or thereabouts again. (5) CONNECT MARINE was 2nd behind Naneun Kkum in that March 13th race, beaten just a length-and-a-half at any old odds and he warrants more respect here. (1) DOCTOR CURLIN and (9) FLYING THE KHAN others in the frame in a competitive finale.
| Selections | (8) Naneun Kkum (4) Sun Light (5) Connect Marine (1) Doctor Curlin |
| Next Best | 9, 3 |
| Fast Start | 6, 8, 10, 12 |
Horse Racing in Korea 