The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8-races from 11.35 to 17.55. The first two-year-old race of the year kicks things off while the highest class race of the day is the class 2 race 7. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
The two-year-olds have arrived and it’s nine-first timers over the short course in the opener. (2) TIPPING POINT was the best in trials, showing on pace and beating a couple of today’s rivals when crossing the line 3rd in a fair time. She draws well to be on pace here and has every chance. (5) OASIS HEUIMANG is a half-brother to recent G2 runner-up Wonderful Groom. His train time was good enough and Seo Seung-un up will mean he has plenty of backers. (3) RUBY GONGJU also ran fairly in her heat, finishing well back behind the winner but posting a time quicker than any others here and that’s enough to have her in the numbers. (8) HAERANG RUBY and (9) DOCTOR QUE SERA others who hinted at ability in their heats.
| Selections | (2) Tipping Point (5) Oasis Heuimang (3) Ruby Gongju (8) Haerang Ruby |
| Next Best | 9, 7 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 7 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(1) HAENGBOK TREE debuted with a 4th place last November and then didn’t reappear until March when having been gelded, he ran an on-pace 2nd over this distance. He stepped up to a mile on April 19th and finished 4th. Back down in trip and well-drawn, he can be peaking third-up and he can win. (5) FLEX KHAN also debuted last year, in his case in September, and also ran 4th. He finally returned for start number two on April 26th and while he didn’t have the ultimate gear-change, he was a strong 3rd over 1200M. He should have come on for that run and is a danger. (7) SHIN STAR ONE ran 6tha dn 4th in two starts last year and can go well on return after a decent enough trial. The similarly named (4) CHAMPUI HEUIMANG and (2) CHAMPUI YEONGGWANG are others in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Haengbok Tree (5) Flex Khan (7) Shin Star One (4) Champui Heuimang |
| Next Best | 2, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (8) DOLPHIN KICK is a fourteen-race maiden but has eleven top five finishes, including last time out on May 1st when a close 2nd at this class and distance and beating several of today’s rivals. In the absence of an apprentice claim, she comes up 3kg in the weights, but today can be the day, (5) MAGIC SHOW is also yet to win, in her case from ten attempts. She has six top four finishes and was 2nd at this class over 1400M on April 24th. She carries a light weight and can be firmly in the mix. (4) DOKKI TIGER is up in class having broken through at start seven over 1400M on May 8th, racing on pace. She draws well and may offer some each-way appeal. (10) ARE YOU READY and (3) NEW LEADER were behind Dolphin Kick on May 1st but could get closer today.
| Selections | (8) Dolphin Kick (5) Magic Show (4) Dokki Tiger (10) Are You Ready |
| Next Best | 3, 11 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(1) OASIS STAR broke through at start three and has a 4th and back-to-back 2nd places in three subsequent tries at this level. The most recent of those was on May 1st when he stepped up to the mile for the first time and raced handy throughout. He should have derived benefit from that experience and will be a short price to go one better here. (8) K ROYAL is a twelve-race maiden, and he does mix his form, but he comes in off a 2nd place at this class over 1800M on May 8th and if he races to that level again, he is the danger. (11) BIG SMILE comes up in class despite being winless, but he enters off back-to-back runner-up finishes at 1400M and under a light weight, the mile just might suit at probably decent odds. (2) BREEDO ARENA and (6) BEOLGYO MABEOPSA others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (1) Oasis Star (8) K Royal (11) Big Smile (2) Breedo Arena |
| Next Best | 6, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(1) YOUNGYOUNG BRAVO won three in a row between Boxing Day and March 6th before seeing his streak come to an end on April 19th when 2nd over a mile behind the potentially very good import Saesidae Won. He comes back to a trip over which he is one for one and in the absence of anything like that day’s winner, he can get back to winning ways here. (7) NAEPYEON was ordinary on his return from four months out on May 10th but should strip fitter for that run and has finished 2nd on no fewer than five occasions over this distance. (6) GEUMSEONG got his maiden win at this distance on April 17th. Having only missed the top five on one occasion that win had been coming and while up in class, he can measure up. (2) ALL THE BEST and (11) SHACKLE SUN others in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Youngyoung Bravo (7) Naepyeon (6) Geumseong (2) All The Best |
| Next Best | 11, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 8, 11 |
Busan Race 6: Class 3 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(6) DAESEONG GOLD has won four from six in total including each of his latest three, most recently an all the way score over 1400M on April 24th. He comes up in both class and in distance here, but he draws well, he is down 3.5kg in weight, and he can continue on his merry way here. (3) SEOBU VISION returned from four months out to run 4th over 1200M on May 3rd. He has won over this trip, and he can strip fitter today. (4) VICE ROYAL has only won twice but he is a model of consistency, placing in all four starts since his latest success and he should be there or thereabouts again. The up in class (8) BEOLGYO WANGCHO, along with (1) JULGEOUN DONGHANG are among others to consider on a place line.
| Selections | (6) Daeseong Gold (3) Seobu Vision (4) Vice Royal (8) Beolgyo Wangcho |
| Next Best | 1, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 6, 8 |
Busan Race 7: Class 2 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
It’s been a while since (5) DOCTOR CAPTAIN scored, but he enters with recent form reading well, most notably his latest on May 3rd when coming from midfield to run 2nd at this class and distance and beat plenty of today’s rivals in the process. From a similar draw and under a similar weight, he can go one better today. (6) B.J. CHIEF was 3rd in that race, coming from off the pace. That continued a positive run of form, and he can be in the mix again here. (7) GRAY BOSS was 5th in that race, following up a 3rd place in April. He comes down slightly in weight and can be a danger today. (4) MR.KEYMAN and (9) POSTMAN others who can be considered in a race of many chances.
| Selections | (5) Doctor Captain (6) B.J. Chief (7) Gray Boss (4) Mr.Keyman |
| Next Best | 9, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(8) WORLD BLUE PIN CAT is a winner of three from ten most recently at this class and distance in filly only company on April 14th when handy throughout. Facing the boys today, she stays under the same light weight and she can win again. (2) STRAWBERRY QUEEN was an also-ran in the Luna Stakes and then ran 4th when returning to shallower waters at this class and distance on May 3rd. Nicely drawn again, she can get closer here. (4) SEOGWI OREUM enters off back-to-back 4th places at this class over a mile and while he is yet to place over this distance, he can match or better those here. The rest will need to pick up in form from their respective latest efforts. (11) KKEUTPAN YEOGEOL and (10) RICH TREE perhaps the most likely.
| Selections | (8) World Blue Pin Cat (2) Strawberry Queen (4) Seogwi Oreum (11) Kkeutpan Yeogeol |
| Next Best | 10, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 8, 11 |
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