The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 112:50 to 19:25. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
Juvenile maiden fillies with five of the nine racing for the first time. (5) RACE NINE ran 2nd on debut over this distance on July 10th in a very similar juvenile filly maiden to this, showing on pace throughout. She should be on pace again here, she should have come on for the run, and she will be a short price to go one better. (3) GREY WIND was a fair 4th on her debut at this distance on July 24th when handy all the way. She too should have derived benefit from the experience, and she shapes as the main danger. Among the first-timers, (4) CHEONNYEON YEOJE was a close 3rd in her trial having led for much of the way and she can be on the speed here. (8) OASIS CELEB was well beaten by G2 Ttukseom Cup winner Fantastic Value in her trial but showed enough to suggest she has some promise. (1) PURPLE QUEEN another who hinted at ability in her trial.
| Selections | (5) Race Nine (3) Grey Wind (4) Cheonnyeon Yeoje (8) Oasis Celeb |
| Next Best | 1, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 5 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Tricky one. (9) DOCTOR ATE dead-heated for 4th at start number two over 1400M on July 24th when coming from well off the pace. Third-up he can be peaking and the step up to a mile can be in his favour. He will need to overturn the form on (4) YONGBI CHEONMA, who ran 3rd in that July 24th race having shown close to the speed throughout. That was his second start, and he too can continue to make progress here. (5) GIROL SIDAE has already placed twice at this distance with a 2nd and a 3rd in June and July. She struggled from the widest gate last time out but is worth another chance here. (3) ONE PLUS ONE and (10) RED KING – the latter having been the other horse in that dead-heat for 4th on July 24th – are among plenty of others with at least placing chances.
| Selections | (9) Doctor Ate (4) Yongbi Cheonma (5) Girol Sidae (3) One Plus One |
| Next Best | 10, 11 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 5 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) BORYEONGUI SINYONG has six top three finishes from eight starts, missing out only in the second two legs of the Triple Tiara. She returned to shallower waters on June 21st and ran 2nd to Powerful Battle over a mile at this class, and coming in fresh after ten weeks off, she can return to winning ways today. (1) BEST TIGER broke through at start four over this distance on July 24th, scoring well from a handy position. An apprentice claim ensures that her carried weight comes down, and from the inside gate, she can measure up in this company. (5) NAMHAE MAGIC is yet to win in thirteen attempts, but he has no fewer than nine top four finishes including his latest when a very close 2nd at this class and distance on July 17th. He may find one or two too quick again but should be close. (3) FLEX KHAN and (7) WORLD TREE are the other main chances.
| Selections | (2) Boryeongui Sinyong (1) Best Tiger (5) Namhae Magic (3) Flex Khan |
| Next Best | 7, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 11 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
It’s been a long time since (6) HANEUL POLPUNG got his sole win and he endured a run of very cold form, but his recent efforts have been goof with two 3rd places followed by a 5th at this class and distance on July 26th when he beat two of today’s rivals. He won’t need to improve much on that to win here. Nothing else enters in much form. (5) CHOEGANG HAPPY was 6th in that July 26th race. His sole win to date came over this trip and that’s enough to have him in the numbers here. (9) NEW LEADER was 3rd two outings back at this class and distance and while she got sent back to trial following her latest, she came through the heat well and should be challenging in this company (1) GAON BOSS and (11) BIG STAR other placing chances.
| Selections | (6) Haneul Pokpung (5) Choegang Happy (9) New Leader (1) Gaon Boss |
| Next Best | 11, 3 |
| Fast Start | 1, 6, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) MORE QUICKLY is yet to win – or even finish 2nd – in nineteen starts but she really has as good a chance as any here. She has three 3rd places from her latest four, most recently when racing on pace over a mile on August 14th and making a quick return here, today can be her day. Most of (10) HOLIDAY QUEEN’s recent assignments have been at a higher level than this and so long as she doesn’t get too far back, she can be challenging for the places in this company. (3) YONGBI SKY was a winner at start number three over 1200M on July 12th before finishing midfield on is first try at this class over 1300M on August 7th. He comes up to the mile for the first time today and under a light weight, he can be in the finish (9) ARIONUI BIT and (11) CARAT KING are perhaps the best of a limited rest.
| Selections | (2) More Quickly (10) Holiday Queen (3) Yongbi Sky (9) Arionui Bit |
| Next Best | 11, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 11 |
Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(1) DAEROUI BIT has been ultra consistent across eight starts so far, all of them over this distance, registering his second win two starts back, before running 4th on his first try on July 24th when he was much further back than usual. From the inside gate he can be on pace today and he can win. He will need to overturn the form on (9) QUEEN SPICY. She continued a very consistent run of form when 2nd in that July 24th race and while she could only manage 4th on her return on August 14th, she should be in the mix again and is another who should be on the early speed. (5) RUNNERS HIGH went around in the KRA Cup Mile and with a 4th and a 3rd since back in more amenable company, he can be challenging. (11) MILK DAY and (2) ALL THE BEST among other place chances.
| Selections | (1) Daeroui Bit (9) Queen Spicy (5) Runners High (11) Milk Day |
| Next Best | 2, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 9 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(10) SKYLOR JIYOU was a winner at this class and distance two starts back before being a beaten favourite at his latest on July 10th when getting crowded early and not being able to do much from there. Seo Seung-un is on for the first time today and he is worth another chance. (2) JANGGO MAN races for the first time since May, when he was fractious in the barrier and finished well back. Prior to that he had two wins and two placings from four starts and having been back in work since mid-July, he has every chance of going well first-up today. (9) MAGIC MIRROR is up in class having won his latest two, both over this distance. He doesn’t get a weight break, but he can measure up at this level. (7) TOHAMSAN SONIC and (8) BARBELL MOMO others in the hunt.
| Selections | (10) Skylor Jiyou (2) Janggo Man (9) Magic Mirror (7) Tohamsan Sonic |
| Next Best | 8, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 8 |
Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (8) CLEARLY WINNER won the Luna Stakes before running 2nd in the Korean Oaks. She missed the final leg of the Triple Tiara, but she came back into work at the end of July and back in regular company today she can make a winning return. (2) MOMEMENTUM has put together a decent record of eight top five finishes from ten starts including three wins. She is up in class having scored over 1200M on July 19th but is down in weight and she can be more than competitive here. (6) WORLD BLUE PIN CAT comes up in class too having registered a win and two placings in her latest three. She is a three-time winner over this trip and can be a danger. (7) QUEEN TYCHE and (3) UNION CHAMP others in the frame.
| Selections | (8) Clearly Winner (2) Momentum (6) World Blue Pin Cat (7) Queen Tyche |
| Next Best | 3, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 8 |
Horse Racing in Korea 