The final weekend of racing before the short Chuseok break gets under at Busan on Friday where there are 9 races from 11:15 to 17:55. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
Juvenile maiden fillies with all eleven racing for the first time. (10) TO WIN was held together very nicely in her trial, crossing the line 4th in a fair time but withing four-lengths of the experienced winner and getting stronger as the heat went on. Franco stays on and she could win on debut. (8) MIRACLE PACE was a fair 4th in her trial coming from off the pace. She was a touch slow away which is a concern at 1000M, but she looks to have ability. (9) FANTASTIC QUEENS finished off well in her trial, beating a couple of today’s fellow debut-makers in the process. Those three were the clear standouts from trials with (7) ROMANTIC TIARA and (11) GLOBAL LUNA others who hinted at ability.
| Selections | (10) To Win (8) Miracle Pace (9) Fantastic Queens (7) Romantic Tiara |
| Next Best | 11, 2 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 7, 10 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
Juvenile maiden colts here with all eleven racing for the first time. (4) ROYAL PRIDE was on pace in his trial, running a close 2nd to an experienced horse who came out and won at class 5 level a week later. He draws well to be on pace and looks a big chance here. (6) B.K RICH was the other standout in trials, similarly leading before crossing the line in 2nd, a length behind the very experienced Sincheon Freedom and that form should be good enough to challenge here. (11) TOHAMSAN STAR went trough two trials and was quick in both. He has the challenge of the widest gate but with Seo Seung-un engaged, he will have plenty of backers. (2) BUHWARUI SEOMAK and (10) SUPEX MAGIC others in the hunt.
| Selections | (4) Royal Pride (6) B.K Rich (11) Tohamsan Star (2) Buhwarui Seomak |
| Next Best | 10, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 6, 9 |
Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(11) RIVER RUN has been getting closer across his six starts to date with a 4th, a 3rd and a 2nd from his latest three, most recently when stepped up to a mile for the first time on August 16th. He likes to settle back and run on so the wide draw should be no problem, and he could go one better today. (5) FANTASTIC ROYAL didn’t do much in his first two starts but stepped up to 1300M on August 21st and was an improved 2nd, coming from midfield. The further step up in trip can suit and he can be close. (9) SHINY KOREA looks to be figuring things out at last with a 2nd and a 3rd from his latest two, the latter his first try over the mile behind River Run on August 16th and he should be a danger again here. (6) RESPECTING GIRL and (1) SEOGWI FOREST others in the hunt.
| Selections | (11) River Run (5) Fantastic Royal (9) Shiny Korea (6) Respecting Girl |
| Next Best | 1, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 7 |
Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(8) CHAMPUI HYANGGI enters off back-to-back 3rd places, most recently over this distance on August 28th when she beat three of today’s rivals, settling midfield and running on. She comes into a slightly better gate today and can potentially come out on top. (2) YEONGGWANGUICROWN has made steady progress across three starts today with her best being her latest when 4th in that August 28th race. She has four-lengths to make up on Champui Hyanggi, but she has a light weight, she draws well, and she looks to have plenty of scope for more improvement. (3) NAGAN CHUEOK comes in after a 2nd place over 1200M on July 17th when coming from well off the pace. She comes up significantly in trip, but it may well suit. (10) DOCTOR MUJEOK and (9) FLYING SKY others who can be in this.
| Selections | (8) Champui Hyanggi (2) Yeonggwanguicrown (3) Nagan Chueok (10) Doctor Mujeok |
| Next Best | 9, 6 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 11 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
This is a strong race for the level with all but three having finished inside the top three on their respective latest starts. (10) NINETEEN NINE WON has never been worse than 3rd in five starts and got his maiden win at start three over 1200M in April. He then had three months off but since returning has run 2nd twice at this class, most recently at 1400M on August 23rd. He comes up to a mile for the first time, and he can win. (3) DORAON SAMSON is yet to win in twenty-seven but has fourteen top five finishes and has placed in all his latest five. He draws a good gate and he can place again. (6) DUBAI DREAM is also yet to win, although in his case, from just six outings. He was 2nd on his first try at this class and distance on August 16th and can be there or thereabouts again. (9) BROWN CHOCO won on debut and then was 2nd at start two but blew the start on his return from almost three months out in August. He is worth another chance here. (7) MAGIC SHOW another in the hunt.
| Selections | (10) Nineteen Nine Won (3) Doraon Samson (6) Dubai Dream (9) Brown Choco |
| Next Best | 7, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 8, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 6: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(1) RACE NINE was 2nd on debut over 1000M in July before winning at start number two over this same trip on August 28th, when leading all the way and scoring by six-lengths in a very quick time. She is up in class and in trip but given the manner of that victory, she can measure up. (2) MUSKET STORM is one for one having ground out a victory on debut in a tight finish over 1000M on August 21st. He too is up in class and in distance, but should have come on for that run, and can be a danger. (8) POWER HIT needs a line through his latest but before that was 2nd at this class and distance and he may offer some each-way appeal to return to form. (9) YEOUN and (11) GOLDEN POINT others who can be considered on a place line.
| Selections | (1) Race Nine (2) Musket Storm (8) Power Hit (9) Yeoun |
| Next Best | 11, 7 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 8 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Fillies (and one mare) only here. (1) NORTHERN QUEEN is yet to win in eleven, but she has been getting closer and has a 3rd and a 2nd from her latest two, in very similar contests to this. If she can get a good start from the inside gate, she may not be caught. (4) BACK TO THE DREAM got her maiden win at start three over 1400M in April. She took a couple of goes to figure this level out but comes in having run 2nd over this distance on August 30th when handy throughout. She is up 2kg in weight but draws well and she can be in this. She will need to overturn the form on (2) GLOBAL HEORINE, who won that August 30th race. It was her maiden win at the twenty-seventh time of asking, and she is up 3kg in weight, but she draws well and can be in the finish again. The up in class (5) PILSEUNG WINNER, along with (8) PURE MARINE are others with at least place chances.
| Selections | (1) Northern Queen (4) Back To The Dream (2) Global Heroine (5) Pilseung Winner |
| Next Best | 8, 9 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 4, 5 |
Busan Race 8: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
After running 6th and 4th in two starts last year, (4) SHIN STAR ONE had five months off and is a perfect three for three since returning, most recently scoring from on pace on his first try at this class and distance on August 7th. He comes up a full 4.5kg in weight today, but he has won under this before – albeit at class 6 – and he looks to have scope for more. (6) D’LOVELY KING loves finishing 2nd, something he’s done in five of his twelve starts, most recently in his latest at this class and distance on August 14th. That was is first run in four months and while he may strip fitter for that run, he will probably find one too quick here again. (11) SUN LIGHT has never won but has nine place finishes, including last time out when 3rd over a mile on August 23rd and she can be close again. (9) TOHAMSAN NINJA and (5) TAMARKUZ KING are others to keep safe.
| Selections | (4) Shin Star One (6) D’Lovely King (11) Sun Light (9) Tohamsan Ninja |
| Next Best | 5, 11 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 9: Class 1 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 110 Million
(6) PRIME SECRET was an also-ran at G2 level in May but since then has won back-to-back races at this class and distance from the front, most recently on August 23rd. he has the considerable steadier of 59kg to carry today, but he can be equal to the challenge and make it three in a row. (4) CARDINAL FORCE has run 3rd and 2nd to Prime Secret in is latest two. He has just two-lengths to find on him from August 23rd and gets a weight swing plus Seo Seung-un climbing on which together may be enough to send him off as favourite. (2) YOUNG SKYWALKER disappointed in that August 23rd race, but he comes in here under a very light weight and well-drawn and he may be worth another chance on an each-way basis. (10) BEOLMAUI MONSTER and (7) JEONGMUN COBIT others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (6) Prime Secret (4) Cardinal Force (2) Young Skywalker (10) Beolmaui Monster |
| Next Best | 7, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 6, 7 |
Horse Racing in Korea 