President’s Cup weekend gets underway at Busan on Friday with a 9-race card from 11:15 to 17:55. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
(7) INDIAN CATCHER is a Race Day filly with Thomas Gillespie that has trialled twice with the best of those being her most recent heat on September 17 when a finishing a one-length second and she can go close on debut under Seo Seung-un. (10) ALL OKAY is a Hansen colt with Kim Do-hyun that has also trialled twice with the most recent of those being a front-running two-and-a-half length win. He finished a head in advance of Indian Catcher when they competed in a trial on August 13, Indian Catcher gets a weight swing here, and must be respected. (9) BODY AND SOUL was fourth in a trial on August 27 whilst (8) BREATHLESS has one-and-a-half lengths to find with Indian Catcher from her one and only trial on September 17. (1) MODERN BOY is arguably the best of the quartet of raced runners going on his fifth on debut with (2) MALIKA next best.
| Selections | (7) Indian Catcher (10) All Okay (9) Body And Soul (8) Breathless |
| Next Best | 1, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
(2) DAESEONG SKY has trialled once and raced once for a second on each occasion and if he does not race as greenly as what he did on his debut, he can go one better with Seo Seung-un riding. (1) PEGASUS YEOWANG has also trialled once and raced once and in her case, she has finished in third on each occasion and rates as a chance. (8) PERFECT NORTHERN made up some ground in the second of her trials behind a subsequent impressive winner so should not be denied a chance with the Franco da Silva ridden Thomas Gillespie trained debutante (9) BLACK QUEENS, an Old Fashioned filly that has trialled once for a seventh, rating next over Baik Kwang-yeol prepared newcomer (7) DOCTOR SPICY, which has also trialled once for a seventh, and (5) B.K BIG AIR, who has raced once for a fifth.
| Selections | (2) Daeseong Sky (1) Pegasus Yeowang (8) Perfect Northern (9) Black Queens |
| Next Best | 7, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
Busan Race 3: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(1) RUSH WILD bounced back to her best last start with a brilliant eight-length victory from the front following a couple of below par performances. Her confidence should be sky-high following that win and from the inside draw she is a good chance of leading throughout once more despite coming up in class. (8) DAISY TIARA remains a maiden but continues to finish close to the mark and can do so again. (3) SUN LIGHT has proven to be a non-winner to date but from a place perspective always has to be considered whilst (5) P.D SPECIAL and (9) PACHOUI KKUM finished second and fourth at feature level last time and have as good a chances as any and (2) LAMPYOJEONGGEENIE is far from hopeless in an excellent race.
| Selections | (1) Rush Wild (8) Daisy Tiara (3) Sun Light (5) P.D Special |
| Next Best | 9, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 9 |
Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(6) TIGER BLUE has raced twice for a seventh and a fifth and did win a trial back in June and that form is good enough to go close in this for Franco da Silva and Bart Rice. (9) CAPTAIN WARRIOR is first-up since January when he pulled up lame in the near fore but was well fancied in a few of the races he contested in his first campaign and was a narrow runner-up in a trial at the end of August. Masa Tanaka rides (7) FLYING SKY which was second three weeks ago when having his first run for six months and on that run will likely start as the popular pick. (2) OASIS TIME is only a juvenile but has the most consistent form so is not to be denied with (1) FANTASTIC BEACH the other main runner over (3) HANGANG BRAVO.
| Selections | (6) Tiger Blue (9) Captain Warrior (7) Flying Sky (2) Oasis Time |
| Next Best | 1, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
Busan Race 5: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million
(1) BLUE TREE won one of her two trials prior to her first race where she came out and ran a six-length second to Infinite Winner who has subsequently won impressively again so the form looks rock solid, and she is the one to beat. (6) WONDERFUL PAS has finished third in each of her last two and comes in with an each-way chance whilst (4) GREY WIND is the mount of Franco da Silva and has been fourth and second in each of her two runs to date so she comes in with as good a chance as any. (3) ACE LOVE has had a pair of runs for two fifth places whilst (8) RUBY GONGJU and (10) HOESAEK JILJU have not been fair away and are the other principal players over (11) PPARIT PPARIT and (9) ROAD TO STEALTH.
| Selections | (1) Blue Tree (6) Wonderful Pas (4) Grey Wind (3) Ace Love |
| Next Best | 8, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 6: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(3) HIT THE RUNNING has raced twice for two fourth places and that form is by far the best on offer in this so he will start a short-priced favourite. Franco da Silva rides (9) FAST ROAD which has trialled on three occasions with the best of those being his most recent when finishing fifth four weeks ago. (10) GOAT MAN had two runs in his first preparation during the winter and one of those yielded a fourth, so he rates next over (6) ONNURI PARTY and (4) BLACK WINNER with (1) GOGO CHAMP best of the outsiders.
| Selections | (3) Hit The Running (9) Fast Road (10) Goat Man (6) Onnuri Party |
| Next Best | 4, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(6) DOCTOR CARRY brings consistent form to the table and was best of the rest behind a very smart prospect last start and whilst carrying three kilograms extra than his course, distance, and grade victory from May he can win. (11) SKYLOR JIYOU was a track, trip, and class winner three runs ago on June 14 prior to a sixth and then a second last start behind a subsequent winner and ahead of three reopposing rivals. He carries three-and-a-half kilograms more than what he won under in June but with Seo Seung-un riding can go close. The Thomas Gillespie trained (8) HEY BRO must be given a solid chance as should (3) ALL ROUND ONE and (7) UNJU MAGIC with (10) OASIS STAR next best.
| Selections | (6) Doctor Carry (11) Skylor Jiyou (8) Hey Bro (3) All Round One |
| Next Best | 7, 10 |
| Fast Start | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
Busan Race 8: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(2) BORYEONGUI SINYONG disappointed as favourite last start but was only two-lengths behind a subsequent winner at her previous run and prior to that she had competed in both the Luna Stakes (Korean 1000 Guineas) and The Oaks, so she rates as a big chance with Seo Seung-un hoping aboard. (4) BORYEONG THE QUEEN was an eleven-length maiden winner two runs ago before finishing fourth on her first attempt at this grade. (6) DOKKI TIGER from the yards of Bart Rice rates next over (1) GOLD ROGER who has been consistent without winning with (3) MORE AND MORE best of the rest over (10) BREEDO ARENA.
| Selections | (2) Boryeongui Sinyong (4) Boryeong The Queen (6) Dokki Tiger (1) Gold Roger |
| Next Best | 3, 10 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11 |
Busan Race 9: Class 1 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 110 Million
(3) GANGSEO GIANT ran a fine third to Biwol and Nice Buddy over 1400M last month when first-up since finishing sixth in the Group Three Busan Ilbo in March. Her best form has seen her run third in the Group Three Kookje Shinmun twelve months ago and she will start as favourite. (6) JEULGEOUNYEOJEONG has not been too far away in two runs this year with a fourth in a form line race in July before finishing fifth in the Group Three Jeju Governor’s Cup, a race she has won twice in the past. It is a hard ask under the topweight of fifty-seven-and-a-half kilograms, but it would not be a surprise if the star mare from a couple of years ago could record her first win in eighteen months. (1) BEOLGYOUI KKUM was not too far away in the Group Three SBS Sprint and Group Two Chairman’s Sprint earlier in the year and even last start in the Korean Sprint he was not far away in the scheme of things, so he is a strong each-way chance. (8) BORN DIA was the winner of the Chairman’s Sprint but bombed out in the July form line race prior to not being able to lead in the Korean Sprint and effectively being gone from there. The small field should suit and if she dictates terms out in front she can bounce back. (7) KING ANYDAY and (2) MIRACLE MARINE are best of the other quintet.
| Selections | (3) Gangseo Giant (6) Jeulgeounyeojeong (1) Beolgyoui Kkum (8) Born Dia |
| Next Best | 7, 2 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 |
