It’s Friday so the weekend’s action is about to get underway. Sunday is a big day at Seoul with the season ending Grand Prix race bringing together some of the track’s top performers in 2008. We’ll have a full preview of the big race later today. For now, here are the start times for the next three days:

Busan Race Park
Friday 19 December: 10 races, first post time 13:00
Sunday 21 December: 6 races, first post time 12:20

Seoul Race Park
Saturday 20 December: 12 races, first post time 11:00
Sunday 21 December: 12 race, first post time 11:00 – the Grand Prix is race 10 and will go to post at 16:35.

Jeju Race Park hosts pony racing on Saturday and Sunday with first post time 12:20. It’s going to be a cold weekend at Seoul with a chance of snow showers on Sunday. It will be much warmer down at Busan with rain likely on Sunday.

Gyeongnam Citizen Ilbo Cup at Busan / Shaving Points is back at Seoul

Busan Race Park
Friday December 12: Busan’s Friday card gets the weekend action underway as usual. The first of ten is off at 13:00.
Sunday December 14: Feature race of the weekend is the Gyeongnam-Do Min Ilbo Cup, a 1400 metre handicap for overseas bred horses. Florida Native is top weight and, following his unexpected win in the Busan Metropolitan last month, Hard Ride shares the second highest impost with Dongbang Geona. In a competitive field of thirteen, they are joined by the Japanese filly Jilju Hara as well as Ima Firecracker, Angle Slam and King Kephalos. The big race is off at 15:05 and is race 5 on the card of six which starts at 12:20.

Seoul Race Park
Saturday December 13: Seoul’s weekend program starts at 11:00 on Saturday. The feature race of twelve sees Seoul Teukgeup head a field of ten in a cat 1 handicap over 2000 metres.

Sunday December 14: While the most valuable race of the weekend at Seoul sees Dashing Champ and Flying Cat go against each other in the very last race on the card, more attention will be paid to an intriguing race 9. For a time earlier this year it wouldn’t have come as a surprise if right now, three year old American import Shaving Points was preparing to take part in his first Grand Prix race. An injury in May and then an abortive comeback race in September put paid to that. However, the colt will be back, over 1800 metres in a field of eleven that also includes Supernatural who went three for three after his debut but has disappointed since. Sunday’s card has eleven races with the first off at 11:00.

Down on Jeju Island, Jeju Race Park will hold its usual two day Pony racing meet. There are ten races both days with a start time of 12:20. After last week’s arctic conditions, it should be slightly milder at Seoul this week with temperatures predicted to hover around the 3-4C mark. Down South at Busan it should average a comfortbale 7-10C above.

Temperatures have plummeted overnight across the peninsula and it is set to be the first really cold weekend of racing of the year:

Busan Race Park: Busan gets underway on Friday at 13:00 with ten races and then hosts six more on Sunday including the feature Owners’ Cup. Sunday’s first race is under orders at 12:10.

Seoul Race Park: Seoul hosts cards on Saturday and Sunday. The first race on both days is at 11:00. Seoul’s feature race of the weekend is the Herald race for two year olds on Sunday although a field of only seven will brave the cold.

Jeju Race Park hosts its regular Saturday and Sunday pony racing with the first of ten races at 12:20 both days.

Busan Race Park

Friday November 28: Ten races on Friday at Busan with the first off at 13:00 and the last at 17:30.

Sunday November 30: Only six races at Busan on Sunday, however, there are two big ones. The first race is off at 12:20 with the Busan Breeders’ Cup race for two year olds off at 15:15. Just eight will line up – six colts and two geldings – for the race which could give some idea as to which horses will be contesting the Triple Crown in 2009. Meanwhile, the feature handicap sees Areumdaun Jilju and Sinjin Gangja going up against one another with both carrying 62 kilos.

Seoul Race Park

Saturday November 29: Seoul comes under orders at 11:00am with an eleven race card. Gamadongja, Noubeau Riche and Seungyu Sinhwa all go in the feature at 16:50.

Sunday November 30: Another eleven race card with an 11:00am start. It’s the turn of domestic bred horses to provide the feature and Good Day should be favourite to see off eleven rivals including Namchonuijijon at 17:15.

Jeju hosts its regular Saturday and Sunday cards with the first of ten races at 12:20 both days. Currently, the weather forecast is for a dry and cool Friday and Saturday with showers on Sunday.

Busan Race Park
Friday November 14: There are ten races at Busan on Friday. Feature race is race 8 where Crafty Louis tops the weights in an 1800 metre handicap. The first comes under orders at 13:00

Sunday November 16: Six races at Busan on Sunday with the first at 12:20. The feature sees Procyon looking to return to winning ways after some poor recent form when the four year old goes over 2000 metres in race 5.

Seoul Race Park
Saturday November 15: The first of eleven races gets underway at 11:00 with the last at 17:20. The most valuable race is a handicap for foreign bred horses. Dongbanui Gangja tops the weights.

Sunday November 16: The President’s Cup day card starts at 11:00 with the big race off at 16:40 – See below for full preview. In addition to the main event there are some other interesting match-ups especially in the last when Supernatural will be looking to get back in form

The weather is forecast to be dry with some sunshine on Saturday but mainly overcast on Sunday. Jeju Race Park hosts its usual ten race card on both Saturday and Sunday with both days starting at 12:20.

Busan Race Park
Friday November 7: Areumdaun Jilju and Ebony Storm will feature in the big race on a card which begins at 13:00. The last of ten races is at 17:30.

Sunday November 9: A six race card gets underway at 12:20. The main event is the Busan Metropolitan City Race featuring some of Busan’s top overseas bred horses. See below for a full preview. The big race is at 15:20.

Seoul Race Park
Saturday November 8: The first of eleven races is at 11:00 and the last at 17:20. Three more races will be simulcast from Jeju Island. South African jockey Willie Uys makes his Korean debut in race 4.

Sunday November 9: As with Saturday, the first of eleven races is underway at 11:00, however, four simulcast races from Busan means the last is at 17:40. JRA Trophy winner Playing Politics will share top weight with Yodongseong in a cat.2 handicap for foreign bred horses. Meanwhile, Galsaem will be giving at least 3kg to all six rivals in the feature race despite the fact that the six year old mare hasn’t won in eight outings this year.

At present the forecast is for the weekend to be dry, if overcast. Jeju Race Park also holds its usual Saturday and Sunday cards with ten races starting at 12:20 both days.