The southern part of the Korean peninsula, including Busan, got slammed by a typhoon on Wednesday causing significant damage and disruption. Racing goes ahead, however, and Busan runs 10 races on Friday from 14:20 to 21:00. 

English racecards can be found here. Notes on overseas simulcast races (1-7) are below:

Key

Race 1: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 55 Million / 14:20

Seven of these are debut-makers but it’s the experienced ones who are likely to be favoured. (2) TIGER SLAM was an improved 3^rd on what was his second outing in August and he can make all here. (6) EORIN YEOWANG was behind him that day but came back out an improved 3^rd herself a month ago and should be competitive again. Of the first-timers, (5) BANJIUI JANGMI is a half to two really good horses and was encouraging in trials as was (8) AGNES and (4) TAEYANGUI SINHWA.

Race 2: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 55 Million / 14:45 

A half-sister of prolific winner Cinderella Man, (5) EVERGREEN TREE debuts here and will be hot favourite to score having won a trial by fifteen lengths two weeks ago. (2) SEGI GANGJA, 5^th on debut in July and returns from injury here and is likely to be second favourite while fellow experienced ones (7) TEUKGEUP GAMDONG and (9) STAR GOLD can also improve. (3) ADELEUI JINJU qualified (a considerable distance) behind Evergreen Tree and looks the best of the other debut-makers.

Race 3: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 15:30 

Kiwi trainer David Miller sends out his first Korean runner in the shape of (5) WOLHADOKJAK and it could be a winning start. The colt has shown improvement in his last two and was narrowly beaten out of 3^rd last time at this distance. The main danger is (9) SAMHYEONGJE, who has two 3rds at this distance so far while (10) SAERON NA also improved last start and can be considered. (4) ISIDAE YEONGGWANG and (7) DONGNAM CHOEGO look best of the rest.

Race 4: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 16:15 

Small field but should be competitive. (7) MAGIC WINNER hasn’t exactly lived up to his name but has as good a chance as any on what will be his first try at this distance. He beat (8) DON’T STOP as the pair raced 3^rd and 5^th over 1200M on August and both will be competitive here. (6) VEGA KHAN was an improved 4^th two weeks ago and can build on that here while (4) STYLISH and the sole debut-maker (9) BULBIT JEONSA may also be considered.

Race 5: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 17:00 

The final maiden race and (1) HWAJEONG should really be making her breakthrough here. She was 3^rd last start, beating (2) PUREUN GANGJA in the process and looks the best of these. (6) HWANHAN SESANG comes in following a pair of 5ths and can improved with the aforementioned Pureun Gangja and (3) DREAM ACE looking the best of a limited rest.

Race 6: Class 4 / 1000M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 17:50 

Nine of these imports are unraced. (2) POINT LUCK was the fastest in trials and accordingly will be one the favourites to strike here. Also looking good in preparation was (8) AMERANCE FASHION and (7) SPEED MARK, the latter winning his trial. (4) MORNING PARK beat a couple of the others in his trial and can be considered. The only one of these with racing experience is (3) BAEDARI SAMCHONGSA. He hasn’t shown much in two starts so far but has a top jockey booking and can show improvement.

Race 7: Class 5 / 1300M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 18:30 

Finally we get to see some horses who have actually won some races. (1) WONDER WALL was 2^nd last month in a valuable race for juveniles who passed through the domestic sales and he can get back to winning ways here. (10) BAEKDUBONG is up in class and distance following his maiden win a month ago and warrants consideration while (4) LIMITLESS WIN seems to be getting to grips with this class and can improve on his last two outings. (6) REALLY QUEEN and (8) BOUND QUEENS look best of the rest.

There’s a big weekend of racing coming up. On Sunday at Busan, Macheon Bolt, 2nd in the Korea Sprint earlier this month returns to action while at Seoul, Oaks winner Ottug Ottugi heads a strong line-up for the Jeju Governor’s Cup

We start on Friday at Busan though with ten races from 14:20 to 21:00. English race cards are here. Race-by-race notes (races 1-8) are below:

Key

Race 1: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 55 Million / 14:20 

2^nd on debut on September 2^nd, having led for much of the way and just beaten half a length on the line when odds-on favourite, (9) QUEEN’S QUEEN is favoured to go one better today. (4) FOUR NINES was 5^th in that race and he too will be fancied to improve on that here but the main danger is likely to be debut-maker (6) EOREUM GONGJU, She won her trial in sharp fashion earlier this month and looks a good prospect. Peter Wolsley has done well with his two-year-old debut makers so far this autumn and (7) BULKKOT NORI could be another while (10) B.K. SAY was a promising 4^th on debut a month ago and can match or better here.

Race 2: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 14:45 

(1) BADA BULPAE and (3) CHARTERED DREAM both come in having recorded their best finishes to date last time out and are top picks here. Bada Bulpae returns after almost three months off and with Chartered Dream having beaten a couple of their rivals last month, it is the latter who is slightly favoured. Not many stand out among the rest with (2) SEONGGONG PLAN and (7) SUPER SONIC having shown glimpses and (8) NAMBANG JEONSEOL, whose only previous start was all the way back last December, having looked in shape in a trial last month.

Race 3: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 40 Million / 15:30 

Fillies only here and (10) CHOEGANG DRIVER steps up in distance for the first time following an improved 3^rd place on what was her third start three weeks ago. She can improve here once more. (1) LADY LUCK has come close in each of her last three and can be competitive again while (4) QUEEN MEDIA was 3^rd on debut last month and has little to fear in this company. Main danger to all those will be (6) RAPA CHUKJE, beaten by Lady Luck last time out back in July but performed well in a trial last week.

Race 4: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 16:15 

Small field for the final maiden race and it looks to be between two. (8) HAENGBOKAN JILJU was a much improved 2^nd when stepped up to this distance at the start of this month and looks set to battle it out with (4) DESTINY, who dead-heated for 4^th last time out behind some decent ones and may look to lead here. They really should fill the 1-2 with (1) KNIGHT KING and (5) BIG GOLD perhaps the best of an indifferent rest.

Race 5: Class 5 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 17:00 

(8) ADELE STAR was a winner on debut two months ago and he finally returns, up in class and distance, for his second outing here. He should be able to cope with it; he made all last time and can do the same here. It won’t be easy though. (9) MORNING PARK is also up in class and distance following his own maiden win at the beginning of this month while Thomas Gillespie’s (2) ACE GLORY made his breakthrough at this class and distance at the end of last month and could well repeat. (12) COT WING is yet to win in eleven but remarkably has never finished worse than 5^th and can maintain that here while (10) MINIME, poor last time, is capable of the money in this company.

Race 6: Class 5 / 1300M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 17:50 

Just fillies (and one mare) here. (4) DAESTAR, a winner on debut, was 3^rd on her first try at class and distance in a similar race to this earlier this month, finishing strongly. An apprentice jockey takes some weight off today and she can win. (5) NAMYANG TOWER and (6) BEATBOX are both up in class following maiden wins with the former looking the more likely to make an impact here while (8) CHALLANHAN ACE is proven to be capable of winning money at this level and could well get an easy lead here. If she does, she could stay on all the way. (2) ENTER WAY QUEEN is yet to win but should be competitive while the very experienced (10) SAMDA GONGJU looks best of the rest.

Race 7: Class 4 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 18:30

Kim Young Kwan’s (6) DIVINE TOUCH comes in after back to back 2^nd place finishes and looks ready to win on what will be his fourth career outing. He’ll be on speed early and can make all. This race is open to overseas-bred horses but Korean-bred (2) YEONGWON CHUKJE could be the main danger, having scored a couple of narrow 2^nd places at domestic class 5 in recent outings. (4) TAEGWON CHAMP is yet to win in sixteen attempts at this level but is always competitive and will be again while (1) LION PARK and (9) SAEBYEOK BADA look best of the rest.

Race 8: Class 4 / 1400M / Handicap / KRW 55 Million / 19:35

Open race to conclude with and following back to back 2^nd place finishes at 1300M, (5) OCEAN LINE, just beaten a nose last time, can go one better here, coming from just off the pace. Up in class following his second win in six outings, Korean Derby also-ran (3) SEUNGNIUI CHUKJE looks a danger as does the similarly up in class (9) SUPER BLADE. (10) HWANHUIUI BYEOL will be on speed early and can stay on while (4) INDIAN PARK looks best of the rest.

There was a setback in preparation for September’s Keeneland Korea Cup this week with the terribly sad news from Newmarket that Franklin D suffered a fatal accident while working on Wednesday. The up and coming colt was expected to be one of the major contenders in the big race at Seoul next month. Racing goes on though and another busy week of action starts at Busan on Friday.

With summer vacations for all three tracks complete, things are back to a more regular schedule and there will be 11 races at Busan on Friday from 14:30 to 21:00. Peter Wolsley looks like the trainer to follow with four potential favourites among the first eight races. English racecards are here, Notes on races 1-8 below:

Race 1: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 55 Million / 14:30 (KST)

The first of a couple of valuable maiden races for two-year-olds and (3) ADELEUI BOM, who beat a couple of these when running 3^rd on debut a month ago is the one to beat here, He should lead gate to wire. The other ones with previous racing experience are likely to be the main competitors. (6) SEGI GANGJA was 5^th behind Adeleui Bom on debut and should have come on for it while (4) PARK MAN has run twice showing signs of improvement when 5^th in a quick race at this distance last month. Among the debut makers, (2) DONGNAM DAEBAK and (8) YEONGGWANGUIHUNTER looked best in trials.

Race 2: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 55 Million / 14:55 (KST)

The second of the valuable maiden races but this time we’ll go with a pair of debut-makers as top choices. (4) DINAH, from Peter Wolsley’s stable, looked very competent in a trial at the end of last month and should be vying for favourite status with Kim Young Kwan’s first-time (2) SINUIPUMGYEOK. He’s the second foal out of a Korean Derby winning filly and won his trial last month. (1) YEONGGWANGUICOUNTRY and (3) NEW PORT both put in underwhelming debuts but can be given another chance here while (7) HAENGUN STORY, who has taken a while to get to the races since qualifying, is the wildcard choice.

Race 3: Class 6 / 1000M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 15:20 (KST)

Weak race this and it’s hard to see (7) HUIMANG CHANGA failing to prevail here. She should have won at this distance two weeks ago but just weakened late on to be overtaken. There’s nothing of the calibre of horse who beat her that day here though. (3) PYEONGDAEMYEONGMUN is the only other in the field who has shown any glimpse of talent so far so she is second choice with (2) GEUMTE and (4) CHARTERED DREAM a distant next best.

Race 4: Class 6 / 1300M / Allowance / KRW 20 Million / 16:10 (KST)

The final maiden race of the day and we’ll go with (8) CHEONGCHUN CHAMP, a much improved 2^nd last time to benefit from the slight step up in trip and get the job done here. (5) HWAJEONG was beaten twelve-lengths into 2^nd last start, her best in five so far while (9) LADY LUCK also secured her best finish to date with a 3^rd place in a slightly better race on July 22^nd. They look to be the main dangers. (6) HUIMANG PARADE and (1) DARK HOSTA can improve on less than impressive starts to their careers.

Race 5: Class 5 / 1200M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 17:00 (KST)

(6) GABO STAR was beaten into 2^nd when odds-on favourite over class and distance two weeks ago. That was his second time in a row of being beaten when maker leader but we’ll hope for third time lucky today in a race that even more than those previous two, he really should be winning. He should lead early and this time should not be caught. If he is caught, (1) BIGBANG BID, a winner at class and distance last time may be the one to do it. That win was his maiden on his 18^th career start though and lightning may not strike again so quickly. (3) SKY WINNER is up in class following back to back 3^rd place finishes at class 6 and should be competitive at this level. (9) MINIME is proven to be competitive – at least for the placings – at this level and should be so again.

Race 6: Class 5 / 1300M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 17:50 (KST)

Competitive race but another Peter Wolsley one is the firm top choice here. (7) LIMITLESS WIN was a three-length winner at this class over 1200M on July 15^th, coming from well off the pace and the extra half furlong today should suit nicely. (6) CHOEGANG ADVENTURE was 3^rd in that race, maintaining his very consistent run having never finished worse. He should keep that performance going today. (2) SHARP WIN and (3) MAJOR SLAM are both competent at this level and may be considered (9) SUPER SWEET has struggled in two starts at this level since winning on debut in April but can be given one more chance today. (8) CONCEP DREAM is up in class following an unlikely win last month and has plenty to find.

Race 7: Class 5 / 1600M / Handicap / KRW 40 Million / 17:30 (KST)

After three consecutive 2^nd place finishes, most recently at class and distance on July 24^th, it’s time (2) THE WORLD entered the winner’s circle at what will be the 8^th time of asking. She’s got good closing speed and should come from just behind the early leaders. Should she decide to find one too quick again then (1) POWER CHAMP, also 2^nd at class and distance last start but a winner in the past, could be one to opt for while (3) LUCKY HANMA has been getting progressively closer at this class and steps up to a mile for the first time. He is a front-runner and staying on will be key. (8) GERMAN JEONCHA is up in class and distance following success in a weak contest a month ago while (5) GANGHO IRON is still yet to win in 21 outings but is certainly capable of finding the money in this company.

Race 8: Class 3 / 1800M / Handicap / KRW 72 Million / 19:10 (KST)

Yet another of Peter Wolsley’s is top choice here. (2) WISH ME LUCK is up in class and distance having won his last two, both at a mile. He is a front-runner and there is no reason why he can’t cope with the extra furlong here and make it three in a row. It’s not going to be easy though. (6) SISEON POCHAK was an also-ran in two legs of the Triple Crown but is a proven winner at this distance and will be dangerous. Meanwhile, (1) BOHEMIAN has a lot of solid experience at this level and beat two of these when racing 2^nd at class and distance on July 24^th. Then there is (8) CAP IN ALL who got his first win in more than two years at this distance in July and needs to be respected.