Busan

Seoul Saturday: Race-By-Race Preview (July 22)

French jockey Johan Victoire will make his Korean debut in the saddle at Seoul on Saturday and it’s a good weekend for him to do so. A number of jockeys are absent from Seoul in order to ride in the KNN Cup at Busan on Sunday and Victoire is among those who could take advantage in the 11 race Saturday card which runs from 14:00 to 21:00. English cards are here. Notes on races for overseas simulcast are below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million 
1. WONDERFUL LUCKY – 4th in trial behind Jungdong Jijon
2. MENI TURBO – 2nd on debut on June 24th and strong favourite here.
3. BABY STAR – 5th in trial behind Special Light. Wasn’t quick.
4. CUPID STORM – Well back behind Jungdong Jijon and Wonderful Lucky in trial.
5. MASK – 2nd in trials and looks set to go well.
6. CAPTAIN POWER – Trialled a couple of times and worked ok but probably best to watch first up.
7. FIORE – Looks competent enough and can go well.
8. HESEDEU – 3rd on debut at the end of May but considerably slower than Meni Turbo. Should lead here.
9. OPI WINTER – Trialled up behind Icheon Seal – looks to have plenty to make up on that one. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (July 21)

It’s Friday! It’s Busan! 10 races on the South Coast from 14:30 to 21:00. English racecards are here, notes on races for overseas simulcast are below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

1. GAMUNUI YEOWANG – 10th on debut behind Black Fine.2. BOUND TODAY – Solitary star was in November last year. Trialled up averagely.
3. S PARIS – Offered little in three goes last year. First start in nine months. Looked ok in trials.
4. CHEONJI RHYTHM – Slow in both outings to date.
5. HANEOLUI GISANG – First timer. Not quick in trial but knew what to do. Top stable.
6. ROYAL RIVER – Debut-maker. Trial wasn’t quick but did enough.
7. NEULPUREUN DRAGON – Only beat a couple home on debut.
8. MIO – Faded on debut over 1300M. Should much better at the minimum today.
9. SEOGANG JILJU – First start today. Trialled up behind Pocket Rocket.
10. POCKET ROCKET – Debut-maker who looked competent in trial.
11. BLACK FINE – 7th and 5th in two stars to date. Drops to 1000M for the first time and surely has a good chance. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (July 14)

There are 10 races at Busan on Friday with the first at 14:30 and the last at 21:00. UK jockey JP Guillambert will have his first Korean rides. Notes on all simulcast races below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

1. BUGYEONG DAEBAK – First time starter. Looked competent in trials and great chance to score first-up.
2. HWANGGEUMBITYEONGU – Ten starts so far with a best finish of 5th. May suit being back to minimum trip today but won’t be favoured.
3. MIR KAN – Yet to go any better than 7th in seven attempts. Tough to support here too.
4. LUCKY ADELE – Debut-maker. First foal out of dam who was undistinguished on the track. Average in trials but top trainer & jockey combination.
5. MAKGANG BOLT – Best of 4th among five slow efforts to date. Will need to improve.
6. SARANG MISO – 8th foal from dam, 5 of the others have won. Trialled up in decent fashion and could go well. First start today.
7. YES QUEEN – 1 7 starts so far. Comes in following three consecutive 5th place finishes and no reason why she can’t repeat.
8. DALKOMHAN INSAENG – One of few in this field who has come close before. Should go close again here. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (July 7)

This Sunday sees one of the year’s highlights; The Busan Mayor’s Cup. In the past it’s brought us clashes between Tough Win and Dongbanui Gangja, Dangdae Bulpae and Smarty Moonhak. This year Clean Up Joy and Triple Nine are set to face each other alongside a host of big names in the “Summer Grand Prix”.

Tough Win Busan Met 2013

Tough Win was a two-time winner of the Busan Mayor’s Cup  (Pic: KRA)

Before that though we have a busy Friday of racing on the South coast as Busan hosts 10 Friday races from 14:30 to 21:00. Notes on simuclast races below:. 

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

1. GOP DDA – 5th in her trial, well behind the winner.
2. YEONGCHEON HERO – 3rd in trial behind Testa Magic. Trainer usually does well with 2-year-olds and he is sure to be backed.
3. TESTA MAGIC – Won her trial very comfortably. Big chance first-up.
4. ADAMARIS – Average time in trials but it was a slow heat anyway so few clues there.
5. EURO GONGJU – The only one of the seven who has raced before. Her 6th of 11 was in no way a disgrace and she may well have come on for it.
6. CHOEGANG SEONBONG – Just scraped through qualifying and will need a big improvement to compete first-up. (more…)

Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (July 2)

The long overdue rain has finally arrived on the Korean peninsula and it looks set to be a wet Sunday at both Seoul and Busan. Seoul has 11 races from 11:45 to 19:00 while at Busan there are 6 from 13:25 to 17:35. English racecards are here, notes on every race are below:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

1. HWANGGEUM SURE – Improved slightly on second start but still much to find.

2. GEUMEUN JUOK – 5th of 9 on debut over 1000M on May 27th and can improve here.

3. SPECIAL QUEEN – Two 3rd places among her last three. No reason why she can’t match or better that today.

4. JAKE – 5th last time was her first minor money finish. Would do well to match that today.

5. BOMBI’S KING – Gone off the rails a little since showing promise with a 3rd place finish on his second start back in January.

6. FOREST ROSE – Much improved 2nd last time out running on well. Steps back up to 1300M today and is in the frame.

7. WAWA YEOJANGBU – No worse than fifth in four outings to date. Comes in off a 2nd place over 1000M on May 20th. First try at further than the minimum today and has a chance.

8. SHARP RUBY – Best so far a 4th place. First try at further than the minimum distance. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 30)

There are 10 races at Busan on Friday with the first at 14:30 and the last at 21:00. English racecards are here. Notes on races for overseas simulcast are below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million
1. BAENGNYEON SIDAE – Won his trial beating Wanbong in the process and can go well first up.
2. WORLD SUN – Didn’t impress in his trial but trainer tends to do well with 2-year-olds so will have some backing.
3. WANBONG – Well back behind Baengnyeon Sidae in his trial and hard to back at this stage.
4. TASK FORCE – By far the best in trials, winning comfortably in a fast time and will be strong favourite here.
5. GYEONGJUUI DUREBAK – Took a couple of goes to qualify but looked smart enough doing it at the end of May. 2nd fastest time among these and in the hunt. (more…)

Seoul & Busan Sunday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 25)

Big Sunday of racing coming up in Korea. No Stakes races but full fields and plenty of punting interest. There are 11 races at Seoul from 10:45 to 18:00 and 6 at Busan from 12:40 to 17:05. English racecards are here. Notes on races for overseas simulcast are below:

Seoul Race 5: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

1. OUR CAT – 4th behind Yeol Queen at the distance in April and followed up with a 5th last time. Matching those would be par today.
2. SEONGEUN MARU – Started his career really well but went off the rails at the end of last year. Latest two have been more encouraging.
3. JEONGAN KINGDOM – Disappointed when favourite in May but bounced back with 3rd over 1000M three weeks ago. Trialled up nicely last week and in the hunt here.
4. YEOL QUEEN – Two very solid efforts so far at this level and one of the main contenders here.
5. SOKDO SHINHWA – Comes in after two good showings at 1000M. Should be near the early pace and can place. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 23)

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with 10 races from 14:55 to 21:00. English race cards can be found here. Notes on races for overseas simulcast are below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 75 Million 

1. ECTON BLADE – Bound to be backed as he’s from Kim Young Kwan’s stable. A long way behind Yeonghui Sidae in his trial. Half-brother has won 5 of 11.

2. JOEUN HAE – 2nd in his trial and looked to know what he was doing. Likely away to a fast start and he’s in with a chance.

3. CHONHAUI KKUM – Didn’t impress in his trial, coming home last of 10 who qualified. Top trainer and jockey but probably the outsider of the field.

4. YEONGGWANGUI CHIC – 2nd in his trial albeit 8-lengths behind the winner. Could go well.

5. YEONGHUI SIDAE – Likely favourite, he was, by some margin, the quickest of these in his trial and looks the one to beat. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 16)

The weekend’s racing gets underway with the afternoon and evening card at Busan on Friday. 10 races from 14:55 to 21:00. English race cards are here. Notes on races for overseas simulcast below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Special Weight A / KRW 40 Million /

1. GIPPEUM SARANG – First time starter. 2nd in her trial and while others are favoured, she can go well.

2. DANCING VICAR – Won her trial a month ago. Top stable and a chance first-up.

3. YUKWAEHAN JILJU – Offered little on debut. The only way is up.

4. BARONESS – Not built on encouraging debut but did beat a couple of these when running 5th last start and should be in the frame here coming in fresh.

5. HAEUNDAE YEOGEOL – Much improved 3rd last time and can be a danger again. (more…)

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 9)

It’s Korean Oaks weekend. We’ll have a preview of Sunday’s big race for fillies up tomorrow but in the meantime there are 10 Friday races at Busan from 14:55 to 21:00. English racecards can be found here. Notes on races to be simulcast overseas below:

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million 

1. HOSEUNGJISIM – Made a semi-encouraging debut in March but offered little in two starts since.

2. STAR LINE – Ran once last year but has a lot of hoof problems keeping him out since. Trialled up ok last month.

3. YES RED – Close in all three so far. 3rd behind two good ones (a long way behind them) last time and in with a big chance here.

4. GOLDEN FAMILY – Shown a bit of improvement in three prior outings. Still a bit to find here. (more…)