Queens' Tour

Queens’ Tour Friday Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (October 23)

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Fall/Winter as the feature. There are 9 races at Busan from 11.15. to 17:55. Here are the previews:

Selections Summary

Race1st2nd3rd4th
Busan Race 110862
Busan Race 210478
Busan Race 398411
Busan Race 41526
Busan Race 51623
Busan Race 665139
Busan Race 771091
Busan Race 82968
Busan Race 92571

Busan Race 1: Class 4 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 75 Million

Maiden for imported juveniles (and southern hemisphere three-year-olds) with three of the eleven racing for the first time. (10) SHOOT FOR THE SUN went through two trials, improving significantly in the second of them (running 2nd in a time of 62.2 seconds showing on pace from gate eleven). It was back in August but Seo Seung-un being booked may be the deciding factor for plenty. (8) MISTER BEYOND won his trial, showing handy throughout and stopping the clock in a good time. If he brings that form to the races, he can be in the finish. (6) LUNA CROWN and (2) ALL CLEAR finished 3rd and 4th respectively when they raced each other over 1000M on September 11th. There was only half a length between them, and both can have come on. (5) HONOUR SPECIAL, 4th on debut, another who can improve.

Selections(10) Shoot For The Sun (8) Mister Beyond (6) Luna Crown (2) All Clear
Next Best5, 3
Fast Start2, 3, 7, 8

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(10) OASIS SONG has shown progress across three starts so far, culminating in 2nd place at this class and distance on October 2nd when on pace throughout. In the absence of an apprentice claim he comes up 4kg in weight, but that shouldn’t be a problem and he can win here. (4) GREEN STORM was 3rd in that October 2nd, much improved from her debut. She has three-lengths to find on Oasis Song and with a weight swing and the better of the draw, she can get closer today. (7) MR. SUNSHINE has a 5th and a 6th in two starts so far, both in fair times over this distance. Tanaka climbs on and third-up, he can be nice and fit. (8) RUN FOR ME didn’t do much on debut but has since been back to trial and may be better this time around. Debut-maker (3) POWERFUL WINNER another to consider.

Selections(10) Oasis Song (4) Green Storm (7) Mr. Sunshine (8) Run For Me
Next Best3, 6
Fast Start5, 7, 8, 10

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(9) SHINY KOREA is yet to strike in ten attempts but has been knocking on the door in is latest three with a 2nd place at 1400M in July followed up with a 3rd, and most recently and 4th place over a mile on September 18th. In this company and from this gate he can settle back and run on and today can be his day. He will need to overturn the form on (8) MAGIC OF QUEEN, who finished 3rd in that September 18th race at big odds, settling midfield and running on. That was a big uptick in form, and with Seo Seung-un on, he will be much shorter this time around. (4) FANTASTIC ONE enters off a best to date 3rd when stepped up to this distance for the first time on September 6th. He is another who drops right back and can run on. (11) TIGER UPPERCUT and (2) SHINING CLUTCH among other chances.

Selections(9) Shiny Korea (8) Magic Of Queen (4) Fantastic One (11) Tiger Uppercut
Next Best2, 10
Fast Start3, 5, 7, 10

Busan Race 4: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(1) MAGIC OF ART returned from six months out in August to beat three of today’s rivals on her way to 2nd place over 1300M. She has had eleven weeks off since, but she has been in regular work and stepping up to a mile for the first time, she can make her breakthrough. (5) MISS COCO was 4th in that August race and comes in having run a very close 2nd over 1300M on September 11th. She does her best work late and will be a danger. (2) RESPECTING GIRL was 2nd – well beaten by a good winner – two starts back over 1400M before finishing 5th on her first try at this distance on September 18th. From a good draw and with Tanaka on, she may be a bit closer a but earlier today and can challenge late. (6) TWOTWO SPACE and (9) CHAMPUI HYANGGI among others in at least the placing frame.

Selections(1) Magic Of Art (5) Miss Coco (2) Respecting Girl (6) Twotwo Space
Next Best9, 10
Fast Start1, 2, 6, 7

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

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NICE BUDDY DISRUPTS THE ELITE WITH ALL THE WAY KNN CUP VICTORY

Nice Buddy made light work of the widest gate to cruise to the front and stay on to win the KNN Cup (1600M KOR-G3), the final leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer for fillies and mares at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Nice Buddy (Pic: KRA)

Having finished as runner-up in both prior legs of the series, Boryeonglightqueen was sent off as the favourite, with defending champion and Donga Ilbo winner Raon Forest and Ttukseom Cup winner Fantastic Value the only other two in single digits in the market. Nice Buddy wasn’t exactly missed by punters, but having drawn the widest gate, she started as the sixth choice.

Just as with Born Dia in the SROA Chairman’s Sprint two weeks ago, the wide draw proved to problem for Nice Buddy as she followed Oneuldo Smile across and into a remarkably easy lead. From then on, jockey Lee Hyo-sik was able to control the tempo and still have plenty left for the home straight, where they saw off the late challenge of Gladius, with Yeosu Super Star coming home in 3rd.

Boryeonglightqueen launched her usual late run but could only manage 4th. Fantastic Value was 6th while with no pace to run at, Raon Forest was back in 8th. In terms of the overall Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer series, Boryeonglightqueen and Fantastic Value topped the table with 600 points apiece.

“I thought Oneuldo Smile would be quick away so I wanted to go with her and then the pace was a bit slower than expected so I decided it would be ok to take over the lead” winning jockey Lee Hyo-sik told KRBC.

“Even though she’s a filly, she has the strength of the colts but while I was happy to be with her for the KNN Cup, I didn’t put our winning chnaces at higher than twenty or thirty percent as there were so many other contenders and this was (Nice Buddy’s) first time in a Graded race.”

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RUAN MAIA GUIDES MUNHAK BOY TO G3 SUCCESS AS SEOUL HORSES COMPLETE RARE GROUP RACE DOUBLE AT BUSAN

Jockey Ruan Maia has been dominating Seoul in recent months and on Sunday secured his first Group race success in Korea when making a flying visit to Busan and partnering American import Munhak Boy to an all the way success in the Kookje Shinmun Cup (1400M KOR-G3).

Coming off the back of five consecutive wins, Munhak Boy was sent off as the slight odds-on favourite as he tackled Group company for the first time but under Maia, he made the race largely a formality, taking full advantage of the inside draw, (his fourth in his last five starts) to get to the front of the sixteen-strong field and never looked like being headed.

Japanese import Smart Boss was 2nd while last year’s winner Gangseo Giant, who entered as a 90/1 chance with dismal recent form, seemed to know this is her race, and closed well for an excellent 3rd.

“It’s my first Group race (win) in Korea and I’d like to thank the trainer, the owner and the staff in the stable for giving me the opportunity to ride this nice horse” Ruan Maia told KRBC.

“I’m very proud of the horse, he showed his performance today and winning a Group race is very important for everybody.”

Munhak Boy is a three-year-old colt by Lord and Nelson and out of the Speightstown mare Miss Guided. He was imported in-utero. He is owned by Kwon Kyung-ja (of Moonhak Chief fame) and trained at Seoul by Jung Ho-ik.

Disappointments in the race were aplenty including Sprint Series winner Vincero Cavallo who was even more lackluster than his Korea Sprint effort, being the slowest away and finishing well down the field. He took a bump at the start and afterwards was found lame in his right foreleg.

Super Finish, 3rd in the Korea Sprint, as well as Champion mare Jeulgeounyeojeong, both also finished down the field. Initial vet checks came back clear for both.

Earlier, in the first Group race of the day, Boryeonglightqueen was sent off as the odds-on favourite for the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup (2000M KOR-G3), the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Fall/Winter.

It was not to be though for the three-year-old, who won the final leg of the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies and also took out the first leg of the current series at Seoul a month ago. She settled well back as expected but this time did not run on under jockey Jung Do-yun, ultimately only making it up into 5th.

Instead, it was Flying Star, the 12/1 fifth favourite, who took the honours comfortably, settling handy before taking things up on the turn for home and going on to win by a full seven-lengths with Jang Chu-youl in the saddle.

68/1 outsider Ace High was 2nd with the ever-reliable Raon Forest in 3rd.

Flying Star is a four-year-old by Colors Flying and out of Gaya Gongju (by War Zone). Owned by Song Chang-oh she is trained at Seoul by Seo In-seok. A winner of five races, she was successful in the final race of the same series last year, the Breeders’ Cup Queen.

Donga Ilbo Trophy Form Comments: Raon First Favourite as Queens’ Tour Kicks Off but Could In-Form Flat Babe Surprise?

This year’s “Queens’ Tour” for fillies and mares is split into two separate three-race series and Raon First headlines the opener leg of the “Spring and Summer” tour in the Donga Ilbo Trophy (Listed – 1800M) at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Raon First won the President’s Cup last November (Pic: KRA)

One of the most versatile horses in training in Korea, Raon First ran 3rd in the International Korea Sprint over 1200M last September before beating a field including Korea Cup winner Winner’s Man to win the Group 1 President’s Cup over 2000M in November.

Raon First is the defending champion in the Donga Ilbo, having scored by a comfortable four-lengths twelve months ago and she will be favourite, but there is no guarantee she will have things all her own way. The big danger is Flat Babe, who proved a revelation towards the end of her four-year-old season, rising from class 3 to class 1 and crowning the achievement by defeating an elite level field containing Winner’s Man in February over today’s distance. 

Flat Babe (Pic: KRA)

It will be unchartered territory for most with 58kg on their backs for the first time. All that is except for the solitary three-year-old in the race. The up and coming Sure Win has won two of her latest three and the Bernardini filly gets a whopping 6kg allowance on the rest of the field.

Twelve go in total in the Donga Ilbo which is race 8 on the 11-race Sunday card at Seoul:

1. SURE WIN – The only three-year-old in the race, she has won two of her latest three including last time out when on pace over this distance. That was at class 4 level so this is a stiff test, but she draws well and has a 6kg weight advantage over all the others.

2. QUEENS TOUR – A strong 4th in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup last September but well back over 2000M at class 2 level behind Eodigana and Cheonji Yeogeol on her only 2023 outing so far.  Tactically versatile and jockey booking a plus, but while she may be named after the series, others are favoured.

3. FLAT BABE – A revelation recently with 2nd place in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup followed by a class 1 win over Winner’s Man at this distance on February 26th. She was getting 8kg from the Korea Cup winner, but she stopped the clock in a time faster than any of these have achieved for the distance. Can settle back and run on and is the main danger here.

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