Chasing his first win of the season, Karis Teetan hopes to capitalise on a full book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday (15 September) as the Mauritian bids to reclaim a familiar lofty perch in the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship.
A seemingly permanent fixture near the top of the championship, Teetan finished second to seven-time champion Zac Purton (130 wins) last season with 86 victories after a string of third places in the championship.
One of the city’s hardest-working jockeys, Teetan has so far tallied two seconds, two thirds, three fourths and two fifths from 14 rides this season, but is yet to add to his 689 wins in Hong Kong.
The lightweight takes rides this weekend for Douglas Whyte (Mister Dapper and Carroll Street), Me Tsui (Vulcanus, Omakase and Go Hero), David Hayes (Strongest Boy and Regent Glory), Manfred Man (Self Improvement), Chris So (Super Love Dragon) and Frankie Lor (Lucky Impact).
With a season-best of 93 winners in 2019/20, Teetan hopes Lucky Impact can ignite his charge for another decent haul with a strong performance in the Class 4 Tung Wah Group Of Hospitals Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m).
Fourth on debut to Parterre over 1200m on 1 July, Lucky Impact returns this week after a solid trial second over 1200m at Sha Tin on 3 September and Teetan hopes the gelding has matured during the off-season break.
“I thought his first run was a good run. I had trialled him before in Conghua and I wasn’t surprised he ran well first-up. He looked like he finished off his race pretty well. He did a few things wrong but, when he got the clear run, he was hitting the line strongly and stepping him up over 1400m now will be helpful,” Teetan said.
“He’s still a young horse and he’s still learning how to do things and he’s got an ok draw (barrier seven) so I’m just hoping he goes the races and does his best – 1400 metres gives him the chance to find his rhythm and let’s hope he runs a good race.”
With five wins, three seconds and two thirds from only 15 mounts this campaign, Purton has made another strong start to the season and the Australian hopes to build further momentum with nine rides at the weekend.
Savvy Brilliant, who won his sole Australian start for Anthony & Sam Freedman at Mornington on 21 January when he raced as Gallaroo, debuts under Purton for Frankie Lor in the Class 3 Lok Wah Handicap (1000m).
“It’s an interesting one because he raced from (the) back overseas and finished it off strong but in his trial the other day, we rode him forward and he was a bit weak, so we’ll just have to let him find his rhythm – wherever that is – in the race and see what we can get,” Purton said.
By Toronado, Savvy Brilliant finished third in a 1050m trial at Sha Tin on n 3 September.
Purton combined with Chris So to win the opening race of the season on Go Go Go and hopes Super Win Dragon can run well in the Class 3 Oi Tung Handicap (1200m, dirt).
“His trial, I thought, was okay. He’s obviously coming into the race fresh, as they all are, off the back of some below-par performances for him towards the end of last season. He likes the surface. Chris is going well, hopefully this horse is, too,” Purton said.
A four-time winner on Sha Tin’s dirt surface, Super Win Dragon mixed his form last season but won a barrier trial on 3 September.
“It was only a barrier trial but hopefully he can take some confidence out of that. It was good to see him put his head in front and hopefully he can repeat that this weekend,” Purton said.
“He seems like his working well, he wants to get on with a bit too much, but race speed will sort him out and with the gallops he’s had, he might have the fitness edge on the others.”
Sha Tin’s 10-race card starts on Sunday (15 September) with the Class 4 Hong Tung Handicap (1600m) at 1pm.
By Leo Schlink
