Gearing up to represent Hong Kong in Sunday’s (29 September) G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama aboard Mugen, Karis Teetan will have a first feel of the turf course (and dirt) when he takes five rides at Saturday’s (28 September) 12-race fixture in Japan.
Much like Happy Valley with distinctive contours, Nakayama features a long sweeping back section which heads downhill before turning quite sharply into a short straight (310m) with a steep incline, unmissable to the eye over the final 200m.
“Walking on the track today (Friday, 27 September), you can really feel the uphill and that will give me a bit of an experience tomorrow having a feel for it and knowing what I am going to have to do on Sunday, I’m looking forward to riding tomorrow,” Teetan said.
Teetan rode with success recently at Sapporo last month. He finished second in last season’s jockeys’ championship in Hong Kong with 86 wins and has foregone rides at Sha Tin on Saturday to fine tune his preparation for Sunday’s Group 1 dash with Mugen.
“I’ve ridden in Japan a couple of times, so I know the Japanese tracks. It all depends on how much rain we have tomorrow. I think that will change the pattern a bit, but I think we’ll get a bit of a guide to where the winners are coming from tomorrow, and it was just nice that I could walk the track with Pierre Ng this morning and talk about it.
“It’s pretty important because from the 800 (metre mark) it’s a really long turn into the home straight. It’s pretty important for us to see that and know where we need to be,” Teetan said.
Teetan rides Kosei Centaurus (Race 4), Cosmo Sunbright (Race 5), Go Go Takashi (Race 9), Taisei Festa (Race 10) and Satono Galleon (Race 12) on Saturday. Go Go Takashi won on debut before finishing second behind the improving Ask Stein – a dual winner from three outings.
“You don’t get to ride internationally every week and to ride in Group 1 races, so when the opportunity came, I took it with both hands,” Teetan said. “I know I am missing a meeting in Hong Kong, but I know that Mugen has improved so much in the last six months, it made my decision easy to come here.”
Teetan is unperturbed by Mugen – who is trained by Pierre Ng – receiving barrier nine this morning. Fellow Hong Kong raider Victor The Winner steps away from draw 14.
“I think it’s fine. He’s a horse who doesn’t want to be in a speed battle at the beginning, he likes to be left alone. Victor The Winner and Satono Reve (barrier 12) are drawn outside, so it’s going to be interesting, but I’m happy where he is drawn.
“It’ll give me options about what to do and I know him pretty well,” Teetan said.
The Mauritian rode Mugen this morning alongside partner horse Island Surprise. The duo did one lap of the turf course at Nakayama slowly, following Thursday’s (26 September) gallop.
“I thought he felt good, you can feel he had a gallop yesterday. I was very happy to be on him, of course, to see the track as well. I think he has had a good preparation and I am looking forward to riding him on Sunday,” Teetan said.
A seven-time winner from nine starts, including twice at Group 3 level, Satono Reve is the likely market favourite to win Sunday’s contest.
“I think Satono Reve is the main danger with Damian Lane. I saw him run at Sapporo when I was there. He looks like a promising horse. He’s one horse who I will be keeping my eyes on,” Teetan said.
Teetan feels Mugen’s qualities make the six-year-old chestnut horse ideal to travel.
“He’s a very relaxed horse. He’s never given me any trouble to worry about him. A couple of weeks before coming here I said to Pierre ‘the good thing about this horse is that he is so quiet, and he will not lose any energy by travelling’.
“Race day he will have the hood on him. I know it’s a long wait behind the gates before races and we will just keep it very simple, just like he does at Sha Tin, and we’ll try to make him as quiet as we can because it can be a bit of time behind the gates (in Japan),” Teetan said.
16 runners feature in the Sprinters Stakes. Last year’s winner Mama Cocha drew barrier six, while Obamburumai will start in gate one. Namura Clair (five), Mad Cool (seven), Lugal (13), Win Marvel (three) and Toshin Macau (two) are also among the capacity field.
Teetan rides Philip (Race 4), Alma Grace (Race 9), Humming (Race 10) and Keiai Maple (Race 12) in addition to Mugen this Sunday at Nakayama.
By Declan Schuster
