Karis Teetan hopes Adefill’s natural affinity with Sha Tin’s All Weather Track will prove decisive when Ricky Yiu’s gelding resumes in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Nam Long Shan Handicap (1650m, dirt) on Sunday (6 October).
All six of Adefill’s Hong Kong wins have come on Sha Tin’s dirt surface with three victories at 1200m and three more over Sunday’s distance, as well as six other minor placings on the surface from just 15 starts.
Unplaced on turf in seven starts, the six-year-old will jump from barrier 10 in a field containing six horses who will make their debut on dirt in Hong Kong – Moments In Time, Sword Point, The Best Peach, Chill Chibi, Ka Ying Generation and Red Hare King.
Acknowledging the unknown capacity of some of his rivals on dirt, Teetan believes Adefill’s proficiency on the surface is a clear advantage.
“There’s a couple of horses, like Chill Chibi, that come into the race but I have confidence that this horse on the dirt, he’s a different horse – he just gets so comfortable on it, especially if the speed is on,” the Mauritian said.
“He’s a horse that loves the surface and there are not always races for him so it’s nice to get him back to the races. From his trials, he’s doing everything right at the moment, it’s a nice little competitive field and I look forward to riding him.”
With four wins and 13 minor placings from 53 rides this season, Teetan is undeterred by Adefill’s draw.
“Being drawn outside is even better because he wants to be left alone and he’ll get on their backs coming through and this is when he gives his best,” Teetan said.
Zac Purton is hopeful Fast Network can successfully cope with a rise in grade when the unbeaten gelding tackles the Class 3 Federation Of HK Guangdong Community Trophy Handicap (1000m) for Dennis Yip.
“He’s unexposed, he’s lightly-raced. He’s a big horse that you would like to think would derive benefit from an outing and he just continues to work well,” Purton said.
“He’s done a good job, he sort of struggles sometimes to get his rhythm out of the gates and he copped a little bit of squeeze there last time but after we’d gone a few strides, he gathered himself, got balanced and from then on travelled really nicely and it was just a matter of waiting for the right time to ask him for his effort.
“He’s been a bit soft on the line in both of his wins, so hopefully when the time comes and he’s got to find a little bit more, he’s got it there.”
In a prelude to Hong Kong’s October Group race action, California Spangle led home a star-studded field in a 1200m trial at Sha Tin this morning in preparation for the HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) on 20 October.
Preparing for a clash with Ka Ying Rising and others, the three-time Group 1 winner and reigning Hong Kong Champion Sprinter led throughout on the dirt course under Brenton Avdulla, clocking 1m 11.08s to defeat Gorgeous Win by half a length.
G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) winner Beauty Eternal was third in a tightly-bunched finish from Chancheng Glory and Galaxy Patch.
California Spangle’s trainer Tony Cruz confirmed the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) victor would resume in the Premier Bowl, while John Size indicated Beauty Eternal and Red Lion, who was seventh in today’s first batch, would resume in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on 13 October where the pair could clash with Galaxy Patch, Chancheng Glory and others.
Sha Tin’s Sunday (6 October) 10-race starts at 1pm with the Class 5 Tung Lung Chau Handicap (1800m).
By Leo Schlink
