No jockey rode more Hong Kong winners in March than Karis Teetan, who hopes the tempo of Sunday’s Class Two Beas River Handicap (1,600m) is fast enough to suit his lightly weighted mount, Amazing Victory.
Teetan partnered Amazing Victory in a Class Two race over 1,400m three weeks ago, but Peter Ho Leung’s progressive galloper was not one of the Mauritian jockey’s 14 March winners, a tally that was four greater than the next highest of Hugh Bowman.
That Amazing Victory failed to justify favouritism on his most recent appearance had a lot to do with the very slow pace that Zac Purton set aboard Circuit Stellar, who led by three-quarters of a length with 400m remaining and passed the winning post one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Fantastic Treasure after breaking 22 seconds for the final sectional.
Amazing Victory occupied third position at the end of every one of the pedestrian contest’s four sections, but never did he look likely to register his fourth win this season with the race shape against him.
Circuit Stellar caps a @zpurton double! ✌️ Tony Cruz's 5YO goes back-to-back over 1400m in Class 2. #Hkracing pic.twitter.com/v0J5ODV8Qf
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 11, 2023
“We had a good draw last time, and he had no weight on his back, but also I knew, pace wise, there wasn’t going to be much, and it was like that,” Teetan said of Amazing Victory’s latest outing. “It was a sit-and-sprint race. It didn’t work out for him.”
With noted front-runner All For St Paul’s and on-speed dirt specialist Chancheng Prince in the Beas River Handicap field, Amazing Victory could encounter a genuine tempo similar to the one off which he ran home strongly under Purton to win on December 4.
“I’m hoping there could be some more speed in the race. If it’s a true-run race, he’s going to be very competitive,” said Teetan, who has steered Amazing Victory to one win and six placings in their 10 collaborations that began with his June debut.
Teetan has a full book of rides at Sha Tin, with his mounts including last-start winner Regent Glory, who looks to build upon his maiden success for the David Hayes stable when he lines up in the first section of the Class Four Ng Tung River Handicap (1,400m).
Regent Glory keeps on finding! @KarisTeetan strikes a win up for David Hayes at Sha Tin. @lindsayparkrace | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/XLF1514dRb
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 11, 2023
Regent Glory led all the way from the inside gate to win in Class Four off a Class Five mark last month, and Teetan could employ similar tactics again after the Jockey Club computer spat out barrier three.
“He’s got a nice gate, and there’s not much in the field who show speed. If he’s leading or in a handy position where he’s comfortable, he’s capable of being competitive,” said Teetan of Regent Glory.
Teetan also jumps aboard Wide Blue Yonder and Satirical Glory for Hayes on Sunday, plus Flamingo Trillion for Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, Day Day Rich for Benno Yung Tin-pang, Speedy Chariot for Douglas Whyte, Go Go Sixteen for Manfred Man Ka-leung, Beato for Tony Cruz and Seizing The Moment for John Size.
Ho accepts invitation to represent Rest of the World in Shergar Cup at Ascot
Yung, whose six runners include talented import Chiu Chow Spirit in the Class Three Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (1,400m), needs only one more victory to celebrate training 300 Hong Kong winners.
Chiu Chow Spirit, who wore blinkers in the Group One JJ Atkins Stakes (1,600m) on the last of his five starts in Australia, gets a set of cheek pieces for his third run in Hong Kong. Also, Yung turns to Purton after previously engaging Hugh Bowman and Alexis Badel.