Karis Teetan is confident Galaxy Patch can replicate his stable debut for Brett Crawford late last season and figure prominently when he returns in Sunday’s Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin.
A multiple Group winner and Group One placegetter for Pierre Ng Pang-chi, Galaxy Patch made an impressive first appearance for Crawford in the Group Three Premier Cup (1,400m) in June when he stormed home for a close second to Little Paradise.
There is a 4lb swing on that race in favour of Galaxy Patch and the quality galloper’s eye-catching second in a Happy Valley trial last week has Teetan full of confidence heading into Sunday’s feature.
“He’s had a good off-season break, he’s come on really well and has built a lot of strength, I feel,” Teetan said.
“His trial showed a lot of promise, I worked him on Thursday and he felt good. He’s ready to go now.
“[The Premier Cup] was a very good run, the way he finished off. The 1,400m is going to be a bit short for him anyway, we know that. But if he can just keep up with the field a bit, I won’t be surprised if he lets down as much as what he did last time.
“This will be a good starting race for him and then we can focus on the mile races.”
Galaxy Patch shares top weight of 135lb with Helios Express and jumps from barrier eight in the field of nine.
Run since 2014, the Celebration Cup has only been won by a top weight twice – Beauty Generation in 2018 and 2019.
Zac Purton was aboard Beauty Generation in those two victories and the champion jockey will seek a fourth success in the race when he rides Little Paradise.
The Jimmy Ting Koon-ho-trained galloper is unbeaten from two first-up starts and has only been beaten once from four starts at the course and distance.
“He comes into the race off the back of a nice win at the back end of last season and we’re hoping that he’s going to continue on that path,” Purton said.
“That’s going to be the question going forward – whether he can run a mile, especially against this calibre of horse, but you’ve got to start somewhere and he’s got to try and go somewhere.”
While Purton questioned Little Paradise’s credentials over a mile, he is convinced the seven-time winner has Group One potential.
“I think he’s got that potential there, whether we can just get that little bit extra out of him, or whether what he’s done is as good as he is, time’s going to tell,” Purton said.
