Latest news with #GroupOneQueen'sSilverJubileeCup
South China Morning Post
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Karis Teetan snaps lean run with breakthrough three-timer: ‘I just kept my head down and kept punching along'
Battling a lean run since booting home superstar Ka Ying Rising, Karis Teetan injected new life into his campaign with a breakthrough treble at Sha Tin on Sunday. Since successfully filling in for the injured Zac Purton on Ka Ying Rising in February's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), the Mauritian jockey had only one winner to his name – Ace Power at Happy Valley on March 19. 'Things have been a bit slow but I just kept my head down and kept punching along,' Teetan said. Teetan's perseverance was rewarded when he notched his first three-timer of the season aboard Top Throne, Good Luck Babe and Mr Cool. Booming run, Mr Cool! 😤 Sporting the same silks as Group 1 star Mr Stunning, Mr Cool wins his first race to give @KarisTeetan a three-timer... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 6, 2025 'I thought I had a few decent rides today and some of the draws went my way, too,' said Teetan, who moved to 30 wins for the campaign. 'It's turned out to be a great day.' Top Throne started Teetan's red-letter day with an impressive victory in the second section of the Class Four New Asia Alumni Handicap (1,200m). Backed into $3 favouritism after a close fourth on debut, the David Hayes-trained gelding had a sweet run in the box seat from gate two and pounced on the lead 150m out when hooked out into the clear by Teetan. The three-year-old responded strongly to salute by three-quarters of a length, holding off a late charge from Dazzling Fit with debut winner Mount Everest also running on late for third. 'He ran great in his first run,' Teetan said of Top Throne's debut behind Mount Everest on March 9. 'He actually did many things wrong but to still run where he ran was a great effort and we thought he would always improve from that, which he did.' Teetan followed up in the next race on David Eustace's Good Luck Babe, leading all the way to salute in the Class Four United Alumni Handicap (1,600m). Sporting a familiar set of silks on Mr Cool in the Class Four Morningside Alumni Handicap (1,400m), Teetan clinched his treble when the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained gelding stormed home on his second start. Mr Cool went two better than his debut third to Tactical Command when he ran on powerfully from the back half of the field to beat Etalon Or by three-quarters of a length. 'I said to the owner [Maurice Koo Win-chong] 'this is one of my favourite set of silks' in Hong Kong because of Mr Stunning,' Teetan said, referring to the Koo-owned galloper he booted home in a pair of Group Ones. 'On debut at Happy Valley, he just didn't know where he was but he ran a great race and we knew he would improve a lot. 'You could see today, not many horses won from where he was but the speed was on and I was happy where I was. 'When I asked him he really responded well and I just want to say well done to the connections and well done to all the trainers sticking with me and giving me support – I really appreciate it.'
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton eager to return with a bang on Ka Ying Rising and Galaxy Patch
Seven weeks after fracturing his toe in a nasty fall, Zac Purton is itching to return to race riding when he reunites with Ka Ying Rising and Galaxy Patch on Sunday. The seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey, who also teams up with Ka Ying Rising's half-brother on Sunday, underwent surgery and was forced to watch on from the sidelines after breaking his left big toe in a three-horse fall at Sha Tin on February 9. 'It feels pretty good. It's a little bit niggly, but nothing to worry about,' Purton said of his toe. 'I've ridden in more pain before so it's not going to worry me.' After missing the winning ride on Ka Ying Rising in last month's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), Purton hops back aboard the David Hayes-trained gelding in Sunday's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m). Perfect tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 😏 The world's best sprinter is first across the line this morning at Sha Tin in his trial ahead of the likes of Sword Point, Helios Express and co. 🔥@zpurton | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 21, 2025 The sprinter widely considered the best in the world bids for an 11th consecutive victory en route to his next Group One aim, the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) on April 27. He warmed up for the Sprint Cup with an easy trial win under Purton last week. 'He's a nice horse to be coming back for and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there,' Purton said. 'I've been on his back at the trials and in a bit of work. He just continues to please us and do everything well. He's pretty uncomplicated. He's pleased us in every little thing he's done here in Hong Kong. He's the perfect little racehorse.' Ka Ying Rising will again be a raging favourite when he clashes with six rivals – California Spangle, Helios Express, Lucky With You, Magic Control, Copartner Prance and Gorgeous Win. Purton's other feature ride on Sunday, Galaxy Patch, also has undeniable claims in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). It will be Purton's first time riding Galaxy Patch under race conditions, with Pierre Ng Pang-chi's classy miler bidding for his first win since last October. 'I wouldn't say he's at the crossroads, but he's been a little bit disappointing recently,' Purton said. 'I rode him in that trial [last week] and I just wonder if he might be better with the blinkers back on, but he obviously doesn't have them for this race. 'He didn't seem to be that focused for me in the trial and he was doing all his best racing early in his career with blinkers on, then they took them off him to go up in distance. 'It's my first time riding him on race day and you get a better impression of what a horse is really like after you ride them in that scenario, so I'll learn a bit about him on the weekend. He's obviously a talented horse, we've just got to try get him going the right way again.' Galaxy Patch has won seven of his 17 starts but has trailed home star galloper Voyage Bubble on his past four runs. Another of Purton's nine rides on Sunday is Ka Ying Rising's half-brother Ka Ying Glory, who makes his race debut in the first section of the Class Four Plantation Handicap (1,200m). Also trained by Hayes, the son of Turn Me Loose has won his two most recent trials in fine style. 'He's obviously a nice horse. He feels like he's more of a 1,400m horse or a miler, but he's a really bold-going horse,' Purton said. 'He has to start at the 1,200m just to try and get the pace of the race to help him relax a bit, but he's been strong in all his trials. 'Even when he has pulled he's still kicked on, which is quite unusual – normally when they pull as hard as he does, they normally drop out. 'He's obviously got a fair amount of ability there, it's just a matter of hopefully getting him into the right rhythm in the race for him to show that.' Volcanic Spark, Bottomuptogether, With A Smile, La Forza, Sunny Da Best and Another World are Purton's other rides.
South China Morning Post
13-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton all but rules out Hong Kong Derby return as he eyes Ka Ying Rising reunion
Zac Purton is likely to be sidelined for longer than first hoped. Photos: Kenneth Chan Zac Purton will not be chasing a BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) mount, with the jockey confirming it would require an eleventh hour call-up for him to ride in the city's most prestigious race after specialists recommended he give his broken toe longer to recover. Sidelined since February 9 after injuring his left big toe in a three-horse fall at Sha Tin, Purton had initially hoped to be back for next weekend's Derby, however he has shifted his sights to a reunion with gun sprinter Ka Ying Rising in March 30's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m). 'I ended up getting some more scans done, I got a second opinion and spoke to some other people in Australia as well,' said Purton. 'Unfortunately, the union between the bones just hasn't quite set enough at the moment. 'Although I feel like I could do it and I went and hopped on the equicizer and it doesn't really worry me – I feel like I can put up with the pain – I keep getting told that if I was to try and put it under too much pressure at the moment, there's a chance of it refracturing. 'If it was just up to me, I feel like I could get on a horse and ride and get on with things, but when I look at the scans and listen to what they're telling me, I understand. 'The last thing I want to do is refracture it and end up back where I was. For the sake of waiting one more week, I just have to suck it up.' While hopping back aboard Ka Ying Rising is the seven-time champion jockey's priority, Purton didn't completely rule out jumping in the saddle for one ride on Derby Day – if the stars aligned. 'If I start riding work next week and something happens to another jockey leading into the Derby, I'd be more than happy to jump on it,' he said. 'I'll be on a horse by the end of next week so we'll just let that play out.' Purton missed one ride on Ka Ying Rising while sidelined by his toe injury, watching on as Karis Teetan piloted the galloper many consider the world's best sprinter to victory in last month's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m).
South China Morning Post
20-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ka Ying Rising ready for new challenge: ‘the positive is he's a bit of a freak'
Elite speedster must overcome another wide barrier when stepping up to 1,400m in Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup by Sam Agars on Thursday, February 20, 2025 3:01 PM David Hayes with a spring in his step after Ka Ying Rising's Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) win last month. Photo: Kenneth Chan David Hayes is confident the 1,400m of Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup will present Ka Ying Rising with the perfect opportunity to 'really put his acceleration on show' despite the gun speedster again drawing wide. Lumped with barrier nine of nine for Sunday's HK$13 million feature, Ka Ying Rising will jump from gate eight or wider for the fifth consecutive time. 'He hasn't drawn a decent barrier for a while – it's an incredible run of bad barriers,' said Hayes. 'He's got a couple of questions marks – the wide barrier, he's never been seen at the distance and a new jockey, albeit a new jockey who's won on him. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 19, 2025 'I would have loved a more inside draw but that's the way it is and he's got a bit more time to the first bend at the 1,400m. 'The biggest positive is he's a bit of a freak and he overcomes things.' After 10 wins from 12 starts at six furlongs to begin his career, including his past nine victories on the trot, Ka Ying Rising will tackle 1,400m for the first time and Hayes expects jockey Karis Teetan to keep things simple aboard the horse many consider the best sprinter in the world. 'He'll certainly be going forward and he stays out of trouble, which is good because sometimes when you've got an odds-on pop getting boxed in is a problem, but you wouldn't expect him to get boxed in,' said Hayes. 'He'll either be right up with the speed horses or just in behind them. 'Without him having run over 1,400m, I'm really confident. I think he can really put his acceleration on show. I think it's the ideal distance for him, to be honest.' Teetan, who partnered Ka Ying Rising to his first success in open company in last June's Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m), steps in for the injured Zac Purton. The Mauritian travelled to Conghua to pilot Ka Ying Rising in a trial victory last week and was on his back again at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning. 'Karis was very happy with him on Wednesday and he was extremely happy with him in the trial,' said Hayes, who sits atop the trainers' premiership with 31 wins. 'He's come down from China well and he's been eating very well, so everything is normal. He's in top shape. His build up is as good as it's ever been and I'm really happy.' Among those standing between Ka Ying Rising and a Group One hat-trick are the three horses who got closest to him in last month's Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) – Helios Express, Howdeepisyourlove and Invincible Sage. He also faces California Spangle, Beauty Eternal, Red Lion and Patch Of Theta, who step back in trip after running behind Voyage Bubble in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m), and the returning Mugen. Looking ahead, Hayes confirmed DBS x Manulife Million Challenge leader Soleil Fighter will back up at the Valley next week after his fast-finishing third behind Hameron on Wednesday night. 'He's the leader of it and he'll be nominated for sure because we really want to win it for the owner,' Hayes said.
