Latest news with #SilverJubileeCup
South China Morning Post
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Size assembles four-pronged assault on Ka Ying Rising: ‘it's hard to doubt him'
Master handler hopes one of his Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup quartet can join Wunderbar in bringing down the superstar speedster by Sam Agars on Saturday, February 22, 2025 2:00 PM Helios Express (right) runs second to ka Ying Rising in December's Hong Kong Sprint. Photos: Kenneth Chan The John Size-trained Wunderbar is the only galloper to finish in front of superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising but the master handler hopes one of his stablemates can emulate the feat in Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). Size saddles up half of the gallopers aiming to prevent Ka Ying Rising winning his 10th straight race and third Group One, with Helios Express out to turn the tables after four consecutive placings behind David Hayes' speed machine. Howdeepisyourlove also has multiple placings behind Ka Ying Rising this term, while Beauty Eternal and Red Lion step down in trip for the season's only 1,400m Group One. 'Obviously we don't get many opportunities to show their 1,400m form – there's only one a year at Group One level and we don't get a lot of visitors for this race,' said Size of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, which he has won with Electronic Unicorn (2004), Contentment (2016) and Waikuku (2021). — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 8, 2024 'But's it's always an interesting contest and we've got 1,600m horses and 1,200m horses coming together, which mixes it up a little bit.' While Ka Ying Rising will race over further than 1,200m for the first time, Beauty Eternal is a Group Three winner over 1,400m as well as a Group One victor at a mile and Helios Express snared the Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m) last season. 'Helios Express looks normal. He's trained well and he's strong. The 1,400m might help him out a little bit,' said Size. 'We might get a change in the result, you never know, but the favourite has such a high rating that it's hard to doubt him. It should carry him through. 'Beauty Eternal is training well and I'm not worried about his form. He seems to be in excellent health and condition. The horse is happy. 'The day he won his Group One [in the last year's Champions Mile] it was a rain-affected track, which he might be missing this weekend, but in the past couple of weeks the grass has come on really well on the course proper and it should have bit of cushion in it. 'Howdeepisyourlove has been in very good shape. He's been racing consistently, he does everything right and he runs the same race every time. 'Red Lion is probably a bit over an overachiever. It would be fair to say he's done more than what we expected of him and his honesty will see him through. He's going to give a good account of himself, as usual.' While Helios Express will be ridden by regular jockey Hugh Bowman, there's been plenty of shuffling among Size's other runners and the favourite. Ka Ying Rising will be ridden by Karis Teetan in the absence of the injured Zac Purton and Andrea Atzeni takes the reins from the Australian aboard Beauty Eternal, while Red Lion will be partnered by Alexis Badel for the first time this season. Also among the rotations is the booking of Ben Thompson to replace James McDonald aboard Howdeepisyourlove, with the New Zealander not making it back from Saudi Arabia in time after riding Romantic Warrior in the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m). McDonald is expected to get to Sha Tin in time to partner Voyage Bubble in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m), however, with the Size-trained Ensued among the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained galloper's nine opponents.
South China Morning Post
22-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Karis Teetan ready to convert Ka Ying Rising chance: ‘I just want to enjoy the ride'
Karis Teetan knows better than most the importance of taking your opportunities in the Hong Kong racing pressure-cooker, but the Mauritian jockey certainly isn't putting too much pressure on himself ahead of his ride aboard the world's best sprinter at Sha Tin on Sunday. While there is serious expectation that comes with riding such a hot favourite in a Hong Kong Group One race, the fact Teetan knows he'll be handing the reins back to Zac Purton whatever happens in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) is allowing him to approach the task with an air of freedom. 'There's no need to put too much pressure on myself. I know that I'm riding one of the best horses in the world and I just want to enjoy the ride,' said Teetan, who partners Ka Ying Rising for the second time in the absence of the injured Purton. Teetan's found himself in contrasting positions on the Hong Kong jockey merry-go-round – he's lost plenty of rides on top-line gallopers while also being in the right place at the right time on a number of occasions – and he's ready to to seize the unexpected opportunity to snare his first Group One victory since his QE II Cup (2,000m) success aboard Romantic Warrior in April 2022. Ka Ying Rising has Group 1 targets next season! 😏 The gifted 3YO secures the G3 Sha Tin Vase in style with @KarisTeetan for David Hayes... #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 2, 2024 'My last Group One was Romantic Warrior but this is Hong Kong. Things will go your way sometimes and then sometimes things don't go your way. You just have to wait, be patient,' said Teetan, who took out the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) aboard Ka Ying Rising last June. 'Unfortunately this is in a difficult situation with what happened with Zac and all the boys, but thank goodness they're all OK and I'm just grateful to be able to pick up the ride. 'It's very exciting, 100 per cent. I know how good this horse is and of course I'm looking forward to it. I just want to go in focused and make sure everything goes to plan.' Standing between Teetan and victory in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup are the likes of Helios Express, reigning champion California Spangle and Howdeepisyourlove, as well as the outside gate of nine and the need for the David Hayes-trained Ka Ying Rising to handle the step up to seven furlongs for the first time. 'The gate is a challenge and stepping up to 1,400m is a question mark, but as David says he's a freak and he overcomes everything that is thrown at him,' Teetan said. 'I'm just gong to ride him like I've done before and how Zac has ridden him and I think the horse himself knows how good he is.'
South China Morning Post
22-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Teetan ready to convert Ka Ying Rising chance: ‘I just want to enjoy the ride'
Well-versed in the oft-fickle nature of the Hong Kong jockey merry-go-round, the Mauritian is determined to enjoy his opportunity to jump back aboard the world's best sprinter by Sam Agars on Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:00 PM Karis Teetan enjoys his victory aboard Ka Ying Rising last season. Photo: Kenneth Chan Karis Teetan knows better than most the importance of taking your opportunities in the Hong Kong racing pressure-cooker, but the Mauritian jockey certainly isn't putting too much pressure on himself ahead of his ride aboard the world's best sprinter at Sha Tin on Sunday. While there is serious expectation that comes with riding such a hot favourite in a Hong Kong Group One race, the fact Teetan knows he'll be handing the reins back to Zac Purton whatever happens in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) is allowing him to approach the task with an air of freedom. 'There's no need to put too much pressure on myself. I know that I'm riding one of the best horses in the world and I just want to enjoy the ride,' said Teetan, who partners Ka Ying Rising for the second time in the absence of the injured Purton. Teetan's found himself in contrasting positions on the Hong Kong jockey merry-go-round – he's lost plenty of rides on top-line gallopers while also being in the right place at the right time on a number of occasions – and he's ready to to seize the unexpected opportunity to snare his first Group One victory since his QE II Cup (2,000m) success aboard Romantic Warrior in April 2022. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 2, 2024 'My last Group One was Romantic Warrior but this is Hong Kong. Things will go your way sometimes and then sometimes things don't go your way. You just have to wait, be patient,' said Teetan, who took out the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) aboard Ka Ying Rising last June. 'Unfortunately this is in a difficult situation with what happened with Zac and all the boys, but thank goodness they're all OK and I'm just grateful to be able to pick up the ride. 'It's very exciting, 100 per cent. I know how good this horse is and of course I'm looking forward to it. I just want to go in focused and make sure everything goes to plan.' Standing between Teetan and victory in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup are the likes of Helios Express, reigning champion California Spangle and Howdeepisyourlove, as well as the outside gate of nine and the need for the David Hayes-trained Ka Ying Rising to handle the step up to seven furlongs for the first time. 'The gate is a challenge and stepping up to 1,400m is a question mark, but as David says he's a freak and he overcomes everything that is thrown at him,' Teetan said. 'I'm just gong to ride him like I've done before and how Zac has ridden him and I think the horse himself knows how good he is.'
