karis teetan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Acclamation’s Romantic Warrior Remains Perfect In Classic Mile

by Alan Carasso

Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a graduate of the unique Hong Kong International Sale, took his record to five-from-five with a tough victory over pacesetting California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in Sunday's HK$12-million Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first of three legs of the 4YO Series in the jurisdiction. The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) rallied from midfield to finish a clear third.

Winner of five of his six starts, California Spangle–the top-rated galloper in the field–crossed and cleared his rivals from barrier 13 and set a reasonable gallop, as Karis Teetan aboard Romantic Warrior made full use of the rail draw to scrape paint down the back from a centerfield position. California Spangle, trying a distance beyond 1200 metres for the first time, went for home traveling nicely, but Teetan threaded the needle on Romantic Warrior at the quarter pole and was poised behind the pacesetter in upper stretch. A touch one-paced into the final furlong, Romantic Warrior knuckled down to split rivals and was doing his best work through the line. California Spangle, the only member of this 14-strong field without a BMW Hong Kong Derby entry, easily held second from The Irishman, who finished well while no menace to the top two. Turin Redstar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a two-time winner and sixth in the Brittania H. at Royal Ascot for John and Thady Gosden last June when raced as Mithras, made good ground from well back to be an eye-catching fourth at cricket-score odds.

“He had the draw and I think it helped him,” Teetan said. “I just wanted to follow California Spangle and I knew he would take me into the race but when this horse got the clear run, he really let down and I think he's got a very bright future. Man, the last 100 metres, when he got a clear run, he gave me a really good feel.”

Romantic Warrior was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 300,000gns from the draft of David and Henrietta Egan's Corduff Stud at Tattersalls October in 2019 by a team headed up by legendary former jockey Mick Kinane. He is the third foal from his dam, a daughter of Folk Opera, whose biggest racetrack success came in the 10-furlong GI E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine and whose resume also includes a victory in the G2 Darley Prix Jean Romanet. Folk Melody's last listed produce is a 2-year-old colt of this season named Operation Gimcrack (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), who fetched 160,000gns from Bryan Smart Racing at last year's Tattersalls October Sale.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE-LR, HK$12,000,000 (£1,149,106/€1,381,100/A$2,200,825/US$1,539,981), Sha Tin, 1-30, NH/SH4yo, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd.
1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
1ST STAKES WIN. (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 2yo '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny Shum Chap-Shing; J-Karis Teetan; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, HK$10,415,400.
2–California Spangle (Ire), 126, g, 4, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-M Enright; T-Tony Cruz; J-Matthew Chadwick; HK$2,640,000.
3–The Irishman (NZ), 126, g, 4, Tavistock (NZ)–Zeranti (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ). (NZ$170,000 Ylg '19 NZBJAN). O-Edmond Lee Man Bun; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan; T-Francis Lui Kin-Wai; J-Vincent Ho Chak-Yiu; HK$1,380,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 39-10, 18-5, 34-5.
Also Ran: Turin Redsun (GB), Ima Single Man (Aus), Sight Spirit (Aus), Setanta (Aus), Lucky With You (Aus), Blaze Warrior (Aus), Rocket Space (Aus), Master Delight (Aus), Fa Fa (NZ), Cobhfield (Ire), Packing Victory (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

WATCH: Romantic Warrior makes it five on the trot in the Classic Mile

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Jockeys Recovering From ‘Awful Incident’ During Hong Kong International Races

Lyle Hewitson has been released from ICU and says he is “no pain at all” after being involved in a frightening fall which led to four horses coming down during the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday.

South Africa's three-time champion jockey was one of three riders taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital after his mount Amazing Star broke down and fell, bringing down three other horses who were unable to avoid him.

Zac Purton, who suffered four fractured ribs and a broken nose, and Yuichi Fukunaga (broken collarbone) were also hospitalized while Amazing Star and Naboo Attack had to be put down. The fourth jockey involved, Karis Teetan, was unscathed.

Hewitson, 23, suffered a fractured hip, sustained cuts to his elbow and head trauma but said there were “no issues to worry about”.

He said: “I'm in no pain at all just lying in my hospital bed. I only feel pain when I need to adjust or move as it refers straight to/from my pelvis area where the fracture is.

“The doctors are happy with it saying it's a convenient fracture that will heal without surgery and without issues. I've got some stitches on my left elbow as well. My CT scans on my head are stable. I just need some rest and rehab now.”

Hewitson's news was welcomed by Purton, Hong Kong's four-time champion jockey, who admitted he had initially feared for his colleague.

“It was an awful incident,” he said, speaking to Australian broadcaster Andrew Bensley. “I was worried for Lyle Hewitson because he was the first one to go in front of me. When he hit the ground, he just lay there like a pancake.

“He didn't bounce at all and that's normally a pretty bad sign when that happens, whereas I was able to roll a little bit. Even though I was in a bad spot, and a bit of pain, I was a little bit worried about how Lyle hit the ground. Because I was in so much pain I couldn't go over to see him or check on any other riders.”

Purton was optimistic about his own situation and said he hoped to leave hospital on Monday.

He said: “I feel pretty good. I've got four fractured ribs, three on one side, one on the other. I have a fractured nose, which probably doesn't mean anything because it was always a bit wonky anyway and I have a bit of a sore wrist so I'm waiting to get an MRI on that. I am pretty lucky really.”

Purton, who was riding the favorite Lucky Patch, said there was no way of avoiding Amazing Star.

“I had nowhere to go and I had no time to react, it happened that quick,” he said.

“I was quite close up behind him. When he went there was only one place for me to go and that was straight over the top of him. The two horses following us as well had no option either. They were in that running line and the domino effect happened.”

He added: “I have a really big haematoma on my right biceps and I have a mark on my right wrist where there is an imprint of a shoe so the horse has stepped on my bicep then my wrist and that's where I felt the pain initially.

“Then I've got another mark on my left thigh muscle where I must have been hit or stepped on. Then I have the ribs where the horse has either kicked or squeezed me to the ground. I was winded quite badly and I have a bang mark on my right foot.”

Fukunaga, who was riding Pixie Knight, has been released from hospital and returned to Japan. Pixie Knight was reported to have suffered a fracture to his left front knee.

This story was reprinted with permission by Horse Racing Planet. Find the original piece and more content here.

The post Jockeys Recovering From ‘Awful Incident’ During Hong Kong International Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Panfield Ascends To New Heights in Champions & Chater Cup

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was a well-backed third in the 2018 BMW Hong Kong Derby before winning the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup H. and finishing runner-up in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. Three years on, South American import Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), who racked up a trio of top-level successes on home soil prior to his sale to Hong Kong, outran odds of 25-1 to complete the tierce in this year's Derby and was only fifth to Butterfield (Brz) (Setembro Chove {Brz}) in the Queen Mother, but bounced back to take Sunday's last of 12 Group 1s on the local calendar, besting Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) by a cosy half-length. Exultant, winner of this even in 2019 and 2020, settled for third.

The third-roughest chance in a field of seven, Panfield bounced well and settled in the one-by-one position, outside of Glorious Dragon (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and on the back of Exultant as Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) led at a walking pace passing halfway. Ridden quietly into the final three furlongs by Karis Teetan, Panfield came three deep into the lane, went by Exultant with a bit less than 300 metres to travel and dug deep as the Joao Moreira-ridden Columbus County took a run at him late. It was a first Group 1 winner for trainer Tony Millard since the outstanding Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) took out the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup in 2013.

“At the 700 [-metre mark], I knew this horse would go right through the line because he literally dropped down a gear and started to motor home,” Teetan said. “[But] you know when Joao comes next to you in a race, you know you've got a hard battle. In those big ones, he's come next to me a few times and he's got the better of me and I was like 'C'mon, Joao, not today,' and it pays off.”

Panfield is the first Hong Kong stakes winner for his Ashford Stud-based stallion, whose only other locally based runner Hongkong Great (Chi), also a three-time Group 1 winner in Chile, recently set a new track record for the extended mile on dirt and may target important main-track races overseas.

WATCH: Panfield outlasts Columbus County in the Champions & Chater

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STANDARD CHARTERED CHAMPIONS & CHATER CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,093,684/€1,267,086/A$1,991,998/US$1,545,829), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:25.25, gd/fm.
1–PANFIELD (CHI), 126, c, 4, by Lookin At Lucky
1st Dam: Esterina (Arg), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Escoradita (Arg), by Johnny's Prospect
3rd Dam: Escorada, by Mari's Book
O-Yue Yin Hing; B-Agricola Taomina Ltda; T-Tony Millard;
J-Karis Teetan; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Chi,
12-6-1-1, HK$13,334,190. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Columbus County (NZ), 126, g, 5, Redwood (GB)–Spirit of
Sandford (NZ), by Kilimanjaro (GB). (NZ$33,000 Ylg '17
NZBFEB). O-Mr & Mrs Hamen Fan Shi Hoo, Alex Fan Chen Yen
& Christina Fan Chen Mun; B-D W Mayers & Mrs S J Taylor;
T-Caspar Fownes; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,640,000.
3–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 7, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark
of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau
Hing; B-Ballygallon Stud; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton;
HK$1,200,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 17-1, 11-5, 7-5.
Also Ran: Butterfield (Brz), Glorious Dragon (Ire), Russian Emperor (Ire), Packing Waltham (Fr), Time Warp (GB).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

Courier Wonder Lives Up to Expectations…

Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) announced himself as a potential G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint horse Sunday afternoon, taking full advantage of the race's handicap conditions to win the G3 Sha Tin Vase at Sha Tin. He remained perfect in five runs as the prohibitive favourite.

Rousted along early, the 3-year-old dropped into a perfect position, racing with cover on the circle–at times a touch keenly–and was angled out into the three path at the quarter pole. Joao Moreira had to get busy on his mount to get past Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), but he gained command and held off Stronger (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) while in receipt of 12 pounds from that rival. Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), also carrying 130 pounds, got home well for third.

“I'm very excited [for next season], he's the type of horse that everyone dreams to have,” Moreira said. “In the straight, I pulled him out and he dashed home as he always does–good horses like him give jockeys an amazing feeling. When we first started turning, he got a bit lost and wanted to run out today, shying away from the other horses, but as we progressed he started to relax, which is fantastic.”

Trainer John Size indicated Courier Wonder is done for the season, with a prep towards December's international races meeting in the offing.

A full-brother to last month's G1 Doncaster Mile runner-up Icebath (NZ), Courier Wonder is the fifth stakes winner–all at group level–for his late sire (by O'Reilly {NZ}). Fabulist is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Tivaci (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and produced fillies by Sacred Falls in 2019 and 2020.

WATCH: Courier Wonder makes it five straight in the Sha Tin Vase

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
SHA TIN VASE H.-G3, HK$4,000,000 (£318,554/€370,119/A$583,102/US$450,791), Sha Tin, 5-23, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.16, gd/fm.
1–COURIER WONDER (NZ), 118, g, 4, by Sacred Falls (NZ)
1st Dam: Fabulist (NZ), by Savabeel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Fontaine (NZ), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Water Garden (Aus), by Bellwater (Fr)
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (NZ$150,000 Ylg '19
NZBJAN). O-Mr & Mrs Chadwick Mok Cham Hung; B-Waikato
Stud Ltd; T-John Size; J-Joao Moreira; HK$2,495,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-5-0-0, HK$7,029,000. *1/2 to Nowyousee (NZ)
(O'Reilly {NZ}), SW-Sin, $441,970; Just Fabulous (NZ) (O'Reilly
{NZ}), GSP-NZ; full to Icebath (NZ), G1SP-Aus, $1,675,812.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stronger (Aus), 130, g, 4, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Star Pupil
(Aus), by Starcraft (NZ). (A$1,050,000 Ylg '18 INGEAS).
O-Cheung Hon Kit, Joanna Cheung Wai Size & Jonathan
Cheung Yu Shing; B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd & Planette
Thoroughbred (NSW); T-Douglas Whyte; J-Vincent Ho;
HK$770,000.
3–Sky Field (Aus), 130, g, 4, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissante (NZ),
by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$175,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu
Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming;
B-M Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn;
HK$402,500.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 15-100, 24-1, 18-1.
Also Ran: Duke Wai (NZ), Computer Patch (Aus), Voyage Warrior (Aus), Rattan (NZ), Fat Turtle (Aus), Wishful Thinker (Aus).
Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

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Longines IJC Gets HKIR Week Rolling

The Longines International Jockeys’ Championship, set for Wednesday evening at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse, marks the true start of Hong Kong International Races week, as 12 of the world’s top jockey’s compete for the HK$500,000 winner’s share of the HK$800,000 on offer. Though the crowds won’t be there, owing to an uptick in the number of COVID cases over the last few weeks, six locally based riders will face a half-dozen of their peers that have jetted in from Europe, with a revised format in the distribution of mounts that should make for a more level playing field.

Three of the six jockeys that will fly the flag for Hong Kong are past winners of the IJC, including Joao Moreira, who was based in Singapore when he defeated now arch-rival Zac Purton to scoop the top prize in 2012. There is a home-field advantage, the ‘Magic Man’ believes, but he is taking nothing for granted.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to be a very interesting jockeys’ challenge,” Moreira said. “I have no doubt local jockeys have the advantage of riding every day on the city track, but don’t forget these jockeys are coming over here, they are high quality jockeys and they are able to adapt very quickly, understand and pick up from everybody, even watching replays. Luck is going to play a lot of luck in this game.”

Among Moreira’s best chances should come in the second leg of the competition aboard Royal Racer (Aus) (Dreamscape {Aus}), whose three career victories have come around the city circuit and who was ridden by Moreira to a course-and-distance success Nov. 25.

Karis Teetan won his first HKIR race in 2018 when steering Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, and he defeated Ryan Moore to win last year’s IJC. The Mauritian is looking forward to defending his title and says his victory put added wind in his sails.

“I would say winning the challenge helped me even in Hong Kong, more owners have seen me on the big stage and trainers have noticed, even now and it’s a big challenge and of course to win it was something really special,” said Teetan, currently third in the local jockeys’ premiership behind Moreira (49) and Purton (28) with 25 winners.

Also representing Hong Kong are Neil Callan, Vincent Ho and Alexis Badel.

Moore, who rides Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, looks to add to his 2010 IJC title and is joined by the in-form duo of Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle. The latter has landed one of the plum rides in any of the four IJC legs, as she was selected at random to guide the David Hayes-trained Harmony N Blessed (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) in the final race of the series. The 4-year-old led every step of the way to break his maiden at first asking as the $2.50 (3-2) favourite going 1200 metres at Sha Tin Nov. 22.

The remaining visiting riders include Mickael Barzalona, two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Pierre-Charles Boudot and William Buick.

The Wednesday program at Happy Valley commences at 6.30pm local time (10.30am BST, 5.30am US Eastern time) with the first of the IJC races set to jump at 8.10. Click for the HKJC form guide.

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