KARIS TEETAN IN A VERY HAPPY PLACE AS HE LOOKS TO CLAIM A PIECE OF FWD RACEDAY GLORY

By Darren Winningham | Friday, April 22, 2022

Karis Teetan, the popular lightweight Mauritian jockey who has made Hong Kong his home in recent years, has become a consistent force in Hong Kong since joining the jockey ranks in 2013. He consolidated this when I was last in Hong Kong by winning the LONGINES Hong Kong International Jockeys' Championship in 2019.

On that occasion he announced his pending marriage to his fiancée Xaviere Cottereau. I jokingly offered to be his wedding photographer!

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then with Teetan consistently winning races in Hong Kong, in fact 93 winners in 2019/20 … then 79 winners in 2020/21 … and this current season, despite spending some time recuperating from injuries, he has managed 57 winners so far.

Teetan has had a huge week in the lead up to the FWD race day where three Group 1 races are set down for decision. He experienced being a father on Tuesday morning with the birth of his first child “Isabelle”. Posting on social media “Our rainbow baby princess was born on the 19th of April 2022. Welcome to the world Isabelle Margaux Teetan - we are so in love.”

Being the professional that he is – he will now prepare for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday

He will ride Romantic Warrior in the HK$25 million (Group 1) FWD QEII Cup. He reunites with the gelding after winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (Group 1) on him at his previous start. On paper it looks the hardest to beat in a race where there are no international runners this year with restrictions in place by the government. I expect him to salute on Sunday and win!

He has other chances in the HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$20 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). He will partner with the Frankie Lor trained Master Eight in the Sprint and the Danny Shum trained More Than This in the Mile. Both will be rough hopes, but he has his “angel” riding with him this weekend and anything could happen!

I think we can also have something on his last ride of the day in race 11 on the program – Lucky With You (11) trained by Australia’s David Hayes who is having a tremendous season in Hong Kong with 32 winners this season.

This gelding is second up this weekend over a distance where he thrives – 1200 metres. He was ridden forward from a wide barrier first up and faded late – since then he has had a solid trial. He is unbeaten second up in his preparations – I expect him to settle a few pairs back with some serious speed in the race and be too good for them late.

One thing is for sure – Teetan will be happy to head home to his family after a day at the office, win, lose or draw!

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