Karis Teetan heads to Sapporo, Japan, this weekend, refreshed off a summer break and keen to launch what he hopes will be a successful assault on the World All-Star Jockeys (WASJ) competition.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to go and compete in the World All-Star Jockeys,” Teetan said. “Living and riding here in Hong Kong has opened a few doors; when this opportunity came I had to take it with both hands and I’m really looking forward to going and representing Hong Kong.”
Teetan enjoyed his best ever Hong Kong campaign in 2018/19. The Mauritian’s total of 84 wins was a full 32 better than his previous high and featured a breakthrough Group 1 score at Sha Tin aboard Mr Stunning in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
“Last season was by far the best season I have had here,” he said, “but every year things get much harder and tougher in Hong Kong, so I’m going to have to continue to improve on a lot of things. I’ll go and look back through last season and see where I can make those improvements.”
When the season ended in July, only the outstanding Zac Purton and Joao Moreira were ahead of him in the premiership standings. Teetan is aiming to follow that storied duo’s lead in the four-race Sapporo challenge – Purton won the contest in 2012 while Moreira carried off the prize in 2015.
And he is hoping that his own past experience will work to his advantage. Teetan rode in Japan in the summers of 2016 and 2017, registering seven wins from 75 rides.
“I know the track,” he said, “I’ve been to Sapporo twice and although the draw of which horses I will ride is all down to luck – I’m still going there in a good frame of mind. It’s not going to be something new to me, I’m really hoping that everything can go my way and I do well.”
