Hayes and Teetan combine with Storm Rider to land New Year’s Day Group 3 feature

By Leo Schlink

Karis Teetan extended a deepening affinity with the HK$4.2 million G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Thursday (1 January) when the Mauritian pocketed his fourth victory in the race by piloting David Hayes-trained Storm Rider to a thrilling victory.

Teetan had previously triumphed in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup on Fifty Fifty (2018), Champion’s Way (2021) and Patch Of Theta (2025), while Hayes’ most recent success in the race was with Schubert in 2000.

Carrying only 115lb, Storm Rider drove relentlessly under Teetan’s riding to overhaul Dancing Code (116lb) in the last few strides to triumph by a short head in 1m 20.62s, with Patch Of Theta (134lb) a neck further away in third.

Rated 86 before today’s victory, Storm Rider has the ability to reach triple figures in the standings, according to Hayes.

“I just think he’s a horse that has got the potential to go above 100 and he was beautifully rated for his ability. My only concern was the barrier (nine), but Karis rode such a great race, it took the barrier out of that. Once he got that nice run, he was always going to be hard to beat with that light weight,” Hayes said.

Teetan said: “It’s a good start to the New Year. His trial last week was a really good trial. Last start, he just pulled too hard and he still ran home. The horse was coming to the races today with good form and David was very bullish that the horse could run well today.

“He said to me ‘Don’t take this horse back today, go forward and make our own luck’ so full credit to David and his team. The horse was very well.”

Harry Bentley is confident Frankie Lor-trained Smart Golf (128lb) will progress through the grades after the gelding’s emphatic win in the first section of the Class 4 Hillwood Handicap (1200m).

“He’s been trialling extremely well and I got on him for one trial and he led and gave me a really good feel, so I was coming into this race with a level of confidence,” Bentley said. “He was able to overcome a wide draw (11) with a lot of natural speed, travelled along great and when I asked the question, he duly delivered.

“So, there should be more to come from him. He’s a nice type who should climb the ranks.”

Mark Newnham reclaimed the lead in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship when four-year-old Infinite Resolve (129lb) surged to victory in the first section of the Class 3 Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1200m) under Hugh Bowman.

Earning a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million, the Snitzel gelding – who formerly raced as Deconstruction when trained in Australia by Ciaron Maher – gave Newnham his 27th winner for the season and, with more second placings than Caspar Fownes (also 27 wins), Newnham has wrestled back the lead.

Danny Shum (25) and Hayes (23) are also within in close reach of the lead after 33 of the season’s 88 scheduled meetings.

Size climbed into the top 10 in the trainers’ championship when Endued (135lb) staved off late challenges to land the Class 4 Lei Muk Shue Handicap (1600m) under Maxime Guyon.

Bidding for a record-extending 14th trainers’ championship, Size said: “It’s very important in this environment to start the New Year in a positive way. I don’t think they (other trainers) are too worried about me yet but I’ve just got to keep chipping away.”

Tony Cruz and Angus Chung shared the honour of delivering the first winner of the New Year when Iron Legion (129lb) landed the Class 5 Tsung Pak Long Handicap (1600m) in the first of a string of blanket finishes.

The Invincible Army gelding prevailed by a short head from Harry’s Hero (117lb) with the same margin to Draco (127lb).

A similar scenario played out in the second section of the Class 4 Hillwood Handicap (1200m) when trainer Chris So and James Orman combined with Joy Capital (128lb), who posted a short head margin over Sea Sapphire (121lb) with Bigtime Generation (134lb) in third.

Riding High (132lb) prevailed at his 18th start for Douglas Whyte, dominating the Class 5 Pine Tree Hill Handicap (1200m) from the front under a clever ride from Zac Purton, who exploited barrier one to fullest to control the race.

Whyte sealed a double when Six Pack (133lb) earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million with success in the Class 3 Chuk Yuen Handicap (1400m) under Luke Ferraris.

Yiu Cheung Victory (117lb) defied all with a tough staying display to clinch the Class 4 Mui Wo Handicap (2000m) for Dennis Yip to provide Alexis Badel with his first winner since 30 November before John Size and Brenton Avdulla triumphed with Raging Rapids (126lb) in the Class 4 Lai Chi Chong Handicap (1400m).

Ricky Yiu’s Rising Force (117lb) landed a significant plunge under Richard Kingscote to snare the second section of the Class 3 Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1200m) after jumping from barrier 14 and racing outside the leader before winning stylishly.

Backed from double figures into 3.3 second favourite behind Crossborderpegasus (132lb), Rising Force was resuming after a ligament injury.

“He had been running well on the dirt, so I was disappointed with the draw in stall 14, but I knew the horse drawn in 13 (Matters Most) was a fast one too so we just followed him into the first bend and it worked out well,” Yiu said.

“The last two trials he did were quite promising and with the light weight that he had today, I believed he would run well despite the wide draw. He’s only just turned four and it was first run of the season, so I think we have a lot of improvement in him. He’s fast and versatile too.”

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (4 January) with the HK$4.2 million G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1000m).