Karis Teetan eyes fast return as 2026/27 season kicks off on Sunday

By Declan Schuster

Karis Teetan finished off last season as one of Hong Kong racing’s most in-form riders, and returning for the 2026/27 campaign – his 14th full-time season in the city – the Mauritian ace is hoping to pick up exactly where he left off on Sunday (6 September) at Sha Tin.

Teetan has reached the 50-win mark nine times, including last season, which came after a red-hot spell of 14 wins across the season’s final 11 fixtures. Although below his best hauls of 93 (2019/20), 86 (2023/24) and 84 (2018/19), the 36-year-old is only 15 shy of reaching 800 career wins in Hong Kong – a milestone achieved by only Tony Cruz, Zac Purton, Douglas Whyte, Joao Moreira and Brett Prebble.

“It was good at the end of last season that things fell into place. I got a couple of nice rides and I was able to get them over the line. It finished off really good and I’m hoping this season starts as well as the last one ended,” Teetan said.

“I don’t really set a number; I just usually go out there and do the best I can with my horses. If you can do better than the previous season then it’s always a good thing.”

Teetan’s 52 wins last campaign pushed him into fourth in the ultra-competitive jockeys’ championship. He also won three Group 3 races during the term – the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m), Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) and most recently, the Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) in May aboard Patch Of Stars, who returns first-up in Sunday’s HK$4.2 million G3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m).

Patch Of Stars successfully rose from Class 3 to Group 3 last term, announcing himself as one of the city’s leading up-and-coming sprinters by defeating Group 1-placed Raging Raging Blizzard and Lucky With You. Trained by Manfred Man, the five-year-old is a seven-time winner from 17 appearances and rates a career-high 107.

“He’s taking on the big boy – Ka Ying Rising – and that’s always a challenge. But he goes in with no weight on his back. It’ll be a big task, but he’s a horse who has proven that he can run at a higher level now. His last win was good and his trial was good – a light weight on his back; he’s capable of running a cracker,” Teetan said.

“I thought the way he won and the way he came into the race was great. He did it easier than I thought he would and he gave me a bit of confidence from that.”

Patch Of Stars closed off from the tail of the group to finish sixth in his barrier trial on 21 August in preparation for his return, clocking 1m 13.02s under Teetan, on a rain-affected Sha Tin dirt course.

Copartner Prance, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Lucky With You and Magic Control are also entered for the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup, staged as Race 3 at 1.30pm.