Our questions are answered by the ‘Mauritian Magician’ who has been among the top riders in Hong Kong for a decade
Karis Teetan has firmly established himself among Hong Kong’s elite riders since relocating from South Africa in 2013.
Now 35, the ‘Mauritian Magician’ entered the South African Jockey Academy at the age of 14 and went on to be crowned the nation’s champion apprentice in 2008. The following year he rode 147 winners and regularly passed the century mark as a senior rider.
At the end of his first season in Hong Kong he had ridden 50 winners and notched his first G1 victory on Mr Stunning in the Hong Kong Sprint. He has now registered a total of 689 winners in the region.
Top-level victories include three on global star Romantic Warrior, including in the Hong Kong Derby, plus a win on Ka Ying Rising, the #1 racehorse on the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings, as well as another on local hero Able Friend.
Teetan made his British riding debut in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot in August, captaining the Rest of the World team
Which racing figure past or present do you most admire?
Lester Piggott (right). When I was in the South African jockey academy his name would come up a lot. There were pictures of all the superstar jockeys in the world there and they showed us Lester and spoke a lot about him. I never met him but I watched a lot of the replays of his career. He was a legend and as a young jockey you always try to look up to someone like that.
What is your favourite venue, and your favourite race?
My favourite racecourse is Sha Tin and the race would be the Hong Kong Cup. I haven’t won a Hong Kong Cup yet but that’s my focus for the future. The race brings so many good horses together from Japan, England, Australia. Of course the prize-money is so big but there is also a prestige about that race. Sha Tin is an amazing track to ride on. I just love it.
Who is your favourite racehorse and why?
Mr Stunning is my favourite racehorse. I rode my first G1 win on him in the Hong Kong Sprint. I will always remember that day. To win a G1 in Hong Kong is not easy so to have an opportunity to ride a horse like him and take on all the best sprinters from around the world is just a moment that is not easy to forget. I was also a huge fan of Enable. What she did was amazing.
What is your fondest memory in racing?
Winning the International Jockeys Challenge in Hong Kong in December a few years ago. To have all these world-class riders, like Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori, and to be able to win the trophy was something I never thought I would be able to do. Hong Kong is a difficult environment to ride in so these are moments you never forget because it takes so much hard work.
If you could change one thing in racing what would it be?
I would like to introduce more young people to the sport. Now there are plenty of young people there for the party, for the drink, but it would be nice to see them getting more involved in owning horses. They are the future.
Karis Teetan was speaking to Jon Lees
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