Teetan chases Victory for Ho: ‘this horse could get Peter the wins quickly’

Amazing Victory has been a great soldier for trainer Peter Ho Leung already this season, and jockey Karis Teetan believes the consistent gelding can play a role in ensuring the veteran handler avoids a third strike.

Amazing Victory supplied three of Ho’s 13 victories so far in 2022-23 in a barnstorming start to the campaign and has been one of his most consistent gallopers since, placing in five of his past six starts.

Ho needs three more victories to satisfy the Jockey Club’s performance benchmark and eradicate the risk of losing his licence at season’s end, with Teetan confident Amazing Victory “could get Peter the wins quickly”.

While Teetan admits the four-year-old galloper will need luck against the likes of Tuchel and Sweet Encounter in Sunday’s Class Two Para Sports Coach Handicap (1,600m), he has proven he can perform at the level with a neck second over the course and distance two starts ago.

“He’s been running very well. Last time it was a good run, but I don’t think he liked the softer track. The time before, he ran pretty well in the Class Two, but they went slow. It’s a competitive race, but I’m sure he will run well again,” Teetan said.

“We need a bit of luck to go the horse’s way, and we have to respect some of the big horses in the race, but hopefully, we can get them.”

Ho and Teetan also combine in Sunday’s final event, with Happy Daily chasing a form reversal in the Class Three Para Sports Volunteer Handicap (1,400m).

Elsewhere among Teetan’s rides, the 32-year-old jockey is looking forward to again joining forces with the David Hayes-trained Lucky Encounter in the Class Three Badminton Handicap (1,200m).

After finishing second on debut behind Red Elegance down the Sha Tin straight, Lucky Encounter produced a two-and-a-half-length last-start victory. Now he finds himself in Class Three for his troubles after a nine-point whack from the handicappers.

“The win last time was impressive. That’s why they’ve put him straight up into Class Three. But last time [$1.4 favourite Beauty Destiny] just threw in the towel and made our horse look good,” Teetan said.

“He’s a nice horse, and since that last run, he’s improved a lot in the mornings. He’s only young, but I think he deserves his chance in Class Three. He’s got a nice draw, but there are two horses in the race who look like pretty nice horses. It’s going to be a nice test for him, but I think he’s going to be competitive.”

The two nice horses are David Hall’s Prince Of Porty and the John Size-trained Reward Smile.

After winning his first two starts under Zac Purton, Prince Of Porty was sent out a $1.7 favourite in tandem with the same jockey last time but found $28 chance Reward Smile too good, with the three-year-old private purchase winning impressively on his Hong Kong debut under Luke Currie.

While Prince Of Porty meets Reward Smile four pounds better off this time round, Purton must contend with gate 11, while Currie has barrier two at his disposal. Lucky Encounter splits the difference in stall six.

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