Teetan targets return on IJC undercard, Bowman picks up Beauty Joy HKIR ride

Karis Teetan plans to tune up for the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) on the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) undercard next Wednesday as he returns from what will be nearly three months on the sidelines.

Teetan has not ridden since September 18 because of a thyroid condition, symptoms of which include a high heart rate and muscle weakness, but he is confident he will be given the all-clear to take rides later this week.

“I’ll have a blood test again on Friday, but I spoke to the doctor last week and they’re pretty confident I’ll be back racing on IJC night,” he said.

“Of course, there’s not many races for those not riding in the IJC, so I’ll just pick up one or two on the night to have a go around before the big day. Everything seems to be going the right way, and I’m looking forward to getting back.”

While Teetan will make a low-key return to the races, he will be right back at the coalface during next weekend’s HKIR after picking up feature rides aboard Panfield and Savvy Nine.

Teetan won the 2021 Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) aboard Panfield and will chase more elite-level success aboard Tony Millard’s Chilean import in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).

The Mauritian partners Douglas Whyte-trained Savvy Nine in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), coming up against Romantic Warrior – the horse he won the Derby and QE II Cup aboard last season.

“I just appreciate the support from the owners and trainers after being off for a while,” said Teetan, who has been back riding trials for a week.

Another big-name jockey who boasts a two-strong HKIR hand is the recently arrived Hugh Bowman, with the Australian picking up the mounts aboard Beauty Joy in the Group One Hong Kong Mile and Tourbillon Diamond in the Cup.

Bowman will be the third Australian to attempt to get the best out of tricky customer Beauty Joy this term, and the six-year-old steps back in trip after pulling when seventh in the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) on November 20.

Tourbillon Diamond was second behind Romantic Warrior in the same race.

“They’re OK,” Bowman said of his Group One rides. “Realistically, Tourbillon Diamond probably isn’t good enough to win, but you know what you’re going to get with him.

“You’ve got Golden Sixty in the Mile, of course, so Beauty Joy has got the job ahead of him to win, but I thought he could certainly be a top-four chance if he can behave himself.”

Bowman has made an impressive start to his three-month Hong Kong stint with four wins from three meetings, and he will look to build on his weekend double with a full book at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Part of that double was victory aboard Caspar Fownes-trained Solar Winds, and he has a chance to parlay that into more success for the flamboyant handler aboard Nearly Fine, while Flying Silver, Special M and Handsome Bo Bo also look poised to run strong races.

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