Photo by @wallacewnck
“And Karis has three! What a night Karis is having! That’s three (winners) from four (rides)!” It was race caller Mark McNamara somewhat surprised, bemused, and happily bewildered at Karis Teetan crossing the line first on Happy Tango in the fourth race of the night at Happy Valley.
It was a case of Happy Tango, Happy Valley, Happy Trainer Me Tsui, who ended up training a treble, and Happy Karis giving himself a belated Happy Birthday present.
The Karis Teetan success story has been well documented- a ‘feel good’ storyline about the poor Mauritian boy who dreamt of being a jockey and has made it big overseas as the Mauritian Magician. Still, there’s the feeling in some quarters, rightly or wrongly, that his role is to keep playing second banana to the dynamic duo of the Brazilian Magic Man and the Aussies Zac Attack.
Unlike under-utilised riding talents like Derek Leung and Matthew Chadwick, Karis doesn’t exactly fly under the radar. He and his Peaches are all over social media, especially Instagram, showing and sharing with the world their love for each other and extravagant lifestyle.
To each their own, and bless ‘em, I say. It’s no different to those in racing who crave a designer label lifestyle and enjoying showing it off on Instagram. Nouveau riche never gets old, Oui?
When it comes to his profession of being a jockey, and which is what should matter, Karis Teetan’s strike rate is sometimes taken for granted. Well, that’s the perception amongst some of us, anyway. Maybe, we’ve got it wrong and are looking in the wrong places and listening to the wrong people. Maybe.
Of course in his homeland of Mauritius, the local boy who’s made it big on the international stage that is Hong Kong racing, is a local hero.
Speak to those local racing fans, not the privileged few cloistered away in their private boxes, but the rank and file punter, and Karis Teetan can do no wrong. Triers never can. It’s something appreciated. This is something for everyone to see: how much he tries to give each of his rides every possible opportunity to win or run a place.
It was seen again with his FOURTH win of the night when Karis led all the way on Red Majesty in race six and coaxed his ride to hold on for a win.
Of course, this is the job of every rider competing in a race- to give their best. Whether it’s his riding style, and the vigour he puts into fighting out a finish, especially against Joao Moreira and Zac Purton, people see someone giving his all- giving 110 percent.
Speaking to a jockey friend in South Africa last night, Karis delivers. And keeps delivering. He might not be the most stylish jockey in the world, but who is when compared to Joao and Zac? Very possibly Jamie Kah. Who else? Seen some of the cowboys riding in Japan?
What exactly is this “style”, anyway when talking about doing everything possible to win a race? Being the Giorgio Armani of horse racing?
Could it perhaps be just another one of those meaningless things we’ve got used to saying without really knowing why?
As for Karis Teetan, he was not only on fire tonight, he was singing and dancing and riding winner after winner after winner in the rain.
When it rains, it pours. It’s magic.
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