Opie delivers

King Opie
King Opie wins the feature under Karis Teetan.

Karis Teetan guided King Opie to a welcome feature win in the Class 2 Pok Oi Centenary Cup Handicap (1600m) yesterday (Saturday, 21 September). In King Opie he had a partner with a consistent profile, a willing attitude and fitness on his side. Teetan knows the five-year-old’s merits, despite having never partnered him in public previously.

“I used to ride this horse before he started, then I lost the ride and he won four last season, so I was pleased to get back on him,” he revealed.

“He’s always shown a lot and I think last time he just needed the run so when Frankie (Lor-trainer) rang me and gave me the ride, he thought the horses would go well and I appreciate his support.”

Lor said: “This horse, when he came to Hong Kong, Karis did a lot of work on him but then he couldn’t ride him, that’s why I put another jockey on, and now he’s back to this horse and he wins!”

King Opie (119lb) raced handily behind a steady tempo and quickened through the final 400m in 21.92s to score by half a length over the pace-setting Beauty Spirit (113lb).

“The horse won very well today. He relaxed behind them and he had a big turn-of-foot so it was a very good win,” Teetan said.

“He feels like there’s still a bit to come. I think he can get to a level where he’d be competitive at the bottom of Group 3, and he’d appreciate a bit of a sponge of a track – he’ll enjoy some rain.”

The Danny Shum-trained Harmony Victory (133lb) returned the 3.1 favourite but was undone by a slow start and steady tempo. The Brazilian Group 1 winner rattled home in a race-fastest 21.8s for fourth place.

“He jumped slowly, he stood for a second before he jumped out and then they went too slow for him anyway. He ran on well but the pace was too slow,” jockey Grant van Niekerk said.

Third-placed Star Performance (116lb), a winner at his only previous Hong Kong start, also seemed to be undone by the tempo. The New Zealand import ran on strongly to take third with a closing 400m split of 21.91s

Winner Supreme’s win in the Class 3 Tin Shui Wai Handicap (1200m) took the Me Tsui-trained four-year-old’s career tally to four wins from nine starts.

“He’s got the natural speed, he came up pretty quick and when anything challenged him he found that extra gear,” Teetan said.

“I’m very lucky to get on him and I have always wanted to ride him to be honest, he looks such a genuine horse when he goes out there, some days he can get his own way and he can let down.”

And after the Tony Cruz-trained King Of Hearts crowned Teetan’s epic day in the last, the rider said: “You don’t always get a day like this. One winner in Hong Kong is difficult and I think this season is very tough, but to get five in a day, I really appreciate it and I hope my support continues and I’m out there to try again.”

Trainer Tony Millard landed a double too. Teetan’s win on the handler’s Fun Times followed the thrilling nose success of the Moreira-ridden Meridian Genius one race prior.

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