Young Champion lived up to high expectations, leaving Karis Teetan impressed as he clinched victory in the Class 2 Sheung Yeung Shan Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Saturday, March 16th.

Teetan, riding the Zoustar gelding for the first time, was awestruck by the horse's performance, especially considering it was only his third start in Hong Kong and his first in Class 2.

Teetan expressed his delight, saying, "Wow. Amazing – this is when you know you ride for Mr. Size. I need to thank Mr. Size and The Racing Club for the opportunity to ride such a progressive horse like this one. It was just a pleasure. Today, from that draw (barrier nine), there was plenty of speed in this race and Mr. Size told me ‘Be confident on this horse, he’s got the class, leave him where he’s comfortable and he will give you his best’."

He added, "I must say he (Young Champion) felt really good – he’s still raw and you’re going to see a bright future with this horse, definitely."

Teetan, known for his Hong Kong Derby and QEII Cup victories on Romantic Warrior, executed Size’s instructions flawlessly, positioning Young Champion in seventh place before making a decisive move in the straight. The four-year-old surged ahead near the 250m mark and crossed the finish line a length ahead of Blue Marlin and Lucky Encounter.

Young Champion's impressive performance saw him improve his Hong Kong record to two wins from three starts, showcasing his potential for a successful career in the region.

Size praised the horse, noting his quick adaptation to Hong Kong racing, saying, "He (Young Champion) ran very well. It looked like he was very comfortable a long way from home. There was never any doubt about how he was going to perform after he got halfway through the race. It was set up nicely for him, it was run to suit and he accepted it. He's quite progressive. As you can see, he's made the adaptation very quickly to Hong Kong and that's what the better horses do, they adapt very fast."