Hong Kong-based riders Vincent Ho and Karis Teetan were unable to notch a win in the third and final legs of the World All-Star Jockeys series at Sapporo Racecourse in Japan today (Sunday, 25 August), with Teetan finishing joint-fifth overall behind eventual winner Joao Moreira, while Ho ranked eighth overall after running a creditable fourth in the final leg of the series.

Teetan scored 31 points in Saturday’s (24 August) two heats to sit joint-top at the half-way point, while Ho finished the first day with 11 points. In the third leg over 1700m on dirt today, Teetan (Y Y Legend) and Ho (Ca Va Bien) could only finish ninth and 12th, respectively. In the final leg over 1800m on turf, Ho and his mount Yui were in striking position and following the leader Amai throughout the race. Ho challenged the leader at the top of the straight and his mount ran on, only to lose third place in the final stages to finish a close fourth, beaten within a length by the winner, Joao Moreira-ridden Ezo Daimon. Karis Teetan’s Cosmo Dinner ran sixth.

Ho said after the race: “The horse gave her best, and it was a close race. The winning horse was very strong.”

Teetan and Cosmo Dinner also ran on in the straight and was not beaten far. Teetan said: “The filly broke smoothly and ran really well, but we met traffic at the straight and I was unable to slip her out of it. She responds well and has patience, so I think she can handle a little longer distance as well.”

That fourth put Ho in eighth place overall with 24 points, and Teetan ranked joint fifth with Kohei Matsuyama as both scored 41 points. The victorious Moreira, a four-time Hong Kong champion jockey, scored 64 points to take the overall title. Yutake Take was runner-up with 55 points and Ryusei Sakai was third with 51 points.

In the team contest, Team JRA took the plaudits with an overall tally of 237 points to Team World All-Stars 216 points.

Despite being winless in the third and the final leg of the series, Ho maintained his fine form with another victory in the undercard with Roman Lake in a 1700m dirt race of the meeting. Well drawn at gate six, Ho had his mount nicely placed in mid-field in the early stages, and started making a move before rounding the home turn. In the home straight, Roman Lake responded well to Ho’s riding and showed a brilliant turn of foot to land a commanding win with over three lengths to spare.

Teetan and Ho will now return to Hong Kong in preparation for the 2024/25 season, which kicks off on Sunday, 8 September at Sha Tin.