Kiwi looks for Singapore win

ZAC PURTON has already climbed the highest mountain in racing and tasted success in Japan in front of more than 100,000 fans.

Today, at Kranji in Singapore, Purton, 32, will look to add to his already impressive feature race resume when he partners Kiwi- bred sprinter Aerovelocity in the Group I KrisFlyer International Sprint.

The six-year-old son of Pins has not raced since winning the Takamatsunoyima Kinen at Chukyo on a rain-affected surface on March 29.

After looking to flounder on the heavy track in the early part of the straight, Aerovelocity found top gear in the latter stages to account for Hakusan Moon and local star Mikki Isle and was later lauded by expat Hong Kong based trainer Paul O’Sullivan.

‘‘If he’s not the greatest [horse I’ve trained], then at least [he’s] the toughest and bravest,’’ O’Sullivan said.

Now he flies the flag in Singapore and takes on last year’s KrisFlyer winner Lucky Nine (Brett Prebble), globetrotter Rich Tapestry (Olivier Doleuze), local sprint hero Zac Spirit (Joao Moreira), former Aussie Emperor Max (Corey Brown) and filly Kiwi Karma (Manuel Nunes).

Following trackwork on Thursday, trainer Paul O’Sullivan could not fault his star sprinter’s fitness and attitude.

‘‘All’s good with him,’’ O’Sullivan said. ‘‘He’s doing everything just as he would at home. He worked 800m this morning with his rider instructed to go about 30 [seconds] and 28 and he did it nicely.’’

The KrisFlyer barrier draw was Aerovelocity, an on-pace sprinter, - he from gate three.

Last year, Purton broke Douglas Whyte’s stranglehold on the Hong Kong jockey’s premiership and now lies second to Joao Moriera this season.

From humble beginnings in Queensland, Purton has won at the elite level at home, in England and Japan. Singapore is on his bucket list and Aerovelocity is ready to strike. kind to will start