Purton celebrates another big milestone
Superstar rider joins Douglas Whyte in surpassing 1,700 Hong Kong wins
Zac Purton soared past another magic milestone when he became only the second jockey to reach 1,700 Hong Kong wins with a treble at Happy Valley last night.
The six-time Hong Kong champion jockey took out last night’s strongest race, the Class Two Geranium Handicap (1,650m), on Moments In Time before booting home his 1,700th winner in the next race, the first section of the Class Four Freesia Handicap (1,200m), on Copartner Prance.
Purton, who capped his night by booting home Sports Legend in the last race, the Class Three Oncidium Handicap (1,200m), has Douglas Whyte’s all-time record of 1,813 Hong Kong victories in his sights.
“It’s nice to get 1,700 wins – it’s a big number,” Purton said.
“It’s nice to get it on a progressive horse, so hopefully there’s a few more wins there. [Whyte’s record] is still a way off. There’s still a bit of water to go under the bridge yet.”
Purton helped Moments In Time continue his affinity with the city circuit, capitalising on a dream run one out and one back
to lift Danny Shum Chap-shing’s gelding to a short head triumph over Outgate.
“It was a very good effort, he pulled really hard through the first half of the race,” Purton said.
“It wasn’t ideal, normally they don’t finish off when they pull like that. So, for him to put himself into the race was encouraging for him going forward.
“He had the race and then he went to throw it away and then he fought for it again – he’s still learning, but there’s something there.”
A Group One winner in Chile before he was exported to Hong
Kong, Moments In Time notched consecutive wins at Happy Valley after his lacklustre Sha Tin form thwarted a potential tilt at the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m).
“Unfortunately he didn’t like the Sha Tin course. I don’t know why,” Shum said of Moments In Time, who finished no better than eighth in four Sha Tin starts.
“So we came back [to Happy Valley] and he’s had two wins and two bonuses. I will talk to the owner, we’re focusing on Happy Valley – 1,650m, 1,800m, no problem.”
Shum joined Purton with a treble.
He won the opening race, the Class Five Flamingo Flower Handicap (2,200m), with Nice Birdie courtesy of a top ride from Jerry Chau Chun-lok before Moments In Time and Sports Legend chimed in.
Francis Lui Kin-wai’s Copartner Prance justified $1.6 favouritism when he cruised to a one-and-a-quarter-length victory over My Intelligent.
The progressive son of Epaulette backed up his first career success, also by the same margin on March 13.
“He is still learning and he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s doing a few things wrong and when he’s in front, he’s looking around,” Purton said.
Sports Legend led all the way to beat Colourful Emperor by three quarters of a length in an impressive display, backing up his dominant win at the same course and distance on March 20 to hand Purton his 91st winner of the season.
Karis Teetan, his nearest rival in the race for the jockeys’ title, boosted his tally to 61 this term after winning the second section of the Freesia Handicap on Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s Golden Link.
It was Golden Link’s first win in 913 days and ended a mini-drought for Yiu, whose last victor was Sunlight Power on March 16.