Racing News  

Luger��s firepower prevails as Purton lands first BMW Hong Kong Derby win

15/03/2015

Luger triumphed in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin today, Sunday 15 March, as jockey Zac Purton and trainer John Size formed a rare collaboration.

The current Champion Jockey had not ridden for the seven-time Champion Trainer since 11 July, 2012, but when Luger’s regular partner Douglas Whyte opted to don the Pan Sutong silks aboard Giant Treasure for this year’s edition of the BMW Hong Kong Derby, Purton was the man Size turned to. And it was Purton, in the colours of Terry Fok Kwong-hang, who was punching the air in victory after the bay gave jockey and owner a first success in the HK$18 million contest.

The Australian-bred overcame a wide passage to land the spoils by three quarters of a length from the deep-closing pair of Got Fly and Romantic Touch. The race attracted a crowd of over 64,000, the highest since 1998. 

“Three wide without cover is not the ideal position to be in, but I just kept telling myself in the back of my head that I was on the best horse in the race and not to worry too much about it – just try to keep him in his rhythm and keep him balanced and keep him happy,” said Purton, who settled the Choisir gelding handy to the pace set by the Richard Gibson-trained Obliterator.

“There wasn’t a stage in the race when I could make a move to go forward, so I wasn’t really left with many other options – I just had to cop it and try and keep him happy and get the job done.”

Obliterator had run his race by the time the 14 runners turned into the home stretch, with Luger, Contentment and Giant Treasure forming a line of three challengers; Luger won that battle, drawing clear at the 300m point. With a length on his closest pursuers, Purton drove his mount for the line. The Gibson-trained Got Fly responded to a mighty drive from Ryan Moore – a last-gasp arrival after a flight delay – likewise the Benno Yung-trained Romantic Touch under Tye Angland, but neither could match Luger’s firepower.

“He is a very relaxed horse and he was so switched off during the run that when the tempo quickened prior to the straight, it took him probably 50 or 80 metres to pick up,” added Purton. “Thunder Fantasy was able to sneak underneath me, and that actually woke my guy up when I got that bump, so I’ll give Karis (Teetan) a little bit of credit there, he got my guy going for me!”

The win banished speculation from some quarters that the son of Choisir might not last the trip. Luger had compiled a record of five 1400m wins from eight starts prior to winning at his first attempt at 1600m last time out.

“He sat three wide, no cover; he was second up after three months; first try at the trip; and he’s run it out as strongly as you could expect. There are bigger things in store for this horse, he’s very talented!” said Purton.


For Size, the win was a second in Hong Kong’s blue riband contest, a race restricted to four-year-olds. The master trainer had previously won the race with Fay Fay in 2012. 

“Luger’s always been impressive, every time he has been to the races, really,” he said. “He has been a good horse from the first day he set foot on a racetrack. He made very slow progress because I didn’t race him very much as a three-year-old, and then he has been lightly-raced this season too. But he has always shown that he would be a Group 1 horse.

“I haven't got any plan at all. We will see how he pulls up and probably give him an easy couple of weeks and see how he gets on.”

The John Moore-trained Helene Happy Star ran on to take fourth with a final 400m sectional of 22.63s. Third-placed Romantic Touch ran the stretch the fastest, clocking 22.60s, while Got Fly registered 22.64s. Luger’s final sectional was 22.78s. 

The BMW Hong Kong Derby is the third and final leg of the Hong Kong Four-Year-old Series. The first leg, the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile, went to Beauty Only, sixth in the Derby, while the second leg, the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), went to Thunder Fantasy, eighth in today’s race.

Photo 1, 2, 3, 4: LUGER (No 1), ridden by Zac Purton and trained by John Size, holds off GOT FLY (No 9) to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby (HKG1, 2000m) at Sha Tin Racecourse today.
Photo 1:
Photo 1, 2, 3, 4: LUGER (No 1), ridden by Zac Purton and trained by John Size, holds off GOT FLY (No 9) to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby (HKG1, 2000m) at Sha Tin Racecourse today.


Photo 2


Photo 3


Photo 4

Photo 5, 6: Winning jockey Zac Purton salutes the crowd after winning the Derby race.
Photo 5:
Photo 5, 6: Winning jockey Zac Purton salutes the crowd after winning the Derby race.


Photo 6

The winning connections pose for a photo at the winners' circle.
Photo 7:
The winning connections pose for a photo at the winners' circle.

Photo 8, 9, 10: Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, presents the winning trophy and gold-plated dishes to Mr. Terry Fok Kwong Hang, Owner of the BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER, as well as winning trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton.
Photo 8:
Photo 8, 9, 10: Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, presents the winning trophy and gold-plated dishes to Mr. Terry Fok Kwong Hang, Owner of the BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER, as well as winning trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton.


Photo 9


Photo 10

Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan, presents a souvenir to the owner��s representative of BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER.
Photo 11:
Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan, presents a souvenir to the owner��s representative of BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER.

Photo 12, 13: Mr Newman Tsang, Managing Director �V Hong Kong & Macau, BMW Concessionaires (HK) Ltd & Sime Darby Motor Group (HK) Limited and Mr Donnie Yen, BMW Hong Kong Derby Ambassador, present souvenirs to BMW Hong Kong Derby winning trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton.
Photo 12:
Photo 12, 13: Mr Newman Tsang, Managing Director �V Hong Kong & Macau, BMW Concessionaires (HK) Ltd & Sime Darby Motor Group (HK) Limited and Mr Donnie Yen, BMW Hong Kong Derby Ambassador, present souvenirs to BMW Hong Kong Derby winning trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton.


Photo 13

A group photo of HKJC Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip; HKJC Stewards; HKJC Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; Mr Newman Tsang, Managing Director �V Hong Kong & Macau, BMW Concessionaires (HK) Ltd & Sime Darby Motor Group (HK) Limited; Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan; Mr Donnie Yen, BMW Hong Kong Derby Ambassador and the winning connections at the BMW Hong Kong Derby trophy presentation ceremony.
Photo 14:
A group photo of HKJC Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip; HKJC Stewards; HKJC Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; Mr Newman Tsang, Managing Director �V Hong Kong & Macau, BMW Concessionaires (HK) Ltd & Sime Darby Motor Group (HK) Limited; Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan; Mr Donnie Yen, BMW Hong Kong Derby Ambassador and the winning connections at the BMW Hong Kong Derby trophy presentation ceremony.

Happy connections pose for cameras with the BMW Hong Kong Derby trophy.
Photo 15:
Happy connections pose for cameras with the BMW Hong Kong Derby trophy.

Photo 16, 17, 18, 19: Three BMW convertibles carry the owner, trainer and jockey of BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER for a parade on the turf track after the trophy presentation ceremony.
Photo 16:
Photo 16, 17, 18, 19: Three BMW convertibles carry the owner, trainer and jockey of BMW Hong Kong Derby winner LUGER for a parade on the turf track after the trophy presentation ceremony.


Photo 17


Photo 18


Photo 19

Senior officials of HKJC and BMW toast and congratulate LUGER��s owner Mr. Terry Fok Kwong Hang after the horse��s victory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Photo 20:
Senior officials of HKJC and BMW toast and congratulate LUGER��s owner Mr. Terry Fok Kwong Hang after the horse��s victory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan, presents a prize and a souvenir to the stables assistant responsible for REDKIRK WARRIOR, the best turned out horse in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, in the Parade Ring before the race.
Photo 21:
Mr Kevin Coon, Vice President of BMW Group Importer Office Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan, presents a prize and a souvenir to the stables assistant responsible for REDKIRK WARRIOR, the best turned out horse in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, in the Parade Ring before the race.

 

Related Website�G

BMW Hong Kong Derby

Close

Copyright © 2000-2024 The Hong Kong Jockey Club. All rights reserved.