7/6/2023
Purton edges closer to Moreira record with Happy Valley treble
By Leo Schlink
Zac Purton continued a relentless march towards Joao Moreira¡¦s record of 170 wins in a single Hong Kong season with a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (7 June), edging ever closer to the Brazilian¡¦s towering mark.
With 11 meetings left in the season, five-time Hong Kong champion jockey Purton has 149 wins and, with a 69-win lead over Vincent Ho (80) in the 2022/23 jockey championship, most interest now centres on whether the Australian can overhaul Moreira¡¦s mark, set in 2016/17.
Purton saluted on The Runner, Golden Luck and Seasons Wit to accelerate his charge towards history and remains steadfastly focused on Moreira¡¦s benchmark after taking his Hong Kong career tally to 1,580 ¡V a figure currently bettered by 13-time champion Douglas Whyte¡¦s 1,813 victories.
¡§It¡¦s not enough,¡¨ the Australian smiled after sealing his latest treble before praising Seasons Wit¡¦s performance.
¡§He was in a good barrier and he got out of the gates well enough to take advantage of it and stalked the speed and it all fell for him ¡V he¡¦s only a young horse, he did a good job,¡¨ Purton said. ¡§Jamie has done a good job with him.¡¨
A three-year-old by Capitalist, Seasons Wit was having only his fifth start in Hong Kong after winning a Morphettville maiden in Adelaide in 2022 as Eros when trained by Anthony & Sam Freedman.
Richards is confident the gelding can continue to improve.
¡§He¡¦s found his form, he¡¦s racing consistently and he was the beneficiary of a nice draw today. He stalked the horse to beat and got over the top of him late. He¡¦s a young horse on the way up and he¡¦s certainly racing very well,¡¨ Richards said.
¡§He is going to continue to improve next year as well, he¡¦s only a three-year-old, and I¡¦m looking forward to the future with him. He¡¦s a nice, young sprinting horse.¡¨
Purton was at his best atop Jimmy Ting-trained The Runner in the Class 4 Hong Kong Institute Of Certified Public Accountants 50th Anniversary Cup Handicap (1200m) before teaming with Manfred Man¡¦s Golden Luck to snare the first section of the Class 4 Sze Mei Handicap (1200m).
Tony Cruz took training honours with a double with Circuit Elite and Superb Capitalist.
Circuit Elite (130lb) posted his third win over the course and distance with a dashing mid-race move to clinch the Class 5 Tai Yau Handicap (1800m) to give Vincent Ho his 80th victory of the season before Superb Capitalist clung on for Angus Chung to win the Class 3 Tseuk Luk Handicap (1200m).
In the closest finish of the night, Gallant Crown fended off Beau Gosse by a nose to land the first section of the Class 4 Sheung Hei Handicap (1650m) to present Tony Millard with his sixth victory of the season.
Derek Leung, who gave Gallant Crown a perfect ride behind leaders M Unicorn and Fearless Fire, was uncertain if he had survived Beau Gosse¡¦s charge.
¡§50-50, at the winning post, but I knew I was still hanging in there,¡¨ Leung said. ¡§The pace in the race was very fast and I went past the front-runners very easily and then I thought I was too early in getting to the front.
¡§But he¡¦s got a bit of class and stayed on well. It was a good win.¡¨
David Hayes lauded Hugh Bowman after Lean Hero¡¦s slender win in the second section of the Class 4 Sheung Hei Handicap (1650m) after the Maurice three-year-old emerged late from behind a wall of horses to snatch his second win in nine starts.
¡§It was a good effort by the horse but an even better effort by the jockey,¡¨ Hayes said. ¡§It was a split-second decision by Hugh and he got out of trouble and was good enough to win the race ¡V all credit to Hugh.
¡§The horse is only three, so he¡¦ll hopefully he¡¦ll come back as a good four-year-old.¡¨
Douglas Whyte and Lyle Hewitson teamed successfully for the 15th time this season when S J Tourbillon blasted down the centre of the track after fanning wide on the turn to land the Class 3 Sam Chuk Handicap (1800m).
¡§We¡¦ve learned about the way he appreciates being ridden and he was ridden patiently tonight,¡¨ Whyte said. ¡§The horse has been racing in a rich vein of form and he¡¦s now starting to enjoy the Hong Kong environment.¡¨
Whyte has 36 wins for the season, while Hewitson continued his best Hong Kong campaign so far by piloting his 44th winner, while Michael Dee¡¦s facile ride on Circuit Splendor enabled Benno Yung¡¦s Hong Kong International Sale Graduate to break through in the Class 5 Ng Fong Handicap (1200m).
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Saturday (10 June).
Photo 1
Seasons Wit gives Zac Purton a three-timer.
Photo 2
Superb Capitalist denies Reward Smile.