HONG KONG - While preparing to partner the world's highest-rated sprinter Ka Ying Rising at FWD Champions Day on April 27, Zac Purton slotted a quartet at Sha Tin on April 20 and broke Douglas Whyte's record for the most wins on Sha Tin's dirt course.
The seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey secured another piece of Hong Kong's racing history after he fired in three wins on the dirt, and boosted his career total victories on the surface in Hong Kong to 165.
Purton overtook 13-time Hong Kong champion jockey Whyte (163) in the process.
The Australian already holds the records for the most wins by a jockey in Hong Kong (1,836) and the most victories at Happy Valley (694).
Purton moved to 96 wins for the campaign - 40 more than second-placed Hugh Bowman (56) with 24 meetings left this season.
Among his three victories on the dirt, the highlight was striking with Bottomuptogether ($27) in the HK$2.48 million (S$418,000) Class 2 Kowloon Bay Handicap (1,200m) for Frankie Lor.
His two other wins on the dirt came atop Meepmeep ($13) in the HK$875,000 Luk Wu Handicap (1,650m) for John Size and Chill Kaka ($11) in the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Ma Tau Kok Handicap (1,650m) for Ricky Yiu.
Purton also added a turf success via Chris So's Top Dragon ($12) in the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Tsing Lung Tau Handicap (1,400m).
"I'm the King of Dirt," the 42-year-old joked after triumphing on Bottomuptogether.
"It's good to tick that off (the Sha Tin dirt record). It's a track where you need a horse that likes it and is in form.
"When they are in form, it really helps - I like ticking those boxes off, another one."
Riding in peak form, Purton is booked to pilot Ka Ying Rising in the HK$22 million Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m), Galaxy Patch in the HK$24 million Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1,600m) and El Vencedor in the HK$28 million Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2,000m) on April 27.
Top Dragon posted a class record time of 1min 20.76sec, eclipsing Perfect Pair's mark of 1min 20.80sec set in 2020 to vindicate So's healthy opinion of the Pierata three-year-old.
"He's got ability. He's only three years old and I always tell the owners he's a good horse," said So.
"He just needed a bit of time. So far, in five starts, he has won once and run two seconds.
"We knew that he's got ability but I didn't want to rush him."
The Tony Cruz-trained Californiatotality ($31) clinched the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Hong Kong Lions Club Cup Handicap (1,800m) in a class record time of 1min 45.84sec.
The tough four-year-old became the first horse to have run in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 23 and win a race after the Classic.
Ridden quietly by Alexis Badel, the Zoustar gelding stalked a strong pace set by Voyage Samurai to edge out fellow four-year-olds Steps Ahead by a short head, with Pray For Mir another short head away in third.
"It's a fast track today. First, second, third, even fourth (Bundle Award) - it was all the lightweights coming in. I think 1,800m is perfect for him, light weight's even better," said Cruz.
Atoning from his 11th to Cap Ferrat in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, Californiatotality posted his sixth win from 19 starts and claimed a PPG (Privately Purchased Griffin) Bonus of HK$1 million.
Twelve-time Hong Kong champion trainer Size reached the 50-win mark with Must Go's ($17) triumph in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 Siu Ma Shan Handicap (1,200m) under Andrea Atzeni, to edge further ahead of David Hayes in the 2024-25 trainers' championship.
Size leads the standings by eight from dual Hong Kong champion trainer Hayes (42), who combined with Ellis Wong and Solid Shalaa ($24) to land the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Cheung Shan Handicap (1,200m).
HKJC
