Purton five winners away from making history in Hong Kong

[Wandering Eyes]

Zac Purton needs just five winners to break Joao Moreira’s single-season record in Hong Kong.

After riding a treble at Sha Tin on Monday night, Australian jockey Zac Purton now sits just four winners behind Joao Moreira’s single-season record of 170 winners from the 2016-17 campaign.

Purton headed into the rare Monday twilight meeting at Sha Tin with 153 winners to his name for the 2022-23 season, before he kicked off his night with his first winning ride on Lady’s Choice for Michael Chang in race three.

His second winner of the night came just two races later when he piloted Simple Hedge to victory for John Size in a Class 4 Handicap over 1400m.

It would turn out to be only winner for Size on the night at Sha Tin, meaning he still holds a nine-win advantage over Frankie Lor as he seeks to win his 12th Hong Kong trainers’ premiership, and his first since the 2018-19 season.

Purton’s third and final winner came on the back of the Danny Shum-trained Helene Feeling, who jumped from barrier 11 of 14 and took a patient ride from Hong Kong’s leading jockey, where he ground away at the leader to nab him in the final 50m.

Three in the bag! @zpurton collects a hat-trick at Sha Tin and moves to 166 wins for the season as Helene Feeling lands a second success in Hong Kong. #HKracing pic.twitter.com/LDlfBH0k2Z

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 3, 2023

Although the 40-year-old has the Hong Kong jockeys’ premiership already sewn up – leading Vincent Ho by 74 winners – there is no doubt that Purton would love to eclipse Moreira’s record and create his own bit of history on his way to his sixth title.

With only four meetings left for the season, Purton will have to ride another five winners before the end of the final meeting at Sha Tin on July 16.

Racing returns to Happy Valley this Thursday night, where Purton has been booked for seven rides on the nine-race card.

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