Champion jockey Zac Purton hit another incredible milestone this week when he registered his 1,900th Hong Kong victory. The feat is a testament to the hard work, professionalism and phenomenal skill that Zac continues to demonstrate week-in, week-out.
Few riders in world racing have managed to combine such longevity with continued success at the highest level, and Zac’s record is a credit to his talent and his ability to forge abiding relationships with trainers and owners.
Zac should be very proud of this achievement, but it is perhaps telling that only minutes after reaching the 1,900 mark, he had already set his sights on 2,000 winners. The best sportsmen and women are never satisfied and are always striving for greater heights; Zac sits firmly among them. He is truly an inspiration for the next generation of riders.
Zac’s accomplishment comes at a fitting moment in the development of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It coincides with the latest significant marker in our ongoing mission to be the world’s best in talent development and racing excellence.
We recognised long ago that to be the best, we have to provide our participants – our jockeys, trainers and horses – with the very best facilities. To that end, we’ve invested heavily in the future with the newly renovated Jockey Centre of Excellence and the broad upgrading of facilities that underline the Club’s commitment to ensuring we provide an environment that meets the highest possible standards.
I wish to acknowledge the considerable time and effort that has gone into delivering these enhancements. All involved have played a crucial part in elevating our infrastructure and maintaining our position at the pinnacle of global racing excellence.
Further afield, Hong Kong’s influence on the international racing landscape takes on increasing importance. Last Saturday’s running of the G1 The Everest at Royal Randwick accumulated a record World Pool turnover, yet again demonstrating the power of collaborations between major racing jurisdictions, as well as the continuing appetite for elite-level racing.
The presence in Sydney of the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, was doubtless a contributory factor, but it is an indicator of how top-class contests with a compelling narrative can really capture the imagination of racing fans across the world. The atmosphere at the racecourse was incredible and added to the spectacle.
It was a clear signal that international wagering cooperation, through initiatives such as World Pool, strengthens the sport’s long-term sustainability.
The Club takes great pride in its role as a key partner in the success of World Pool. By providing an internationally commingled wagering platform, we have helped make the world’s best racing more accessible to a wider audience while supporting the sport’s financial ecosystem. The Everest’s record figures reflect that success and reaffirm Hong Kong’s position as a global leader in both racing quality and innovation.
While technology and global engagement play important roles in shaping the sport’s future, the experience of racing at our own racecourses remains at the heart of the Club’s mission. The recent enhancements to our facilities – from the Jockey Centre of Excellence to the improved members’ and public areas at Sha Tin – demonstrate our focus on continually improving the experience for those who visit and participate.
These developments form part of a broader plan to modernise while preserving the traditions that make Hong Kong racing distinctive. The aim is to create an environment that remains world-class in every respect: sporting, social and cultural.
Saturday (25 October) brings another highlight on the global racing calendar – Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley in Melbourne, from where 10 races will be simulcast starting at 9.10am.
The feature race is the G1 W.S. Cox Plate, which is carded as (S1-10), and is run over 2040m at 2.40pm. It is among the most prestigious middle-distance contests in world racing, renowned for its intensity and history.
It’s hard to believe two years have passed since those unforgettable scenes in Australia, when Romantic Warrior – one of Hong Kong’s great ambassadors – claimed the Cox Plate in such dramatic fashion. I look forward with great anticipation to his reappearance this season.
While there’s no obvious pace in this year’s renewal, I do expect LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (Ethan Brown) to drive forward from his wide draw.
VIA SISTINA (James McDonald) is the class horse in the race, and Chris Waller’s mare will take all the beating. But ANTINO (Blake Shinn) was impressive in the G1 Turnbull Stakes last time out, and Tony Gollan seems to have him hitting fitness at just the right time. He is a win and place chance.
Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to Hugh Bowman as he competes in this year’s Cox Plate aboard Chris Waller’s AELIANA. Hugh’s outstanding record in the race speaks for itself, and his continued participation at the elite level exemplifies the calibre of riders who have enriched Hong Kong racing and contributed so much to the sport’s global narrative. We wish him the very best of luck as he seeks to add another chapter to his remarkable career.
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