The pursuit of excellence is a hallmark of Hong Kong racing and Zac Purton’s career serves as an example of what can be achieved with unswerving commitment and professionalism.
Since moving to Hong Kong in 2007, Zac has been absolute in his devotion to his career and, with six Hong Kong jockey championships and countless feature race victories, he has succeeded brilliantly.
On Wednesday night (10 April) at Happy Valley, Zac clocked up his 1,700th Hong Kong win on COPARTNER PRANCE for Francis Lui to become only the second jockey to reach the milestone after Douglas Whyte, who holds the all-time record with 1,813.
Zac’s first Hong Kong win came aboard ELFHELM for Ricky Yiu in December, 2007 and since then he has ridden more than 100 winners in a season on eight occasions and, in 2022/23, he posted a record 179 wins for the season.
He currently leads the 2023/24 championship with 91 wins – 30 ahead of Karis Teetan – and he needs a further 112 wins to equal Douglas’ mark. At 41, Zac continues to ride in peak form and I congratulate him on his achievements and contribution to Hong Kong racing.
Our World Pool coverage continues today (13 April) with the second day of The Championships from Randwick in Sydney and the simulcast of WATC Derby Day from Ascot in Perth.
At Randwick, the ATC Oaks (2400m) is carded as S1-6 at 12.40pm.
New Zealand filly ORCHESTRAL will be the overwhelming favourite for James McDonald. ORCHESTRAL was the dominant three-year-old in New Zealand, beating the colts in the Avondale Guineas (2100m) in February and the New Zealand Derby (2400m) on 2 March.
ORCHESTRAL made her Australian debut in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) when she took a little while to assert authority over the rest of the field but drew away in the last 150m to win comfortably. ORCHESTRAL is my win and place selection.
QUINTESSA is another New Zealand filly who beat the males in the Group 1 Levin Stakes (1600m) in January and was competitive against the colts at two runs since in Melbourne, finishing fourth in the Australian Guineas and second in the Alister Clark Stakes (2040m). Against her own sex, QUINTESSA is a place chance.
TUTTA LA VITA and ZARDOZI finished second and third, respectively, to ORCHESTRAL in the Vinery Stud Stakes and are place chances, along with AUTUMN ANGEL.
The Sydney Cup (3200m) is carded as S1-7 and run at 1.15pm.
This pace should be good with stablemates MILITARY MISSION and SERPENTINE likely to set a solid gallop from the front. SERPENTINE won the 2020 Epsom Derby and has been in excellent form this year, undefeated at both runs over 2000m at Randwick for Tim Clark, who takes the ride again and is drawn well in gate four. SERPENTINE is a win and place chance.
Andrea Atzeni rides CIRCLE OF FIRE for Ciaron Maher before flying back to Hong Kong for the Sha Tin meeting tomorrow. CIRCLE OF FIRE had his third Australian start last week when he settled midfield and ran home powerfully to beat HOPEFUL in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m). CIRCLE OF FIRE is a place chance.
This is an open race with lots of winning chances. KALAPOUR, who won the Tancred Stakes (2400m), is a place chance along with ASHRUN. AMADE has a habit of missing the start but is racing well and is also a place chance.
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) is carded as S1-8 and run at 1.55pm.
The pace will be good with PRIDE OF JENNI renowned for front running tactics. She is a place chance, along with CASCADIAN who ran past PRIDE OF JENNI to win the Australian Cup (2000m).
Chris Waller has three runners in the race and his strongest chance is VIA SISTINA, who was a Group 1 winner in Ireland and was runner-up to KING OF STEEL in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October at her last European run. She won the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Australian debut and is a win and place chance for James McDonald.
MR BRIGHTSIDE was disappointing in the Australian Cup but would be a place chance on his best form. CEOLWULF the sole three-year-old in the race is a place chance again after running second in both the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby.
The Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) is carded as S1-9 and run at 2.35pm.
James McDonald has a very strong book of rides and his mount here, ZOUGOTCHA for Chris Waller, comes into the race after winning the Group 1 Coolmore Classic three weeks ago. ZOUGOTCHA should get a good run from her rails draw and is a win and place chance.
Chris Waller also has a leading chance with ATISHU, who ran third in the Australian Cup and switches back in distance to 1600m here. ATISHU won this race last year from gate one on a soft track, has drawn perfectly in gate two and is a win and place chance for Blake Shinn.
CAMPIONESSA beat the males in New Zealand in the G1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) in December and made a winning debut in Australia in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield. She comes into the race off a third to ETERNAL FLAME in the Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on 23 March. Both CAMPIONESSA and ETERNAL FLAME are place chances along with SEMANA and TROPICAL SQUALL.
The G2 Western Australian Derby(2400m) is carded as S2-1 and is run at 3.50pm.
The pace will be good, generated by a maximum field of 16 as runners look to take up positions from the start at the top of the Ascot straight.
The traditional lead up to the Derby for the male division is the Melvista Stakes (2200m), which was won by BUCKETS RIDGE. He will be ridden by William Pike, who is seeking an unprecedented 12th Derby win, having won eight of the last ten renewals, and is trained by Grant and Alana Williams, who are chasing their tenth win in the race.
A LOT OF GOOD MEN ran home well from back in the field in the Melvista to finish runner up to BUCKETS RIDGE. He is a place chance here along with filly OWN THE QUEEN.
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