Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
On Wednesday night at Happy Valley, Purton rode a double, equalling and then breaking Douglas Whyte’s all-time win record in Hong Kong. And on Sunday, the wins kept coming.
Purton’s magnificent four
Zac Purton took his season figures to 78 wins, and his all time figure in Hong Kong to 1818 wins, with four wins at Sha Tin on Sunlight Power (Capitalist), Magnifique (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), Yuen Long Elite (Grunt {NZ}) and Gorgeous Win (Press Statement).
Sunlight Power won the toughest race of the day, the Class Two Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Hong Kong China Team Celebration Cup. “He had the right weight in this race, he drew the right barrier (one), he got a charmed run the whole way and because he had the fence he was quite comfortable to ride,” Purton told scmp.com.
“He can normally hang in and do a few things wrong, but he gave me a great ride and he did everything right and did a good job.”
Trained by Ricky Yiu, Sunlight Power now has five wins from 20 starts, all in Hong Kong, with earnings over HK$7.2 million (AU$1.4 million). Originally sold by Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $150,000 to Bevan Smith Bloodstock and McKeever Bloodstock, he was on-sold by Kilgravin Lodge at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for NZ$320,000 to his trainer and Dean Hawthorne.
Double for Grunt
Yulong’s foundation sire Grunt (NZ) added a double at Sha Tin on Sunday night with Purton-ridden 4-year-old gelding Yeun Long Elite and Keith Yeung-ridden Never Peter Out. “He was a bit difficult to begin with but we’ve sorted out the right gear with him,” Yeung said.
“Ever since we put the visor on him his trackwork and racing performances have been very, very honest. I hope he can do it again in Class 3 with a light weight.” Never Peter Out, trained by Frankie Lor, has now won two in succession, and has a career record of three wins from 11 starts, all in Hong Kong, with earnings over HK$2.2 million (AU$450,000).
Sold at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Silverdale Farm for $30,000 to Prima Park and Bevan Bloodstock, he was on-sold by Prima Park at the 2022 NZB Ready To Run Sale for NZ$100,000 to Dean Hawthorne. Never Peter Out is the second foal of Hateel (Star Witness) who is a full sister to Listed winner Pearl Star.
Trained by Manfred Man, 4-year-old gelding Yeun Long Elite won by 3l to be Purton’s biggest winning margin of his four victors on the night. Another who has done all his racing in Hong Kong, Yeun Long Elite has two wins from eight starts with earnings over HK$1.5 million (AU$320,000). Sold at the 2021 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale for $15,000 by Flinders Park Stud to IDS Bloodstock, he was withdrawn from the NZB National Yearling Sale and passed in at the NZB Ready To Run Sale. He won a trial as a 3-year-old in New Zealand before heading up to Hong Kong.
Grunt’s oldest foals are 4-year-olds and he has two stakes winners; Group 1 winner Veight and Listed winner Miraval Rose.
Magnifique wins on debut
Punters sent out David Hall trained 3-year-old gelding Magnifique as favourite for his debut and he excelled under Zac Purton to win by 1l. “Before the race, everyone said it’s an ordinary race and there’s nothing to beat and then you go off the $2 favourite,” said Hall.
“But in reality, to go down the straight on your first start as a 3-year-old against some of those older, more seasoned horses isn’t easy. Zac said he travelled stronger than he would have liked and it’s pretty hard to find after travelling that strongly, so he did a good job to keep going and get it done.
“He’s not just an out-and-out 1000-metre speed horse and I think he’ll be able to go around the bend over 1200 metres and hopefully he’ll keep on improving.
“(Owner) Kirk (Wong King-Wai) picked him out at the Ready to Run Sale and he didn’t have a trainer. I’ve had a long history with the family and I had Absolute Champion for his father many moons ago.”
Sold by Windsor Park Stud at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $30,000 to Riverrock Farm, Magnifique was on-sold by Riverrock Farm at the NZB Ready To Run Sale for NZ$250,000 to Kirk Wong. He is the second foal and first winner for Oh Dee Jay (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who is an unraced daughter of stakes winner D J Lightning (USA) (Doneraile Court {USA}).
The Boom Box makes it three
The Boom Box (Spirit Of Boom) maintained his perfect record, making it three from three for trainer Chris So. Ridden by Vincent Ho, he covered the last 400 metres of the 1200-metre race in 22.40s from near-last.
“Today it’s tough with all of the wind coming from the outside. He is better than what it is because today it’s a bit tough for us, but the positive side is that he is so switched off now. He doesn’t pull behind horses in the field anymore, so we’ll see how he pulls up and then decide for the future,” Ho said.
A trial winner at Hawkesbury before heading up to Hong Kong, the 4-year-old gelding now has earnings over HK$2.3 million (AU$479,000) from his perfect three wins. Sold by Canning Downs at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $85,000 to WBF Thoroughbreds and Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA), he was passed in at the Inglis Ready To Race Sale.
Spirit Of Boom is flying at the moment, and The Boom Box is the second foal of G2 Matriarch S. placed Token Of Love (Al Maher) who won six races.
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin this Friday, January 31 with the running of the Listed Hong Kong Classic Mile, and the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap.
