Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Double for Purton as he reaches another milestone
Just when you think jockey Zac Purton has achieved every milestone in Hong Kong, he finds another. His double on Sunday night at Sha Tin had him celebrating 1100 victories on the Sha Tin turf. He won on David Hayes-trained Kol (Deep Field) and Michael Chang-trained Lady’s Love (Pariah).
“Today has been lucky on my side, as both my horses drew barrier one. This horse (Lady’s Love), Zac came back and said he does a few things wrong – he doesn’t fully concentrate. I think he still has a couple of lengths left to improve further,” Chang told hkjc.com.
Purton, aged 43, has 2035 wins in the city since arriving in 2007/08, and currently leads the Jockey’s Premiership with 14 wins early in the season, six ahead of his nearest rival.
Chang also had a double with Matthew Poon riding Team Happy (Deep Field) to victory for the stable.
Lor’s outsiders break losing streaks
A Frankie Lor double was an exercise in patience as both winners snapped long losing streaks. Horsepower (Harry Angel {Ire}) hadn’t won for 529 days and Mr Cool (Maurice {Jpn}) hadn’t won for 546 days. “This horse (Horsepower) always carries a big weight. Last season, the jockey always told me when he asks him to sprint, he slows down in the last 50 metres,” Lor told scmp.com.
“This season, he looks a bit different – a bit quieter. Last season, in the mornings, he was very hard to slow down. This season he’s much more relaxed and I think he can improve a little bit more.
“He’s always carried big weights, 135lb, 130lb. He will go up to Class Two now and if I can find a 1000-metre race, he should be better. I don’t think which track matters to him, I just need to see the programme because there are not many Class Two races.”
Horsepower, who won twice in Australia as Fire Follower, won three of his first four starts in Hong Kong, then went without a victory for another 12 starts before Sunday’s victory. All up, he has six wins from 21 starts. His dam, Romneya (Red Ransom) is a Group 2-winning half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Benicio.
“Someone pointed out to me that it was difficult to win with the two horses that I won with today. They are always very satisfying,” Lor said.
Mr Cool has done all his racing in Hong Kong, winning at his second start, but has since gone winless until Sunday’s victory took him to two wins from 17 starts with earnings over HK$2.7 million (AU$494,000). Maurice Koo paid $500,000 for Mr Cool from Arrowfield Stud’s 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. He is the only winner for Niello (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}).
Almost a treble for Teetan
Jockey Karis Teetan rode a double but was first past the post in three races, after Firefoot (Shooting To Win) lost the Class Four Sha Tsui Handicap on dirt on protest from second past the post Pierre Ng Pang chi-trained Supreme Agility (Brz) (Setembro Chove {Brz}). There was only a nose in it, and stewards decided that James Orman had to stop riding on Supreme Ability when Firefoot leaned on him, so he would’ve won without the interference.
Teetan’s double came on Frankie Lor-trained Mr Cool and David Eustace-trained Definitive (NZ) (War Decree {USA}).
“He went down to the gates feeling good and when he came out so well, I thought, that’s halfway home already. He was able to control the race and he picked it up nicely. He had no weight on his back and he was in the perfect spot,” Teetan told hkjc.com.
“I always knew he had ability, and sometimes it’s just about him bringing his ‘A game’ to the races, too. I must say, well done to David and his team – they had the horse spot on.”
Definitive, who raced in New Zealand as Revolt, has record four of his five career victories in Hong Kong. He was sold privately to Hong Kong after nine starts in New Zealand, where he won a maiden and ran sixth in the G2 Wellington Guineas.
Doubles for Deep Field and Divine Prophet
Deep Field continued his good run in Hong Kong with a double from David Hayes-trained Kol and Michael Chang-trained Team Happy. Deep Field’s final crop of six live foals are currently 3-year-olds and five have been named.
Divine Prophet, who now stands in New Zealand at Highview Stud, sired Jamie Richards-trained Big Return who took his record to five wins, and David Hayes-trained All Round Winner. All Round Winner was a 2-year-old winner in Brisbane when named Enterprise Defence prior to heading to Hong Kong where he has won three more times.
