Purton to miss Ka Ying Rising ride: ‘it's heartbreaking'
Hong Kong's seven-time champion jockey could be sidelined for as long as a month after Sunday's horror three-horse fall
by Sam Agars on Monday, February 10, 2025 6:22 AM Zac Purton wins the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) aboard Ka Ying Rising last month. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Zac Purton will miss Ka Ying Rising's run in the Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on February 23 after breaking his left big toe in Sunday's horror three-horse pile up at Sha Tin.
Sent flying into the Sha Tin turf after Legend St Paul's broke down and skittled his mount, Silvery Breeze, in Sunday's ninth event, Purton will undergo surgery on his toe on Monday morning.
The seven-time champion jockey has been told he is facing at least four weeks out of the saddle.
'It's heartbreaking. I'll miss Ka Ying, I'll miss Galaxy Patch [in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m)], I'll miss Packing Angel [in the Classic Cup (1,800m)]. Hopefully I can get back for the Derby,' said Purton.
'The toe is broken and it needs to be realigned. They're trying to work out whether they're going to put in screws and a plate, or pin it.
'I've also damaged ligaments in the same ankle and the ankle is obviously very swollen. I haven't really had a chance to put any weight on it yet, so we'll see how that goes.
'It's obviously disappointing but it couldn't have been worse than what it was.'
Purton had been in white-hot form before the tumble, racking up 20 winners in January and four already in February, including two earlier on Sunday's card.
He has been in the saddle for all 10 of Ka Ying Rising's wins, including a run of nine in a row featuring two Group One successes.
Purton is joined by Angus Chung Yik-lai, Keith Yeung Ming-lun and Vincent Ho Chak-yiu on the injury list after an incident-marred day at Sha Tin, with more information on that trio's condition expected later on Monday.
Ho may have suffered fractures to his neck and shoulder region when falling from Oldtown race six, while Chung has bruising to his face and upper body after coming off Legend St Paul's and Yeung is nursing a bruised upper thigh after his mount, Lupo Solitario, was also caught up in the race nine carnage.
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