2 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton officially secures eighth premiership, while Ellis Wong lands maiden Hong Kong treble at 1,002-1
Star Australian is 59 wins clear at the top of the premiership table with only 50 races left in the season
It's been a mere formality for months but Zac Purton officially secured his eighth title at Sha Tin on Saturday, banging in a treble to move 59 wins clear in the jockeys' premiership with only 50 races left in the season.
Purton moved to 126 winners for the campaign – four short of last season's tally with five meetings remaining – and while he's miles off his Hong Kong record tally of 179 victories, he's striking at a ridiculous 23 per cent.
'It's really nice to win another one. Apart from having a stack halfway through [and missing seven weeks through injury], I've had another good season with a few highlights with some big horses,' Purton said, referring to champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising. 'All in all, I'm very happy again.'
Purton opened his account aboard Tony Cruz-trained $1.75 chance Gentlemen Legacy in the Class Three Nam Chung River Handicap (2,000m) before completing a running double aboard exciting three-year-old Copartner Fleet in the first section of the Class Four Beas River Handicap (1,200m).
Domination at Sha Tin! 😤
Copartner Fleet gets off the mark in emphatic style and shapes as a 3YO with a big future racing in Hong Kong... @zpurton #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 28, 2025
Having his second career start after running a close second on debut last month, the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Copartner Fleet dictated proceedings from the front and put the race to bed early in the straight, eventually saluting by three-quarters of a length to reward those who backed him into $1.8.
While Purton's first two victories came aboard progressive gallopers on the turf, he completed his three-timer atop a far more exposed horse on a wet-slow all-weather track.
Backed late to jump the $3.2 favourite, Fashion Legend travelled nicely just forward of midfield in the Class Four Sha Tau Kok River Handicap (1,650m) before whistling past his rivals in the straight to salute by a length and a quarter.
Fashion Legend's second Hong Kong success at start 23 marked the first leg of a double for his trainer David Eustace, who later took out the Class Four Shan Pui River Handicap (1,400m) with Riding Together.
'He's just taken to the dirt. He's had a couple of wins on it now where everything has gone beautifully,' said Eustace of Fashion Legend, who has won twice from six starts since switching surfaces.
'Good barrier [three] and the pace was not too strong, which allows him to stay on the bridle because he's just got a short sprint over the mile. He's gaining a bit of confidence on the dirt.'
Elsewhere on Saturday's twilight card, Ellis Wong Chi-wang punched home his first Hong Kong treble with wins aboard King Oberon, S J Tourbillon and Ariel.
Riding at his first meeting since reaching 45 career winners and having his claim reduced from 7lb to 5lb, Wong picked up where he left off before his two-meeting suspension with a breakthrough 1,002-1 three-timer.
On fire, @elliswong05! 🔥
Our apprentice scoops a Sha Tin treble with a superb front-running ride aboard Ariel for David Hayes... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 28, 2025
'This is my first time to have three winners in Hong Kong, so I'm very happy,' Wong said.
'These past few months I have had more support and I really appreciate that. I still have a lot to learn but when the opportunities are coming, I have been lucky to take advantage.
'I'm trying to learn a lot from Zac, from Hugh [Bowman], who is very patient, and I love Vincent [Ho Chak-yiu].'
The win of Ariel completed a double for David Hayes after the earlier success of Gallant Crown, with the Australian declaring he's 'no chance' despite drawing within seven victories of John Size in the race for the trainers' title.
