Zac Purton Nears 2,000 Career Wins in Hong Kong After Dominant Sunday

Zac Purton closed in on a remarkable 2,000 career wins in Hong Kong on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, taking out his rivals in his first three races of the day and could reach his target at Happy Valley this week.

The Australian jockey needs just two more victories to reach the magic milestone, should expect to get at least double that number of rides for Wednesday’s meeting.

With Romantic Warrior sealing a remarkable Triple Crown, it looked for a time as though Purton would make it a double celebration at Sha Tin.

The 43-year-old guided Flying Amani to a thrilling victory over Perfecto Moments in the Class Five Digital Assets Handicap. Settled towards the back of the pack, the pair surged between horses to get up by a shorthead in a desperate finish, with Soaring Bronco coming home third.

There was less drama about Purton’s second win of the day in the Class Four Sustainable Finance Handicap, with the Jimmy Ting Koon-ho-trained Come Fast Fay Fay smashing out to the early lead and never being headed – a classic, perfectly judged ride by the champion jockey.

Purton edged to within two and made it three wins from three rides on the day with another peach, this time aboard Danny Shum Chap-shing’s Packing King in the Class Four Corporate & Investment Banking Handicap.