Hong Kong Horse Racing: Jockey Zac Purton Makes History, Trainers' Championship Heats Up

With the end of the season fast approaching, the trainers’ championship battle continued to heat up in May while champion jockey Zac Purton celebrated yet another major milestone in his glittering career.

The SCMP analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride.

Who’s hot?

It was another successful month for Purton, who racked up 15 wins at a strong strike rate of 21.7 per cent, while also creating history by becoming the first jockey to ride 2,000 wins in Hong Kong after booting home Rising World on Sunday.

Joao Moreira had a quiet first half of May but finished with a flurry to finish with nine wins for the month, while Karis Teetan (eight wins) and Andrea Atzeni (seven) were also in top form.

Like Moreira, Caspar Fownes battled early in May but finished strongly to notch eight wins, snatching the championship lead back and drawing clear by two wins from nearest rival Danny Shum Chap-shing, who had seven wins in May.

Cody Mo Wai-kit quietly matched Fownes’ haul with eight wins for the month, helping him climb from 11th to eighth on the championship table.

Who’s not?

Matthew Chadwick’s woes continued with another winless month, leaving him with just one win – Another Zonda at Happy Valley last month – since last December.

Ellis Wong Chi-wang was also winless in May, though he served several careless riding bans and only had 15 rides, with Moreira’s presence as Fownes’ stable rider limiting his opportunities.

All trainers managed at least one win in May but there were three who only visited the winner’s enclosure once.

David Hayes was one of them, slipping from two wins off the championship lead to nine, with eight seconds and as many thirds making it a frustrating month for the Australian handler.

Brett Crawford was staring down the barrel of a winless month until debutant Rising World’s victory on Sunday, while Michael Chang Chun-wai dropped to the bottom of the standings after also managing just one victory.

Win of the month

It might have only been a Class Four at Happy Valley, but Tycoon Resource’s second-up win was one that had to be seen to be believed.

There was drama just before the start when Tycoon Resources reared and got his head over the front of his gate, which led to him being removed from the barriers and examined by the veterinary officer.

Passed fit to race, the raging $1.65 favourite looked to be in a world of trouble when drifting back to third last and struggling to pick up under pressure coming into the straight.

Despite still sitting third last with 200m to go, the Tony Cruz-trained gelding sprouted wings in spectacular style, launching down the centre of the track to hit the front right on the post, defeating Grand Nova by a short head.

Ride of the month

Purton produced several outstanding rides from back in the field in May, with The Azure’s Happy Valley win perhaps the best of them.

Taken back to last after copping a squeeze after the start, The Azure and Purton bided their time before the jockey shifted out to the centre of the pack at the top of the straight.

Purton spied clear running back towards the inside and made his move, which paid off when the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained gelding lifted to hit the front late and win narrowly.

Purton’s Sha Tin triumph on Invictus Dragon on May 9 was another superb ride, while Angus Chung Yik-lai’s display on General Redwood and Britney Wong Po-ni’s breakthrough Valley victory on Son Pak Fu are worthy of honourable mentions.