Zac Purton stands alone as the jockey with the most wins in Hong Kong racing history after a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night [Jan 22].
The seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey reached the 1,814-win milestone with a double at the city circuit to edge past the long-standing mark of 1,813 wins set by the legendary Douglas Whyte, who retired from race-riding in 2019 following 12,269 Hong Kong rides.
Purton landed a pair of 1,200-metre (6f) events, scoring aboard John Size-trained Spirit Of Peace in the third section of the Class 4 Kowloon Park Handicap (1200m) and Dennis Yip’s View Of The World in the second section of the Class 3 Victoria Park Handicap (1200m).
Purton, 42, hails from Lismore, Australia and moved to Hong Kong in 2007, recording his first winner at Happy Valley on 12 September, 2007 atop Elfhelm.
Since then, his storied career has seen him surpass the 100-win mark in a season nine times, including a record 179 in 2022/23 – also giving him a single-season earnings record (HK$277,712,060). His win strike-rate over 17 years of competitive riding in Hong Kong is over 17%.
Purton has had 10,358 rides across his time in the competitive cauldron of Hong Kong racing. “I appreciate everyone hanging around and the support that I get,” he said.
“I get a lot of love here in Hong Kong and I feel that.” he went on. “Our fans and supporters are very unique and I’m very fortunate to have them by my side and behind my back supporting me.
“Thank you and thank you to every owner, trainer and person that I know that has supported me throughout my career and not just here in Hong Kong but along the journey of when I started as an apprentice to now.”
Crowned Hong Kong champion jockey in 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23 & 2023/24, Purton has won the BMW Hong Kong Derby twice with Luger (2015) and Massive Sovereign (2024). He is the only rider with 12 feature wins at the Longines Hong Kong International Races, most recently snaring a fourth HK Sprint new star Ka Ying Rising.
After Gary Moore and Noel Barker, Purton is the third Australian to win a riding championship in Hong Kong. His career began with veteran trainer Trevor Hardy in Coffs Harbour, Australia, at the age of 14.
His first career win came with Magic Zap at Armidale in Australia on 6 May, 2000, and he was Brisbane champion jockey in 2003 as an apprentice.
In Hong Kong, Purton is famed for associations with standout talents Beauty Generation, Exultant, Aerovelocity, Ambitious Dragon, Southern Legend, Lucky Sweynesse, Military Attack and more.
He has won top-level races in Australia, Japan, Singapore and Britain, notably in the 2012 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on Little Bridge for trainer Danny Shum.
Purton’s first elite-level win in Hong Kong came in the 2010 Stewards’ Cup aboard Fellowship for former trainer Paul O’Sullivan, while his fierce rivalries with Whyte and Joao Moreira (1,236 Hong Kong wins) captivated global audiences with enthralling championship tussles. They are the only other jockeys with 1,000-plus wins in Hong Kong.
Tony Cruz (946 Hong Kong wins) occupies fourth on the all-time list ahead of Brett Prebble (806), Karis Teetan (709), Gary Moore (694), Basil Marcus (671), Gerald Mosse (659), Felix Coetzee (652), Vincent Ho (609), Olivier Doleuze (571) and Matthew Chadwick (547).
Purton paid tribute to Whyte, who is credited with changing the way jockeys operate in Hong Kong by meticulously planning bookings well in advance as opposed to determining which horse to ride after entries were made public – which contributed to Whyte’s 13 consecutive riding titles from 2000/01 to 2012/13.
“He was the one who wrote the playbook, really,” said Purton. “He came to Hong Kong and changed the way jockeys operated here and the landscape and how you had to run your business and we’ve all had to follow on from that and without him setting the standard, things would be different.
“I actually once said to Doug: ‘Don’t worry your record is safe, I won’t be around long enough to break it.’ At that time, I thought I was going to retire or go home earlier but I’m still here. I gave him the wrong ‘intel’ about it. We had lunch recently and he’s alright about it!
“Records are made to be broken and mine will be broken one day as well.”
Whyte, who was on hand as Purton logged his 1,813th win, said: “It’s been a long time coming. It was always going to happen and he’s one of the best riders we’ve seen around and he deserves it.
“As I’ve mentioned he turns up day in and day out and that’s not easy for any sportsman to do – that’s what makes champions and that’s what makes you successful.”
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