Zac Purton returns from family holiday with nine Sha Tin rides


Reigning champion jockey will be hoping Beauty Crescent and Simple Hedge put their hands up as genuine Classic Series contenders.

Friday, January 12, 2024





Fresh off a family holiday in Finland and Switzerland, Zac Purton will look to get his season rolling again with nine rides at Sha Tin on Saturday.


Purton headed off on his midseason break sitting on an even 50 victories after a New Year’s Day treble and he still holds a 15-win advantage in the jockeys’ premiership after his closest rival, Karis Teetan, could only manage two successes during the Australian’s three-meeting absence.


Purton teams up with Tony Cruz-trained four-year-old Beauty Crescent for the first time in the Class Three Yeun Long Handicap (1,400m) and will be hoping he is climbing aboard the son of Acclamation at the right time.


Helios Express announced himself as the clear Classic Mile top pick with a dominant Class Two victory under Hugh Bowman last weekend, but beyond that galloper things look wide open.


Provided Bowman stays on Helios Express, Purton needs to lock down a mount of his own three weeks out from the first leg of the Classic Series and Beauty Crescent could put his hand up with a breakthrough victory this weekend.


A Listed winner in Ireland, Beauty Crescent has needed time to fully take to his new surroundings and he is yet to salute from nine Hong Kong starts.


He has placed at Sha Tin on five occasions, however, and looks to get his chance to deliver on Saturday in a wide-open contest where Joyful Hunter and Beauty Fit are among the chief dangers.


Purton teams up with another Classic Mile hopeful in the Class Three Tin Shui Wai Handicap (1,600m), continuing his association with John Size’s Simple Hedge in a contest restricted to four-year-olds.


Purton has ridden the Sebring gelding in all nine of his starts and the pair had a profitable 2022-23 campaign, posting three wins and two minor placings from six outings.


There’s been no further success so far this season, but Simple Hedge did turn in his best showing of the term when a close third behind Chancheng Glory on Boxing Day.


Chancheng Glory chases five wins in a row as he plots his path to the Classic Mile, while the Cruz-trained Fallon lines up for the first time since his scintillating last-to-first effort at $69.


Purton must overcome barrier 14 if he is to steer Fighting Machine to consecutive successes in the Class Four Nam Sang Wai Handicap (1,400m), while he’ll look to go one better aboard Top Scorer in the second section of the Class Four Lam Tei Handicap (1,200m) after they teamed up for a narrow last-start second when the three-year-old was sent off favourite on debut.


Rounding out the reigning champion’s book are Fire Ball, Must Go, Metro Warrior, Beato and Magnificent Nine.

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