Zac Purton has surged to within 10 victories of reaching the 2,000-win landmark in Hong Kong after posting a double with a pair of sublime rides at Sha Tin on Saturday (9 May) as Jerry Chau edged closer to his first Tony Cruz Award for the leading homegrown jockey with a brace.

Purton, 43, took his career tally of Hong Kong wins to 1,990 after triumphing on Invictus Dragon (128lb) in the Class 4 Castle Peak Handicap (1400m) for Francis Lui with a ground-saving, weaving ride before repeating the feat aboard Dennis Yip’s Smart Avenue (129lb) in the Class 3 Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Handicap (1600m).

“Things opened up nicely for me, he deserved to win,” Purton said of Invictus Dragon’s success. “He’s been knocking on the door and with his racing style, it’s always hard – but hopefully he can take some confidence out of it.”

Chau matched eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey Purton’s double by striking aboard Cody Mo’s Jolly Jumper (119lb) in the Class 5 Pok Fu Lam Public Riding School Handicap (1400m) and Frankie Lor’s Effortless Win (119lb) in the Class 3 Lei Yue Mun Park Handicap (1200m).

“I had only four rides today but they have ability and the track today is good for our horses. So, I’m very happy to get the job done,” Chau said after three-year-old Effortless Win earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.

The double propelled Chau to 37 wins for the campaign – eight more than Vincent Ho (29) – and leaving the talented young jockey in fourth place overall in the championship behind Purton (112), Hugh Bowman (55) and Andrea Atzeni (53).

Bowman combined with Manfred Man atop Patch Of Stars (124lb) to snare the Class 2 Sai Wan Shan Handicap (1200m), ending the unbeaten run of Hot Delight (115lb), who finished fourth after racing outside the leader, Victor The Winner (115lb), and weakening late to be beaten one-and-a-quarter lengths.

“It was a good win, he raced well last time,” Bowman said of Patch Of Stars, who improved his record to six wins from 16 starts.

“He appreciated the cushy track, I think he really let down a lot better today. The pace was right on and I was hoping to be a bit closer in the run, but I couldn’t be without being comfortable. It proved to be a good call because he was strong at the end.”

Man, Yip and Cody Mo all posted doubles as Lui boosted his haul to 46 wins for the campaign to trail Mark Newnham (52), Caspar Fownes (51), Danny Shum (51) and David Hayes (48) with John Size (44) in sixth place.

Yip scored with Northern Fire Ball (125lb) who led throughout for apprentice Nichola Yuen to win the Class 4 Tuen Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1200m) before Smart Avenue’s success.

Mo slotted a race-to-race double when Oneshot (124lb) struck at odds of 69/1 under Karis Teetan in the Class 4 Lei Yue Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1000m) to follow Jolly Jumper’s success before Douglas Whyte and Lyle Hewitson teamed up to claim the Class 4 St George’s Challenge Cup Handicap (1600m) with Bling Bling Genius (118lb).

Mo attributed his double to gear changes.

“He (Jolly Jumper) had a bad habit before of hanging in. So, the last few races I just put the one-sided blinkers on and the hanging in problem was solved. This time back to the 1400m, I put the visors on to make him concentrate more,” said Mo, who employed a similar strategy on the previously luckless Oneshot.

“Two times he got in trouble, so it was very unlucky. After two races his fitness and everything has improved, and he went back to the 1000m and I put the cheekpieces on to make him concentrate more. Luckily, he got a win.”

David Hall and James Orman combined to land the Butterfly Bay Plate (1000m) for Griffins with Spice Bag (126lb). By Acclamation – sire of champion Romantic Warrior – the colt surged late to score at odds of 48/1 on a day of long-priced winners.

“It was probably a surprise that he (Spice Bag) won the race. He’s a lovely looking horse and probably clearly bred to get over a longer journey. So, we thought he could have the experience race today and then progress to the 1200m race,” Hall said.

“We just thought the journey was going to be way too sharp for him. So, from that point of view, it was a surprise, but I think it probably just tells the horse has got a bit of class and hopefully we’ve got more to look forward to.”

Real Gentleman (129lb) continued the trend of surprise victors by prevailing at 157/1 for Man and Derek Leung in the Class 4 Hong Kong Riding For The Disabled Association Cup Handicap (1200m) as Leung completed a brace when 20/1 chance Straight To Glory (122lb) drove up the middle of the track to snare the Class 3 Pok Fu Lam Country Park Handicap (1000m) for Michael Chang.

Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (13 May).

By Leo Schlink

Photo: HKJC