Purton hits his 100-win milestone

HONG KONG • Zac Purton has joined Joao Moreira as a 2021/22 century-winner after reaching the 100-win milestone for the sixth successive Hong Kong season at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, fanning hopes of a fifth jockeys' championship.

Three days after Moreira moved into triple figures, arch-rival Purton reached the seasonal benchmark he routinely seeks with a signature ride aboard Richard Gibson's Viva Mama in the first section of the Class 5 Percival Handicap over 1,000m.

"That's a target at the start of every season, to get to 100," said Purton, who has now achieved the mark in seven of the past nine seasons.

"If you ride 100 winners, you've had a very good season here. We've got there now, so hopefully there's a few more winners to come."

Having briefly lost the championship lead to Purton, Moreira regained the ascendancy with a supreme rail-hugging display aboard Caspar Fownes-trained Nearly Fine to win the second section of the Class 4 Morrison Hill Handicap over 1,650m. This left Fownes just two winners short of 1,000 Hong Kong career winners.

Moreira repeated the feat with an equally brilliant ride on Seizing The Moment to clinch the second section of the Class 3 Bowrington Handicap over 1,200m for John Size. The Brazilian then teamed up with Frankie Lor's impressive Eason to snare the first section of the Class 3 Bowrington Handicap over 1,200m.

Moreira continues his quest for a fifth title, holding a 103-101 lead over Purton, while Size and Lor remain locked in a similarly tight battle - 64-62 - for the trainers' championship. HKJC