Purton hits 2,000 wins
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Champion jockey Zac Purton with his 2,000th winner Rising World at Sha Tin on May 31.
Photo by HKJC
HONG KONG – Zac Purton broke new ground at Sha Tin on May 31 when he became the first jockey to ride 2,000 winners in Hong Kong, reaching the milestone aboard Rising World.
The Australian eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey attained the phenomenal landmark on his 11,229th ride in the city. The score improved to 2,001 three races later, when he brought up a double aboard Oldtown.
The momentous achievement comes 16 months after he became the jockey with the most Hong Kong wins when he rode his 1,814th winner on Jan 22, 2025.
“At least I’m not going to have to go home tonight and listen to Cash say ‘why didn’t you have a winner today, Daddy?’, so we’ve had the winner and he’s got the trophy – so it’s job done,” said Purton.
“It is (a wonderful achievement) when I reflect back upon it and look at some of those great moments that I’ve had in my career. It truly is amazing.
“I’ve been very fortunate and, of course, I couldn’t do anything without the support that I get from the owners, trainers, and Hong Kong’s been such a great place for me.”
Hailing from Lismore in New South Wales, Purton, 43, has made a meteoric rise in Hong Kong since he rode his first winner Elfhelm at Happy Valley in September 2007.
The Australian Racing Hall of Famer has broken a stack of records in Hong Kong, won all the big races bar the Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Mile. HKJC
