Zac Purton, Hong Kong’s most successful jockey, is set to chase an elusive milestone in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Friday (31 January). Partnering with Packing Hermod, Purton hopes to secure his first victory in the race, which serves as the opening leg of the prestigious HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

Despite his record-breaking career, the seven-time champion has yet to claim the Hong Kong Classic Mile in 15 attempts. His best results include runner-up finishes aboard Garlic Boy (2013) and Helene Feeling (2024), along with third-place efforts on Dibayani (2014), Beauty Generation (2017), and Packing Treadmill (2023).

Determined to set the record straight, Purton will ride Packing Hermod, a horse he has guided to three of its four career wins. Explaining his decision, he highlighted his familiarity with the gelding and his confidence in trainer Francis Lui’s ability to deliver top performances.

“I’ve ridden him a lot, so I know him well. I’ve always rated him highly, and Francis is a fantastic trainer who consistently gets results," Purton said. "The owner, Roletta Lee Man Ching, and I have had a lot of success together, and the horse is one of the highest-rated in the race. At set weights, that’s a big factor. He ticks a lot of boxes and should be competitive over the distance.”

Elite Opposition in the Classic Mile

Purton will face a strong field, including six jockeys who have previously won the Hong Kong Classic Mile: Blake Shinn (Divano), Christophe Soumillon (Fast Network), Vincent Ho (Cap Ferrat), Hugh Bowman (Mickley), Karis Teetan (Lucy In The Sky), and Jamie Melham (Top Gun).

Notable past winners in the field include Shinn, who won with Excellent Proposal (2021); Soumillon, who claimed victories with Thumbs Up (2009) and Beauty Flash (2010); Ho, who triumphed aboard Golden Sixty (2020); Bowman, a two-time winner with Furore (2019) and Helios Express (2024); Teetan, who guided Romantic Warrior to victory (2022); and Melham, successful with Voyage Bubble (2023).

The field also features Rubylot (Brenton Avdulla), Call Me Glorious (Matthew Chadwick), Johannes Brahms (Mickael Barzalona), Glory Elite (Harry Bentley), My Wish (Luke Ferraris), Talents Ambition (Matthew Poon), and Markwin (Derek Leung).

Purton’s Busy Day at Sha Tin

Leading the 2024/25 Hong Kong jockeys’ championship with 78 wins—45 ahead of Bowman—Purton has 10 rides on Friday’s card. Among them is Ensued, trained by John Size, in the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m).

Ensued finished fourth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on 8 December under James McDonald. After a recent 1200m dirt trial, Purton is optimistic about his chances.

“Dropping back in distance is always tough, but he’s had enough time to freshen up,” Purton said. “I trialed him recently, and he felt great. He’s moving well and in a good mindset. John Size is in top form, so there’s plenty to like about him.”

Ensued will take on a competitive lineup, including Straight Arron, Happy Together, Sword Point, Chancheng Glory, Nimble Nimbus, La City Blanche, Five G Patch, Encountered, Stunning Peach, and Winning Dragon.

Feature Races and Jackpot Payouts

Friday’s 11-race card at Sha Tin kicks off with the Class 5 Kung Hei Handicap (1200m) at 12:30 pm. The Class 2 Chinese New Year Cup (1400m), scheduled as Race 6 at 3:05 pm, is another highlight of the day.

With a potential HK$18 million payout for a single HK$10 winning Triple Trio unit, the Chinese New Year Raceday could offer massive rewards. Additionally, the Quartet & First 4 merged pool will receive a HK$2.8 million jackpot boost.