Hong Kong Racing Tips: All Eyes on Purton again
IT’S back to reality for racegoers in Hong Kong on Wednesday following Sunday’s global showpiece at Sha Tin as Happy Valley hosts a competitive eight-race programme.
The good news for racing fans and bettors is champion jockey Zac Purton is back to his imperious best.
The Zac-Man has found it tough going in the last six weeks, with plenty of short-price favourites beaten as well as a series of near misses and a two-meeting suspension.
That all changed at the Valley last Wednesday when the reigning champ picked up a £50,000 cheque for winning the International Jockeys’ Challenge, became only the second jockey in Hong Kong to ride 1,200 winners and completing a winning treble.
If that wasn’t enough, he followed up by riding a double at Sha Tin on Sunday, including a lucky spare ride aboard Normcore in the £2.6m LONGINES HK Cup.
He arrives at the inner-city track with his card marked in all eight races and all of them having leading chances on the form book.
Keep an eye out for Bundle Of Delight, who will improve for the step up in distance in the Shelley Handicap (11.15am) and the well-drawn pair Noble Birth in the Graham Handicap (12.45pm) and Flying Genius in the Cochrane Handicap (2.15pm), who are both close to wins.
His highlight mount, though, has to be ANGEL OF MY EYES who lines-up in the Gage Handicap (1.45pm) over the extended mile.
This progressive galloper needed a couple more strides when dashing strongly in the closing stages against similar company last month. Expect no mistake with Purton back in the saddle again.
POINTERS
Angel Of My Eyes 1.45pm Happy Valley