3 minute read

Fresh from winning the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint at the weekend, Zac Purton claimed the Class 1 Happy Valley Trophy (1200m) on Domineer tonight, Wednesday, 17

Purton, Hong Kong's reigning Champion Jockey, dominated the eight-race card, cleaning up in half the races and securing the Jockey Challenge by race seven with 48 points. For Domineer, an International Sale Griffin, it was a third win from four starts this term.

Purton and Domineer led early in the night's feature but soon settled back for a dream run behind the leaders. The Australian ace switched his mount off the fence turning for home and Domineer kicked clear to win by a length, with Tour De Force second and Exciting Dream just edging third from the strong-finishing Frederick Engels. The winning time was a quick 1m 09.10s

"With the norton bit gear on, he has learned to relax in his racing,”Purton said of the Caspar Fownes-trained gelding, who has exhibited new found maturity this season. "He has been lucky in his last two starts, drawing nice barriers, and has been able to take advantage of them.”

Purton earlier teamed up trainer Paul O'Sullivan to win the first race on No Ties. He then took race four on Backbench Blues for Benno Yung and scored on Disciples Twelve in race six for Fownes.

Purton now has 34 wins and sits second behind Joao Moreira, who has 45 wins for the term.