Champion jockey Purton breaks prize-money record with £20 million haul

Hong Kong's reigning champion jockey Zac Purton broke the record for prize-money in a single season at Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday.

The Australian rider landed his 135th winner of the campaign on Classic Unicorn in the HKU Faculties Of Arts And Social Sciences Handicap, bringing his total prize-money to HK$207,714,765 (£20,968,805).

Purton, who went on to win five more contests on the 11-race card, is now HK$465,037 (£46,945) clear of Joao Moreira's old record with 11 meetings still to run in Hong Kong.

Among the 36-year-old's seasonal highlights includes landing four Group 1s on the brilliant miler Beauty Generation in addition to Hong Kong Vase and Gold Cup victories on leading stayer Exultant.

Purton's prize-money haul is in stark contrast to the highest by a rider in Britain last year. The total earnings by horses ridden by Oisin Murphy in 2018 came to £6,227,217, with Frankie Dettori finishing in second place on £5,080,828.

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