'We're both empty' - Purton chins Moreira in title race with last day four-timer

Zac Purton won his fifth Hong Kong Jockeys' title at the expense of Joao Moreira with a final-day four-timer at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Purton and Moreira entered the title decider with 132 winners apiece, but by virtue of two dead-heats Purton would have won the title if both riders had drawn blanks.

That never came into play and Purton claimed the title with three races left on the card, edging out Moreira by a short-head in a thrilling finish aboard the Douglas Whyte-trained Turin Redsun in the Class 1 mile handicap.

The jockey took the outright lead earlier on the card with victory in the fifth race aboard Turquoise Alpha and doubled his advantage when Never Too Soon dominantly won race seven. He added a fourth win to the day's tally with an empathic victory on Lucky Sweynesse.

Speaking to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Purton said: "Every title is special in their own way and I want to pay respect to Joao [Moreira] as well, it's been a really difficult season and difficult last three years for all of us in Hong Kong through the lockdowns, having to home school the kids and we've both had our health issues.

"It's been tough and we both deserved to win it. It's energy sapping and I think we're both empty and both right at the end of our tether. It's nice that we can close it today and both go on holiday."

It was a frustrating day for Moreira who placed on four of his rides but was unable to get that elusive win to keep him in the title hunt.

Purton has some way to go to match the feats of 13-time champion jockey Whyte, who won the title consecutively from 2001 to 2013, but victory adds to title wins in 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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