Zac Purton rides 50-1 winner as four-timer sees him close in on Moreira record

Superstar Australian jockey Zac Purton moved closer to eclipsing Joao Moreira’s Hong Kong record by riding a four-timer on Monday's card at Sha Tin, including a 50-1 winner in the finale.

Purton's four-timer saw him move on to 156 winners for the season, 14 behind Moreira's 2016-17 record of 170.

The jockey was out of luck on his first four rides on Sha Tin's ten-race card, but won four of the last five races, including partnering the John Moore-trained Aethero to an impressive victory in a 6f handicap. Moore is now aiming his unbeaten juvenile at the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint in December.

"He has the makings of one of Hong Kong’s top sprinters, the way he went there," said Moore. "I know he didn’t beat very much but he’s only a two-year-old, he’s in open company so to do it as comfortably as that is really pleasing."

Moore, who saddled a treble on the card as he chases an eighth champion trainer title, is now on 71 wins for the season – three behind leader John Size.

Purton's first three victories came on favourites, but his fourth was a different story as he arrived late on the Caspar Fownes-trained 50-1 shot Winning Delight, who was making his racecourse debut.

Purton needs to maintain his four-winners-per-meeting strike-rate if he is pass Moreira's record, as there are just four fixtures left in Hong Kong's 2018-19 season.

Remaining fixtures

July 3 Happy Valley
July 7 Sha Tin
July 10 Happy Valley
July 14 Sha Tin

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