Zac Purton (born 3 January 1983) is an Australian jockey who has won the most races in Hong Kong racing history and won the Hong Kong Jockeys' Championship on seven occasions. Purton is married to Nicole Purton, the daughter of Hall of Fame jockey Jim Cassidy. Zac and Nicole have two children, Cash and Roxy. Purton has won all four of the Hong Kong International Races at least once and the all-important Hong Kong Derby twice. Lauded for his tactical awareness and race planning, Zac Purton is renowned for his toughness in a finish and his superb balance, making him one of the all-time greats. In the saddle, he has few weaknesses, and is an astute operator when it comes to off-track aspects of decision-making and relationship-building in Hong Kong.

Background and early years

From a non-racing background, Purton spent most of his childhood and teenage years in the sleepy coastal town of Coffs Harbour, on the New South Wales mid-north coast in Australia. He also spent time in the town of Nelson on the South Island of New Zealand and Mount Gambier, South Australia. It was in Nelson where Purton first came into contact with horses, and then for a short time around standardbreds in Mount Gambier. Back in Coffs Harbour, Purton left school at 14 and went to local horse trainer Trevor Hardy, who guided the gifted rider early. “People say to me, ‘Gee you did a good job with him,’ but I can't take credit for it, it's just natural ability,” Hardy says. “Maybe I helped him as a person though.” Purton's mother Liz recalled her son's attitude early: “He would get off the horse and tell the owners their horse was a donkey. Well, it might be true, but it isn't what the owner wants to hear.” Purton won the Brisbane jockeys' premiership as an apprentice in 2003, then moved to Sydney and was quickly amongst the top jockeys there before he began his Hong Kong career in 2007/08.

Hong Kong

In the 2013/14 season, Purton ended the 13-year championship reign of Douglas Whyte, becoming the first Australian jockey to win the Hong Kong title since Noel Barker in 1991. (112 wins). He notched up 112 wins on his way to the title. Purton also raced to what was then the fastest 50 in Hong Kong history that season and became the second rider, after Whyte, to notch 100 wins in a season. Purton lost his title when he came second to João Moreira in 2014/15 with 95 wins, then was runner-up to Moreira again in 2015-16 and 2016-17 before reclaiming the Hong Kong championship in 2017-18 in a close finish. Purton's record-setting 179 wins in the 2023-24 season delivered a sixth Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, but that was achieved with his arch-rivals Whyte and Moreira out of the picture First there was the 2021-22 title which he took after a captivating, gruelling season-long duel with Joao Moreira that went down to the wire. Purton rode four winners to Moreira's none on the final day of the season to clinch his fifth title. Then came his incredible feat of eclipsing Whyte's haul of the most wins all-time by a jockey in Hong Kong. Purton took the record with his 1,814th win, View Of The World at Happy Valley on January 22, 2025. Purton represented Hong Kong in the World Super Jockey Series held by the

Japan Racing Association The Japan Racing Association () is a public company established in Japan under a law to operate Chūō Keiba (中央競馬 Central horse racing) and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities in the country. It was ...

in 2012, recording two wins and being crowned as champion. He won the prestigious Hong Kong Derby in 2015, with the John Size-trained Luger, and his Hong Kong Cup win on Time Warp in 2017 made Purton only the third jockey, after Gerald Mosse and Moreira, to have won all four of Hong Kong's December international races. In the 2024/25 season, Purton won eight races from eight starts on sprinter Ka Ying Rising, including four Group 1 races. Ka Ying Rising first broke Sha Tin's 1200m track recordin November 2024 when he ran 1:07.43 in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint – shading former champion Sacred Kingdom's 17-year-old record – before setting a new mark of 1:07.20 in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup in January 2025.

Major wins

* AJC Sires' Produce Stakes - (2) - ''Excites (2006)'', ''Yankee Rose (2016)'' * Canterbury Stakes - (1) - ''Artorius (2023)'' * Caulfield Cup - (1) - '' Admire Rakti (2014)'' *

Doncaster Handicap The Doncaster Mile, registered as the Doncaster Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred handicap race for horses three years old and older, held over 1,600 metres at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. Although the ra ...

- (3) - '' Sacred Falls (2014)'', ''It's Somewhat (2017)'', ''Mr Brightside (2023)'' * Epsom Handicap - (1) - ''Theseo (2008)'' * The J. J. Atkins - (1) - ''Sacred Elixir (2016)'' * George Main Stakes - (1) - '' Sacred Falls (2014)'' *

Randwick Guineas The Randwick Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March as a part of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. ...

- (1) - ''Communist (2023)'' * Norton Stakes - (1) - ''He's No Pie Eater (2007)'' * The Galaxy - (1) - '' In Her Time (2018)'' *

Winx Stakes The Winx Stakes, registered as the Warwick Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian Turf Club thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 1400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in August. Prize ...

- (1) - ''Sir Dex (2005)'' ---- *

King's Stand Stakes The King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King's Stand Stakes) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 fu ...

- (1) - '' Little Bridge (2012)'' ---- *

Centenary Sprint Cup The Centenary Sprint Cup is a Hong Kong Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race over a distance of 1200 metres at Sha Tin in January. It was originally known as the Centenary Cup, which was first run on 24 November 1984 to celebrate the centenary of The ...

- (3) - ''Aerovelocity (2016)'', ''Lucky Sweynesse (2023)'', ''

Ka Ying Rising Ka Ying Rising (foaled 3 September 2020), previously named Mr Express, is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse born in New Zealand and trained in Hong Kong. He is notable for winning multiple Group One, Group 1 races. He was bred by Fraser Auret ...

(2025)'' *

Chairman's Sprint Prize The Chairman's Sprint Prize is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run over a distance of 1200 metres. Until 2000, it was run as the Hong Kong Sprint Championship to coincide with the opening of Sha Tin Racecourse. In 2016, this race ...

- (2) - ''Ivictory (2018)'', ''Lucky Sweynesse (2023)'' *

Champions Mile The Champions Mile is a Group One, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) on the turf at Sha Tin Racecourse with the to ...

- (2) - ''

Beauty Generation Beauty Generation (; foaled 27 September 2012) is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his performances in Hong Kong. He began his career as a three-year-old in Australia where he won two races and ran second in the Rosehill ...

(2018,2019)'' *

Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup is a Hong Kong Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late May or early June at Sha Tin Racecourse. A Group One race that offers a purse of HK$12,000,000, it is run on turf over a distance of 2400 meters (prior ...

- (2) - ''Exultant (2019,2020)'' * Hong Kong Classic Cup - (1) - ''California Spangle (2022)'' *

Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup is a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres (about miles or 10 furlongs) at Sha Tin Ra ...

- (2) - ''Time Warp (2017)'', ''

Normcore Normcore is a unisex fashion trend characterized by unpretentious, average-looking clothing. Normcore fashion includes jeans, T-shirts, sweats, button-downs, and sneakers. History The word "normcore" first appeared in a 2008 guest strip by Rya ...

(2020)'' *

Hong Kong Derby The Hong Kong Derby is a Hong Kong Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1873. Restricted to horses four-years-old only since 1981, the race is run in mid-March and is the premier event on the domestic racing programme with a purse of HK$18 m ...

- (1) - ''Luger (2015)'', ''Massive Sovereign (2024)'' *

Hong Kong Gold Cup The Hong Kong Gold Cup is a Group One Hong Kong Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1979 at Sha Tin Racecourse. It is open to horses three years of age and older. Run on turf, it was initially run over a distance of 1,800 metres, but ...

- (3) -

Military Attack Military Attack (Chinese: 軍事出擊, originally named Rave) (foaled 4 March 2008) is an Irish-bred, Hong Kong trained Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a two-year-old, he showed promising form in Britain in 2011 before being sold to race in ...

(2013), ''Time Warp (2018)'', ''Exultant (2019)'' *

Hong Kong Mile The Hong Kong Mile is a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) at Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha ...

- (4) - ''

Ambitious Dragon Ambitious Dragon () is a New Zealand-bred, Hong Kong–based Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which began in 2010 he has won eleven races at Sha Tin Racecourse including the Hong Kong Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup, Hong Kong Derby, Queen ...

(2012)'', ''Beauty Only (2016)'', ''

(2018)'', ''California Spangle (2022)'' *

Hong Kong Sprint The Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs) at Sha Tin, and takes place in mid-December. The race was first ...

- (3) - ''Aerovelocity (2014,2016),

(2024)'' *

Hong Kong Vase The Hong Kong Vase is a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run each year in mid-December over a distance of 2,400 metres (about miles o ...

- (2) - ''Dominant (2013)'', ''Exultant (2018)'' *

Queen Elizabeth II Cup The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race at Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Established in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, it is run annually in April over a distance of 2,000 metres (te ...

- (1) - ''Exultant (2020)'' *

Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup The Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup is a set weights Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run over 1400 metres, with the total purse of HK$10m in 2014/15, approximately US$1.3m. In the 2005/06 season, it was upgraded to Group 1 status and has ...

- (4) - ''

(2013)'', ''

(2018, 2019, 2020)'' * Stewards' Cup - (3) - ''

Fellowship A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...

(2010)'', ''

(2019)'', ''Waikuku (2022)'' ---- *

Takamatsunomiya Kinen The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for four-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres (approximately 6 furlongs) at Chukyo Racecourse in late March. The forerunner of this race was the . It was started ...

- (1) - ''Aerovelocity (2015)'' ---- *

Kranji Mile The Kranji Mile was a thoroughbred horse race held annually in May at Singapore Turf Club. The race was first introduced in 2000. The race, contested on turf over a left-handed course, is a domestic Group 1 event (also recognized as an Internatio ...

- (2) - ''Southern Legend (2018, 2019)'' *

KrisFlyer International Sprint The KrisFlyer International Sprint is a former Thoroughbred horse race held at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore. Contested on turf over a left-handed course, the International Group 1 sprint race was run over a distance of 1,200 meters (6 furlongs) a ...

- (1) - ''Aerovelocity (2015)'' *

Singapore Airlines International Cup The Singapore Airlines International Cup was a Group 1 flat horse race in Singapore open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It was run at Kranji over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), in May each year. It was discontinued from ...

- (1) - ''

(2013)'' ---- * Macau Hong Kong Trophy - (1) - ''Romantic Touch (2017)'' * Macau Derby - (1) - ''Sacred Man (2017)'' ----

Performance at the Hong Kong Jockey Club

References

* The Hong Kong Jockey Club

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Purton, Zac 1983 births Living people Hong Kong jockeys Australian jockeys Hong Kong people of Australian descent Sportspeople from Lismore, New South Wales