CLEARING AWAY FROM THE PACK

Purton takes Hong Kong tally to 4 wins after sweet treble, with nine meetings left

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Zac Purton's relentless push towards a seventh Hong Kong jockeys' championship continued at Sha Tin on June 8 when the Australian snared a treble highlighted by a fifth successive victory on Copartner Prance in the Class 2 Lung Mun Road Handicap (1,200m).

Purton (114 wins) increased his lead in the 2023-24 championship over Karis Teetan (77) to 37 wins with only nine meetings remaining after victories on Copartner Prance for trainer Francis Lui, Dennis Yip's Fast Network and Stunning Peach for Tony Cruz.

Copartner Prance improved his record to five wins from nine starts with a gripping win over Duke Wai and then survived an objection from the runner-up's rider Teetan.

"It was another good effort. He began really well which helped - it was very fast mid-race - and I just waited for the right time but he was good to the line. He just seems to keep doing enough," Purton said of the four-year-old son of Epaulette.