Zac Purton expects to make his return from injury on Hong Kong Derby day at Sha Tin on March 23, but says he will need to find a ride for the city’s most prestigious race.
The Australian fractured his left big toe in three places in a nasty fall at Sha Tin on February 9 and required surgery to realign and pin the toe after it was “pointing at a bit of an angle”.
The seven-time champion jockey will already miss this weekend’s Group 1 rides on Ka Ying Rising and Galaxy Patch, as well as the Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 3, but he plans to make up for lost time when he chases a second consecutive Derby victory three weeks later.
“I feel like I’m going to be ready to roll as soon as the pins are out and my intention is to be back Derby day,” Purton told Idol Horse. “It was broken in three places and the three pieces of bone had to be put back together.
“It feels pretty good and it’s just a time thing. If it was up to me I would ride on the weekend. Of course, I can’t because there are pins in it and I need them to be taken out.
“The pins come out March 10 and it’s up to the specialists obviously, but it gives me nearly two weeks to be ready for the Derby.”
Purton will be watching the Derby’s primary lead-up, the Classic Cup, with an eagle eye. He was expected to be riding the Francis Lui-trained Packing Angel before injury struck and he is yet to lock in a ride for the final leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
“I don’t have a Derby ride yet so I need to see what happens in the Classic Cup and then work out if there is something left there for me,” he said. “Hopefully I can get on something.”
The Derby picture has been made all the more complicated for Purton as a trio of top-class jockeys will fly into Hong Kong for the Classic Cup to ride gallopers that Hong Kong’s champion rider has partnered previously with a view to March’s showpiece.
Purton’s old championship rival, the Brazilian ace Joao Moreira, has been called upon to ride the Australian’s intended Classic Cup ride, Packing Angel, while Blake Shinn will hop aboard the horse on which Purton finished third in the Classic Mile for the same connections, Packing Hermod.
Kiwi superstar James McDonald will also partner the Tony Cruz-trained Stunning Peach, who Purton rode in his first six local starts ∎
