Record-breaking Hong Kong champion Zac Purton is set to ride Isthmus in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 15, and if the filly shines for him, he could find himself back at Royal Ascot for the first time in 13 years.
Purton isn’t standing still since he broke Douglas Whyte’s record for the most wins by a jockey in Hong Kong. He bagged a four-timer at Sha Tin four days later and this weekend he will partner a couple of Hong Kong Derby candidates including Packing Hermod in the Hong Kong Classic Mile.
But Isthmus presents Purton with the tantalising prospect of not only a major win on Australian turf for the first time since he partnered Mr Brightside to victory in the April 2023 G1 Doncaster Mile, but also a return to Royal Ascot this summer for the first time since he won the 2012 G1 King’s Stand Stakes on Little Bridge.
“Isthmus is a filly on the way up and the stable has a good opinion of her, so I’m looking forward to getting there and riding her,” Purton told Idol Horse.
“If she runs well in the Lightning, I’ll probably go back to ride her in the Newmarket and further down the track there’s even the possibility of riding her at Royal Ascot.”
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained four-year-old has won five of 11 starts and three from four this season. Isthmus showed speed on the front end and drew clear for a two and a half-length score when last seen in the G3 Furphy Sprint over 1100m at Flemington on November 2.
Purton is keen on the idea of returning to Royal Ascot but joked that if the filly is the one to take him back there then she’d better be up to maintaining his perfect record in Britain, which stands at one ride, one win.
“I like the fact that I can walk around saying I’m undefeated at Royal Ascot, that makes me feel good,” he laughed, then added, “Let’s see how she shapes up against the best ones first, there’s a long way to go between now and then so we’ll see how it plays out.”

In the meantime, Purton’s attention will be on figuring out the “wide open” pool of Hong Kong Derby prospects during the Chinese New Year raceday at Sha Tin on Friday when three horses that have the potential to be his Derby mount will be in action: Packing Hermod in the Classic Mile, Packing Angel in the 1400m Class 3, and Stunning Peach in the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap over 1800m.
Purton will ride the two ‘Packing’ horses but will keep an eye on Stunning Peach from his seat aboard the opposing John Size-trained Ensued. Purton has ridden the Tony Cruz-trained import – a Group 1-placed juvenile for Joseph O’Brien in Ireland – in each of six prior starts in Hong Kong.
“I was already committed to Ensued before it was decided Stunning Peach would run there but he has a light weight anyway,” Purton said of the gelding who will carry 115lb this time under Matthew Chadwick, a weight below the champ’s usual minimum.
“He’s running there because while he didn’t disappoint us last time, he did show us that he needs more racing. When I spoke to Tony about him, we thought it was a good idea to get an extra run into him before the Classic Cup and then on to the Derby. That’s primarily the reason he’s running in the Group Three.
“Of those three horses on Friday, Stunning Peach is probably the one best-suited at the 2000m for the Derby, but unfortunately he’s just had an interrupted preparation; he’s had a couple of things go wrong, so it’s trying to get him in form for the right race. We’re playing catch-up a little bit with him.”
Stunning Peach was lame in his off-fore on December 5, the day after he raced, but was passed fit to race on December 27 and placed third in a 2000m Class 2 on January 19.

Packing Hermod is Purton’s mount in the Classic Mile, the first of three legs in Hong Kong’s four-year-old series, which also features next month’s Classic Cup and culminates with the Hong Kong Derby on March 23. The Francis Lui-trained gelding has won four of six starts and is three from three with Purton up top.
“He’s still a little bit of a lightly-framed horse so I think he could develop a little bit more, but beyond a mile, I’m not sure he’s going to be able to run past that distance,” Purton said.
He has less concerns about Packing Angel getting the 2000m distance even though the Lui-trained galloper has not raced beyond 1400m in five career starts.
“I believe Packing Angel will get the distance,” Purton said. “He’s been a little bit difficult to manage in the mornings, he’s been a little bit highly-strung, which is why he hasn’t gone up in distance yet, but he’s relaxing well in his races and he gives me the impression a step up in distance won’t be a problem.
“There just wasn’t much in the programme at the moment for me to be able to ride him over a longer distance than 1400 metres. After this race he’ll go straight into the Classic Cup, if his rating can get him there, or Francis might run him in a mile race and try to get into the Classic Cup or the Derby off the back of that. He’s certainly in the mix though.”
With Packing Hermod currently heading the ratings on a mark of 93 and no Derby entrant having yet put down a standout effort, the fixture should provide the biggest pointer yet as to which four-year-old will emerge as the best of this year’s crop.
“I’m happy they’re all running on Friday because it will give me a chance to look at all of them,” Purton added. “It’s certainly very open.” ∎