Australian jockey Zac Purton took riding honours on the first day of the new season’s racing in Hong Kong with a treble which included the feature race, the Chief Executive’s Cup.
The meeting at Sha Tin attracted a crowd of 63,570, the biggest first day attendance for almost 20 years.
Purton had to call on all his strength to get the Manfred Man-trained Supreme Win home in the Cup to score a short head win over Cerise Cherry.
“In the middle stages he was off the bit and a touch outpaced,” Purton said.
“I kept him rolling and when I pulled him out in the straight, the fact that it was his first run and the give in the ground just meant that he took a little time to pick up into full stride.
“I was always confident he was going to win but he’s probably better at 1400 metres now too.”
Purton was runner-up in the premiership last season to Douglas Whyte who went winless at Saturday’s meeting.
It was a mixed day for Purton’s fellow Australian Tim Clark who rode one winner from a book which was reduced to just two rides after the jockey went to the races overweight.
Clark was forced to forfeit four rides on the opening day of his second season in Hong Kong.
In 2011/12 he finished in 11th position with 28 winners.
