Zac Purton, five-time champion jockey in Hong Kong, is looking forward to a return to Australian racing this Saturday. After four-and-a-half years, Purton is booked to ride Artorius in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and Empire Of Japan in the G2 Todman Stakes at Randwick Racecourse.
Purton’s most recent ride in Australia was at the 2018 Melbourne Cup Day, where he guided Finche to fourth place. His last ride in Sydney was on Day One of The Championships earlier in the same year.
“It’s nice now that COVID’s in the rearview mirror and the world has opened back up, it gives me the opportunity to get back on a plane and travel freely again,” Purton told Racing.com.
“It will be nice to get back home, see a few familiar faces, get a feel for the city again. I’m going to play a little bit of golf on Sunday as well, so that will be good, ties it all in nicely, then I’ll come back to Hong Kong after that.” Purton told Racing.com.
Purton is content with his life in Asia, living with his wife Nicole and their two children. However, when asked if this week’s trip was a test for moving back home more permanently, he did not rule out the possibility. He believes that the trip is a way to determine if a permanent move is feasible for his family.
“Everything’s on the table at the moment,” he said.
Having recently incurred a two-meeting suspension, Purton will not need to rush back to Hong Kong for Sunday races.
Artorius is currently at $3.60 to win the Canterbury Stakes, according to Betr.
This Saturday marks an exciting return for Purton, and the jockey is looking forward to riding on home soil again.
