Zac Purton: The making of a six-time Champion Jockey
- Champion Jockey Zac Purton on how hard work, determination and support led to sixth crown
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There are no shortcuts to success. It comes to those who have put in hours of hard work and who learn from their setbacks. And if anyone exemplifies that, it is Australian jockey Zac Purton.
The New South Wales native has just come out of his most successful riding season yet in 15 years of riding in Hong Kong. Not only has he passed the 1,600 career-win mark, he has achieved that with a record haul of 179 wins during the 2022/23 season, breaking the previous mark of 170 by Joao Moreira.
To top that, Purton has also just bagged his sixth Champion Jockey title at The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s (HKJC) annual Champion Awards. “It’s very satisfying,” says Purton, of his dream season. “It's hard enough to win one race in Hong Kong, let alone being able to win enough races to be able to win a championship.”
Purton credits the support that he gets from the owners and trainers for his achievements. It’s no mean feat, considering the high level of competition from world-class riders and that the racing conditions in Hong Kong are known to be particularly challenging.
