Not for the first time in recent years, Zac Purton has sided with one of the Lee family’s “Packing” horses as he chases an elusive first victory in the Classic Mile.

While he was unsuccessful aboard favourites Packing Victory in 2022 and Packing Treadmill in 2023, Purton is confident Packing Hermod is the horse who can put him on the Classic Mile honour roll and deliver him victory in the only big Hong Kong feature race missing from his CV.

“I hope he’s the one. He’s got a good record and he’s honest. It’ll be the first time he goes to a mile but he’s a very relaxed horse and I think he should be able to handle it,” said Purton of his mount for the first leg of the four-year-old series on January 31.

“He seemed to finish his race off strongly enough [when fourth behind Rubylot] on the weekend.

“He carried a bit of weight and had to go a long way back and he made a long run, so I’d like to think back to set weights with a reasonable run he should be there or thereabouts.”

While Purton isn’t giving his lack of Classic Mile success too much thought – “I just try and win whatever I can all the time” – he is enjoying the process of hunting down Douglas Whyte’s all-time Hong Kong win record of 1,813.

The Jockey Club has installed a counter and a bell near the winners’ enclosure, with the Australian just six victories from surpassing the legendary South African.

“I’m enjoying it. It’s been good and I think globally it’s attracted a lot of attention as well. I’ve received a lot of messages and calls from people I mightn’t have heard from in a while, so it looks like everyone is in tune with it,” Purton said.

There was a time when Purton looked to have a mortgage on the Classic Mile thanks to the brilliant Ka Ying Rising but the jockey is supportive of the decision to skip the contest in favour of a sprinting programme that will take in this Sunday’s Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and next month’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m).

“There’s plenty of sprint options around for him and it was going to be a big ask for him to go from a 1,200m race to a mile two weeks later. That wasn’t the ideal programme,” said Purton, who rides Beauty Eternal in this Sunday’s other Group One – the Stewards’ Cup (1,600m).

“Beauty Eternal continues to trial well and feel good in the mornings. He just hasn’t delivered it on race day yet this season. I’m just waiting for him to take the next step and hopefully he can do that on the weekend.”

Purton looks to have a string of chances to draw closer to Whyte at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, including Bottomuptogether in his city circuit debut in the Class Two Jackson Handicap (1,000m) and hat-trick seeker Aurora Lady in the Class Three Connaught Handicap (1,200m).

“I think barrier one is going to help [Bottomuptogether]. He’s got plenty of speed and he went pretty quick last time,” said Purton.

“The 1,000m is probably just on the short side for him, especially at the Valley. But it’s hard when you get to the rating that he’s at – there aren’t too many options.

“Sometimes you’re sort of forced to try something and run somewhere. If he shows as much speed as he did last time, he’ll be in a good spot and I’ve got no doubt he’ll get around the Valley. I think it’s worth having a go.

“I don’t think it’s over for [Aurora Lady] yet because last time he never relaxed through the first half of the race and he still gave a strong kick. The first two horses were clear of the rest of the pack.

“Unfortunately he just keeps drawing these awkward gates. That’s the challenge he has but he’s going to continue to develop. He hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.”