On Wednesday night under the lights of one of the world’s most iconic racecourses, Zac Purton added another chapter to his illustrious career when he broke one of racing’s toughest records and became the most successful jockey in the history of Hong Kong racing.

By surpassing Douglas Whyte’s haul of 1,813 wins in the ultra-competitive jurisdiction, Purton completed a monumental task that requires a sustained period of sublime skill, supreme self-confidence and – when needed – an almost savage ruthlessness.

After swapping Sydney for Sha Tin as a bright-eyed 24-year-old in 2007, Purton went on to prove the steel required to thrive in the cutthroat Hong Kong cauldron ran deep in his DNA.

“It’s a dream come true, really,” said Purton as he reflected on his 17 and a half years in the city. “I came to Hong Kong hoping to just ride one winner and here we are as the most successful jockey in Hong Kong history.

“But I was back getting dirt in my face at trials this morning, so it never stops,” he added with a wry smile.

Purton’s ridiculous talent and resilience in the saddle changed the landscape of Hong Kong racing, with the rider enjoying a steady rise in his early days before ending Whyte’s stranglehold on the jockeys’ championship in 2014.

There has always been plenty of tenacity about the Australian but he was forced to wait four years to regain his title thanks to another fierce rivalry, this time with Joao Moreira, who reigned supreme for three straight seasons.

Purton struck with his second championship in 2018 and proceeded to claim five of the next six, with Moreira again outdoing him in 2021.

It took 12,269 rides for Whyte to reach 1,813 wins in the pressure cooker of Hong Kong, while Purton passed the milestone from just 10,358 rides, collecting 46 Group One victories along the way.

But, like all great champions, after reaching one mammoth benchmark, Purton was quick to turn his thoughts to what lies ahead – most immediately on Sunday’s 11-race card at Sha Tin and more broadly with 2,000 wins in his sights.

“It was a good crescendo and now that it’s done, we’ve got to find something else to focus on,” Purton says. “There’s another meeting on Sunday and there’s 11 races to win, so that’s my focus for now.

“Two thousand [wins] is definitely possible and it’s only a season and a half away, really. But I’ll just put one foot in front of the other and we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”

While Purton has successfully snatched Whyte’s win record from his grasp, the South African still holds the record for jockeys’ premierships with 13 to his name.

Purton, who will most likely be celebrating his eighth title at the season finale at Happy Valley on July 16, admits he will probably have to let that record fall by the wayside.

“It’s a little bit frustrating that Moreira came along because he won four championships and if it wasn’t for him, I’d be going to 12 at the end of this season,” Purton said. “He’s ruined things a little bit there for me, but we’ll see.

“It’s great Ka Ying Rising’s here and just starting his career, so we’ll just take it one week at a time. The family love it as well and we’d love to stay here for as long as we can, but the clock is ticking and one day our time will be up.”

On top of the intense competition and constant challenges that Hong Kong racing throws up, Purton’s years of dominance have been littered with injuries – including those he suffered in the horror fall in the 2021 Hong Kong Sprint that left the rider seriously considering retirement.

But thankfully for Purton and Hong Kong racing fans, he says his body “turned a corner” to a point where he feels in “good shape” as we approach the halfway point of the 2024-25 season.

“I was in a bad way for a while, mentally and physically I was broken,” Purton said. “I didn’t think I could go on any more and I was just fortunate that the off season gave me a bit of a break and I was able to get the right treatment.

“But how long before I start to go downhill again? It’s always a possibility.

“I’ve had a great career and I’ve been extremely lucky, but there is a part of me that is looking forward to retiring and moving onto the next stage of my life back home. Whenever I do finish, it will be nice just living a normal life.

“For now, though, my focus is on trying to win as many races as I can, starting on Sunday.”