Zac Purton will be aiming to tick off another milestone on his way towards a landmark 2,000 Hong Kong winners when he pairs up with Horsepower in the Class Two Longines Cup (1,000m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The 42-year-old has had little time to slow down since winning the Group One The Everest (1,200m) on Ka Ying Rising at Randwick last Saturday, as he returned to Sha Tin the next day to boot home a double and leave himself one win shy of 1,900 in Hong Kong.

Things do not slow down for Purton on Wednesday, with the champion jockey’s book of seven rides including Horsepower in the feature contest.

The Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained galloper won three of his six starts in his first Hong Kong campaign last season. Rising to Class Two and Class One company to round out the campaign, he found the going a bit too tough, finishing down the field in both.

Horsepower has drawn handy in stall three for his first start of the season and Purton is hoping some of the bad habits he showcased last term have been eradicated.

“He’s done a really good job and all of his best runs have been at Happy Valley over 1,000m. When he’s ventured outside of that, he’s been a little bit disappointing, but he’s his own creator of bad habits – he wants to over-race, hang and do things wrong. Over 1,000m they run along and it gets him off the bit and into a nice rhythm,” Purton said.

“In his first trial [this season], he slipped coming out of the gates and was slow out and then wanted to charge and take off. He was a bit better in his last trial, but it’s just hard to get a guide on where he is really at without sending him to the races.

“Whether he’s on a mark that has now got the better of him, we’ll find out. There’s only one way to find out and that’s by going back to the races.”

The Longines Cup also features the likes of Colourful King, who was a dual winner at Happy Valley last season before a pair of narrow seconds, and Superb Capitalist, who reappeared with a comfortable course and distance win in Class Three company.

The field is rounded out by Aurora Lady, Red Elegance, Stellar Express, Whizz Kid, Harmony N Blessed and Youthful Spirits.

Purton has not had much time to sit and reflect on the devastating performance of Ka Ying Rising in Australia at the weekend, but was grateful his family – and the world – got to enjoy the moment.

“I had a lot of family and friends there to enjoy the moment with, which was great because they don’t always travel and they don’t always get to be a part of it,” Purton said.

“It was really satisfying to go there and then to have him show everyone in Australia and some of the other parts of the world what he really can do.”

Meanwhile, apprentice jockey Britney Wong Po-ni will begin riding at Happy Valley from November 2 after she was approved by the Jockey Club to accept rides at the city circuit.

The 26-year-old, who currently claims seven pounds and has ridden four winners this campaign, ended her maiden season with 18 winners.