Zac Purton reached another Hong Kong first on his way to a three-timer and Mark Newnham gained even more momentum with his first treble of the year at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

After surpassing Douglas Whyte’s all-time Hong Kong win record last season, Purton became the first jockey to reach 1,900 victories in the city when he saluted aboard the Danny Shum Chap-shing-trained Talents Supremo in the Class Five Success Handicap (1,200m).

“It’s a really good number to get to. Obviously I can’t do it without the support that I get and it was nice to do it on one of Danny’s horses as well, because he has been my biggest supporter across my time in Hong Kong. Hopefully in another 100 rides I get to 2,000,” said Purton.

“It means a lot. It means I’ve been given a lot of opportunities and I have had very good support.

“I’m very thankful to all the owners and trainers for everything that they have given me and also the Hong Kong Jockey Club for giving me the opportunity to come here and ride as well. I’ll forever be in debt and thankful to them.

“It’s a lot of years of a lot of hard work. You have your ups and downs – I’ve had to battle through injury, the fights for the titles – but when I sit there at home and I look at the trophy cabinet, it feels pretty good.”

Purton, who increased his advantage in the title race to 15 as he chases a ninth premiership, will now look to surge through the 2,000 mark before the end of the season.

“It’s possible as long as I stay fit and healthy. There’s no doubt that I can get to it, so hopefully I can get to it as quick as I can because it’s a very big number to get to,” he said.

“It gives me something to think about and it gives me some direction for the next few months of the season.”

Purton finished the night with a flourish, taking out the final two races aboard Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s South Star and the David Hayes-trained Akashvani.

After Purton was honoured in a presentation following his milestone win in race two, it quickly became the Newnham show with the Australian trainer snaring three of the next four races.

The brown-lamped Looks Outstanding started Newnham’s run with victory at $9.2 in the second section of the Class Four Swifty Handicap (1,200m) before Super Unicorn surged to victory under Andrea Atzeni in the Class Four Racing Spirit Handicap (1,650m).

Youthful Spirits completed Newnham’s treble with his first victory since June last year in the Class Two Longines Cup (1,000m), increasing the handler’s lead in the premiership race to four.

“It’s been a good night and a very good start to the season, but there’s a very long way to go,” said Newnham, who was thrilled to see Youthful Spirits lead throughout and salute after 10 placings between victories.

“It never is [an easy watch] with Youthful Spirits because there are plenty of times he’s looked the winner until the final 50m. You’re never there until you’re there with him. But at Class Two level, we’ll take it.

“He’s great for his owners because he’s won a lot of prize money – I think last season he won about HK$2.5 million and didn’t win a race – but from a trainers’ perspective you want horses winning.

“Tonight wasn’t the original plan. They extended the rating band and as soon as I saw that and entries reopened, I said ‘put him in’. He did run really well in Class Two here last season. It was pleasing.”

The win of Youthful Spirits completed a double for Luke Ferraris after the rider also delivered aboard the Douglas Whyte-trained King Oberon in the first section of the Swifty Handicap.