Zac Purton is hoping Little Paradise can give him another thing to think about when it comes to the four-year-old series when he runs in the Class Two Racing Club Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Always in demand, the champion jockey has been slated for a number of horses ahead of the Classic Mile on February 1, including the likes of Invincible Ibis, Beauty Bolt and the Jimmy Ting Koon-ho-trained Little Paradise.
The Toronado galloper has won four of his seven career starts, with two of those coming under Purton this season from three outings.
He posted a career-best effort when well on top to defeat fellow Classic Series hopeful Top Dragon over course and distance last month, and Purton is very sweet on his chances from barrier four.
“Jimmy would have preferred to run last week in the mile, but I already had a ride there, so for me to ride him he had to run in this race,” said Purton.
“He’s another one that has done everything right, he just continues to front up every time. His win last time was good as he had to do a bit of work early and was there to be run at, but he held them off, so I thought it was a good effort.
“He trialled over 1,200m on the dirt which is back in distance from what he’d been racing at, and I thought he handled himself well and he just continues to get that little bit better all the time.
“There’s a little bit to think about in terms of the Classic Series, but I’m sure it will work itself out.”
Sunday will bring Purton closer to deciding his Classic Mile partner, as he will also link up with the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Bolt in the Class Three Pak Shek Au Handicap (1,600m).
Purton will take on Invincible Ibis, who he has impressively won on three times this season, as his engagement to ride Beauty Bolt came first.
Beauty Bolt followed up a neck success on his third start this term with a narrow defeat to Dazzling Fit over course and distance last month.
Drawing stall 14 is certainly no help, but Purton is still aiming for victory on the classy Night Of Thunder galloper.
“He’s a lovely horse, he has got a really good attitude and he does everything right,” said Purton. “He’s got good speed if you want to use it – he puts himself in a nice spot.
“He’s done a really good job and has been very consistent. It’s not easy at the top of Class Three when you’re carrying weight. You’ve got progressive horses coming through and he did a really good job last start, as he was on the speed and fought all the way to just be nabbed on the line.
“He’s trialled well and is going good. He’s a no-nonsense horse who just gets out there and does the same thing. He seems like he’s in good form so I expect him to run well again.”
On a four-year-old bonanza for Purton, he also rides Fortune Boy in the Class Three Pak Sha O Handicap (1,800m), with the David Hayes-trained galloper bidding to put himself into Classic Series calculations with a win.
“He’s been a little bit of a late-maturing type – I know he’s still only four, but he looks as if he’s getting better as time goes on and last run, he ran through the line really nicely,” said Purton.
“Upping in distance you would think that would suit him. The [Classic Cup] is going to suit him better than what the mile is going to – hopefully he can win this race and put himself into the mile and give himself a chance in every leg.”
