Size’s Nine can make it a Magnificent return for Purton

HONG KONG racing fans will be rubbing their hands with glee in anticipation of reigning champion jockey Zac Purton returning to action for a 10-race programme at Sha Tin on Saturday morning.

The territory’s go-to jockey took a mini-break during the New Year festivities and went on holiday to recharge his batteries on the ski slopes of Switzerland before returning in pursuit of his seventh championship title.

With nine rides booked on the card and, on paper, a host of winning chances, his many thousands of supporters will be disappointed if he doesn’t leave the track with at least a winning treble.

The Zac-Man will surely be confident of striking early on with the likes of Top Scorer in division one of the six-furlong Lam Tei Handicap (5.30am) and fast improving Must Go in the second division of the same race (6.00am).

Both are trained by his chief supporter, John Size, whose stable has been shifting into overdrive in recent weeks, with five wins at the last four meetings.

The formidable combination of Size and Purton has proved to be a money-making machine to bettors in recent seasons; they have already struck eight times again since September, and you can guarantee they will have lots more success before the season ends.

Their most interesting partnership on the card is when Purton again rides talented galloper MAGNIFICENT NINE in the Tai Tong Handicap (8.35am) over six furlongs.

This son of Toronado caught the eye when suffering a chequered passage in the closing stages on his debut behind Joyful Hunter last month.

Although finishing behind rivals I Give and Cotton Fingers on that occasion, there is little doubt he would have finished in front of both those two gallopers with a trouble-free run.

His subsequent track work reports suggest he has learnt plenty from that experience and, with a more favourable draw on his side this time, he should prove hard to beat.

POINTERS

Magnificent Nine        8.35am        Sha Tin