Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday night and which sees the return of jockey Zac Purton back in the saddle.
Purton has been side-lined through injury occurred from the horror fall in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint on HKIR day last month.
Both Purton and Lyle Hewitson, who also suffered injuries from the Hong Kong Sprint fall, have been passed fit to resume race riding: Purton on Wednesday and Sunday, 16 January 2022 for Hewitson.
Since Purton’s forced layoff from race riding, rival Joao Moreira has surged to the lead in the jockeys’ title, leading Purton 58 to 49 heading into Wednesday’s 9-race fixture.
Prior to the fall, Purton was in red-hot form (he had won the first three races on the card on HKIR day) and was looking likely to take catching for the premiership. He returns to the races with a strong book of rides and can eat into Moreira’s lead.
Of those, is impressive debut winner LIGHTNING STORM, who can score two wins on end when he returns to Happy Valley in the Class 4 1000m Handicap in Race 3.
LIGHTNING STORM had trialled well on numerous occasions prior to his first race start at the end of October, so expectations were high and the market agreed, sending him out a well-backed even money favourite after hovering around the 2/1 quote.
The four-year-old didn’t disappoint and, despite only winning by a head margin, the win had good merit to it.
From barrier 1, LIGHTNING STORM began fairly and had to be bustled up to find the lead, which he did from the 800m. It was a high-pressure race and to make all under the circumstances, it was a solid win.
Adding to the intrigue (and narrative) is that he became just the fourth horse since 2012-13 to win over 1000m at Happy Valley on debut, joining the likes of MR STUNNING, MOMENT OF POWER and SNAP FIT, all who made it to at least Class 2.
Purton also has a top chance of claiming the other 1000m race on the card when he partners the Douglas Whyte-trained HARMONY FIRE later on the card in Race 8.
HARMONY FIRE is sixth-up for the season and is due for a fourth career win after finishing in the placings in his first three runs for this campaign, with his last second placing coming to stablemate ASTROLOGER who landed his second local win last week.
HARMONY FIRE has contested harder Class 2 events in his last two starts where he also raced with some excuses, but dropping back into Class 3 this week will only enhance his chances on prior form.
Purton takes the ride from barrier 2 and will have plenty of options from there in a race that, on paper, has plenty of speed even for a 1000m race. HARMONY FIRE should be mapping as hard to beat
