Sword Point has crowned an impressive Hong Kong debut season with emphatic victory in the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (2000m) at Sha Tin on Saturday, shunting Zac Purton closer to eclipsing Joao Moreira's record for the most wins in a single campaign.
Contesting his 10th race this season, Frankie Lor-trained Sword Point claimed a HK$1 million PP Bonus with his second win in the jurisdiction, boosting his earnings to HK$9.45 million as Purton continued a relentless pursuit of Moreira's seasonal record of 170 wins.
Five-time champion jockey Purton positioned Sword Point perfectly from barrier four, sitting in fourth place behind leaders Erimo and All For St Paul's before the field compacted near the 800m mark when the field slackened.
Suddenly caught behind weakening leaders, Purton angled into the clear before driving the former two-time Australian winner away from Meaningful Star to prevail by one-and-a-quarter lengths in 2:01.56s, with Butterfield third.
“Like a lot of the staying races in Hong Kong recently, they're just run at such a muddling tempo it throws everyone's plans out the window,” Purton said. “We were having a really nice run race and then they slammed on the brakes and started going slower and slower, it forces everyone to take off, the field bunches and then everyone gets in each other's way.
“Luckily for me, I was following the right horse (Meaningful Star) and he brought me into it and I just had to wait for the run.”
Purton finished the meeting with a double after Ricky Yiu's Green N White won the Class 4 Continuous Development Handicap (1400m), leaving the Australian with 163 wins for the season.
A consistent performer in the Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a sixth in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), second in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and sixth in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m), Sword Point finished second to Straight Arron in the Group 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) in May.
Sword Point's effort today impressed Purton.
“I thought it was a very good performance. He had a lot of weight (132lb) to carry, he's had a long season. Frankie did a good job to turn him out the way he did today. He drew a good gate, which helped us a lot, but he still had to do it – and he did it well,” Purton said.
Lor indicated the American Pharoah gelding could be aimed at elite races next season.
“He won again, it's good for me, and next season, I hope he can get into some good races,” Lor said. “I think 2000m is his best trip, but Hong Kong has Romantic Warrior. However, horses can hit good or bad form. Anything can happen. Hopefully, we can find suitable races to get him to his peak, then go to the International Races. I think he's up to that level.”
Lor trimmed John Size's lead in the trainers' championship to eight – 72-64 – with unbeaten Dream Winner's victory in the Class 3 Riding High Together Handicap (1000m) for Vincent Ho.
“He's a nice horse. I will put him away for next season – he's still young and still improving,” Lor said of the hulking Exosphere gelding, who successfully carried 132lb.
Ho, who posted a treble, said: “It was a bit tougher with this weight and I'm glad this is his last run and that he will have a break now because he's still young and the weight penalty is not ideal for him.
“I'm glad he can recover now and be more mature next season. He's still raw. Of course, he's a nice horse.”
Ho also scored on Francis Lui-trained Superb Boy and Pierre Ng's Master Of Fortune.
Size struck in combination with Luke Currie and Bundle Of Charm, while Brenton Avdulla's enterprising front-running ride on California Vanes clinched victory for Tony Cruz.
Maximize Heart lugged 135lb to victory under Hugh Bowman, providing trainer Dennis Yip with the first leg of the double before Antoine Hamelin sealed a brace for the 2012/13 Hong Kong champion trainer sealed a brace with Sparkling Knight.
David Hall continued an excellent season with the victory of Let's Do It for Hugh Bowman.
Resuming after bleeding from both nostrils in March, the Dane Shadow gelding posted his first Hong Kong win at his 23rd attempt to give Hall his 39th spoil of the season – only one shy of his personal-best.
“I sent him up to Conghua and decided to put him over 1200 metres and he relaxed beautifully,” Hall said. “He had enough class in Class 4 to get the job done. It's been quite frustrating – he's had a lot of seconds and thirds (six in total) and some bad luck and he deserved to get a win.”