Zac Purton chases Melbourne Cup glory 10 years on from the heartbreak he endured with Admire Rakti

Zac Purton will this season eclipse the legendary Douglas Whyte for the most winners in Hong Kong racing history, but for everything he has achieved in Asia, he is yet to add a Melbourne Cup to his huge trophy cabinet.

Champion jockey Zac Purton has revealed the Melbourne Cup heartbreak behind the one that got away 10 years ago, with the global superstar set on ticking Australia’s biggest race off his to-do list before he retires.

The Hong Kong-based Purton will ride Land Legend on Tuesday, but was convinced Japanese star Admire Rakti would be the horse to land him the race a decade ago, before he was forced to pull him up before the home turn after suffering a heart attack.

The pair combined for a dominant Caulfield Cup victory, which saw him sent out favourite in the Melbourne Cup the following month, which would ultimately be won by Protectionist and Ryan Moore.

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“I thought he was the one after the way he won the Caulfield Cup, clearly it didn’t work out,” Purton said.

“He was back, circled the field and was strong through the line, so everything said he should be better at Flemington over a longer trip.

“It was heartbreaking at the time, I pulled him out of the race at the half mile.

It was heartbreak for Zac Purton aboard Admire Rakti. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“That is racing, nothing is ever given in this sport, it is always testing us and that was certainly a difficult time.”

Purton will this season eclipse legendary jockey Douglas Whyte for the most wins in Hong Kong racing history and has won every big race in the Asian mecca, but says the Melbourne Cup remains the hardest to win.

While Land Legend has remained solid in betting as a $13 chance, his rivals have fallen by the wayside.

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Purton says while it isn’t a vintage edition of the Melbourne Cup, it doesn’t change how difficult it is to win.

“It is such a hard race to win, everyone says this year’s race doesn’t look that strong, but you still have to win it,” he said.

“There’s still 24 runners and two miles, you need the right gate, right track conditions, right run in the race and the right weight — there’s a lot of things that need to go right.

“It is a race I have been chasing for a few years now, I have been close, but I haven’t won it.”

Originally published as Zac Purton chases Melbourne Cup glory 10 years on from the heartbreak he endured with Admire Rakti