2025 Doncaster Mile: Zac Purton to ride Moira for leading trainer Chris Waller after combining with Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin

The Canadian mare who won a US Breeders Cup race is now trained by a New Zealander and will be ridden by a Hong Kong-based jockey when she attempts to win the most prestigious mile handicap in Australian racing.

Star jockey Zac Purton will partner Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin on Sunday before heading to Randwick for the Doncaster Mile ride aboard Moira.

The Canadian mare who won a US Breeders Cup race is now trained by a New Zealander and will be ridden by a Hong Kong-based jockey when she attempts to win the most prestigious mile handicap in Australian racing.

Meet Moira, the champion North American mare named after a character in the hit TV sitcom Schitt’s Creek, who will make her debut for the all-powerful Chris Waller stable in Saturday’s Group 1 $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick.

Zac Purton, the expatriate superstar jockey who has called Hong Kong home for 18 years, returns to ride Moira in the big race.

Purton knows what it takes to win Doncasters after having won the big Randwick mile three times on Mr Brightside (2023), It’s Somewhat (2017) and Sacred Falls (2014).

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“The Doncaster has been a good race for me but it’s not an easy race to win,’’ Purton said.

“There’s always a full field and you need things to go your way.

“But Randwick is a lovely track and I always enjoy coming back for the autumn carnival.’’

Purton is among three international jockeys who will be in Sydney to ride at Royal Randwick on Day One of The Championships.

Another Hong Kong-based Australian jockey, Hugh Bowman of Winx fame, is back for the Derby-Doncaster Day, and English superstar Ryan Moore is also coming to ride at the feature Royal Randwick meeting.

There’s also a number of outstanding international horses here for The Championships including Dubai Honour, Anisette, Geoglyph, Rousham Park, Al Mubhir, Full Count Felicia, Zarir and River Of Stars.

Introduced in 2014, The Championships at Royal Randwick on April 5 and 12, offers more than $25 million prizemoney including eight Group 1 races, and has been promoted as the “Grand Finals of Racing”.

The international presence here to compete at The Championships over the next two weeks against the best Australian racing has to offer is evidence the concept works.

Moira wins the $2 Million @MakersMark#BreedersCup Filly & Mare Turf! Congrats to her connections! #BC24pic.twitter.com/AiMmi9frO0

— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 2, 2024

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Moira, the former Canadian Horse of the Year, is the first US Breeders Cup winner to compete at The Championships. She won the Fillies and Mares race at the Breeders Cup meeting held on famous Del Mar racecourse in California last November.

“I watched her win the Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares race, she’s obviously very good,’’ Purton said.

“Yulong have bought her and Chris Waller, from what I understand, is quite happy with her. She gets in with a reasonable weight (54kg) so I’m looking forward to riding her.

“We don’t really know what we are going to get when trying to line her up with Australian form, but she is an older mare with a very good record and Chris does so well with a lot of the imported horses.’’

Moira, we love you! 💜 pic.twitter.com/uUj0BZjtKQ

— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) December 5, 2024

• Purton upbeat about Ka Ying Rising reunion

Purton is the rider of freakish Hong Kong sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, the early favourite for the $20 million The Everest later this year. The pair will combine in today’s Group 2 The Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, with Ka Ying Rising aiming to win his 11th straight race and take his career prizemoney above $A9 million.

This Saturday, Purton will then get the chance to see some of his potential Everest rivals up close in the Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

“Hopefully I can get a ride in the TJ and race against a few of the local sprinters who might be in The Everest,’’ Purton said.

“We will get a better understanding of what we will be up against in The Everest in the spring.’’

Purton, 42, recently broke the record for most wins by a jockey in Hong Kong racing history.

Horse racing is the most popular sport in Hong Kong and Purton is treated like a rock star where he goes.

Acclaimed journalist Leo Schlink, a former News Limited colleague who has been based in Hong Kong for a number of years, has a first-hand appreciation of Purton’s fame.

“Pun Dun is the phonetic pronunciation of Zac’s Chinese name,’’ Schlink said,

“I would say every taxi driver in Hong Kong knows exactly who Pun Dun is.

“They call him the seven-time champion jockey, that’s where his level of fame is these days.

“I don’t think Zac would mind me saying he would struggle to pay for a meal wherever he went in Hong Kong.’’

Zac Purton salutes after winning the Hong Kong Sprint aboard Ka Ying Rising in December last year. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

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Purton says he “appreciates the support” he gets from Hong Kong racing fans.

“They often stop me and wish me well which is great and that is part of racing in Hong Kong,’’ he said. “It has never been a problem and I feel comfortable here.’’

Purton’s celebrity status in Hong Kong is far removed from his childhood growing up in Lismore in northern NSW. Always small in stature, he left school as a 14-year-old who weighed less than 30kg to chase his dream of becoming a jockey.

The teenager didn’t have a background in racing but he did have a fierce ambition and was apprenticed to Coffs Harbour trainer Trevor Hardy who was among the first to notice Purton’s natural skills in the saddle.

Purton rode his first winner in 2000 at Armidale. Some 25 years later, Purton’s career tally of wins is 2734 and climbing, he’s ridden 46 Group 1 winners, won seven Hong Kong jockey premierships, and is knocking on the door for inclusion in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

🎬 Streaming: The HK Racing Show! Champion jockey @zpurton joins @A_Evers & @TheBrownAndrew to chat KA YING RISING & Breeders' Cup winner MOIRA. Plus we review the HK Derby & look ahead to Sha Tin ▶️ https://t.co/dgW6es1XT0

— Hong Kong Racing North America (@HKRacingUS) March 28, 2025

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Regarded as one of the top three jockeys in the world, Purton has achieved just about everything possible in Hong Kong racing so what does the future hold?

“It is coming up to 18 years since I moved to Hong Kong so I’ve been extremely lucky,’’ he said. “I’ve received a lot of support and ridden a lot of outstanding horses.

“I’ve had a great career, far better than I could ever have dreamed of, it’s been an honour and privilege to ride in Hong Kong.

“As for the future, anything is possible and at any time an opportunity could present itself.

“My family is happy in Hong Kong, we love the lifestyle and the racing, but there are things I’d like to do before I retired.’’

When pressed what those “things” are, Purton replied without hesitation: “I’d love to win the Melbourne Cup and The Everest.’’