Following the record-extending 20th consecutive victory of Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m), Zac Purton is full of admiration for the world’s highest-rated sprinter.

The David Hayes-trained superstar broke his own track record when knocking 0.02 seconds off the previous mark to secure his ninth Group One win, taking his prize money beyond HK$150 million.

“Well, he’s just a real-life unicorn, isn’t he?” Purton said.

“It’s amazing to be a part of the story. It’s very surreal, we’re enjoying it.”

Purton is now just 17 wins off a milestone of 2,000 Hong Kong victories and has a strong line-up of rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Giant Ballon leads Purton’s charge in the Class Three Busan Handicap (1,200m) as he looks to score a third straight win. The Douglas Whyte-trained four-year-old has been ultra-impressive at his last two starts, winning by two and a half lengths and three lengths respectively.

“Since Douglas put the blinkers on him and he’s got himself out of the barriers on time, he’s been racing really well,” Purton said.

“He trialled well again between his last run and what will be this run. He’s turned the corner, he’s going really well.”

The son of Mehmas will have his first start in Class Three company, aided by a 10lb weight relief when he jumps from barrier six carrying 124lb.

“It gets harder as you go up of course and this is his first go in the grade so he needs to measure up, but if he can perform the way he has been performing, he’s going to give himself a good chance,” Purton said.

Colourful King returns to his favoured track and distance in the Class Two Seoul Handicap (1,000m), with the David Eustace-trained gelding recording two out of his three career triumphs over 1,000m at the Valley.

The Blue Point galloper will need to rely on a degree of luck given his backmarking race style.

“It doesn’t really matter what barrier he draws, he doesn’t have a lot of early gate speed anyway,” Purton said.

“He’s best left alone and he needs to come with one clean run. It can be quite frustrating with horses like him because you’re in the lap of the gods, you really need the race run to suit and then you need the breaks to go your way, but he’s capable. He just needs some luck.”

Crossborderdude will race at Happy Valley for the second time when he contests the first section of the Class Four Yeongcheon Handicap (1,200m), fresh from an admirable effort that saw him place third behind Sky Cap.

“I was really impressed with the way he got around the track. I was a little bit concerned at how he would handle it because he is a bit of a thinker and he’s not straightforward,” Purton said.

“I think he showed he’s got more to his repertoire than what I initially thought in the way that he was able to settle back off the pace and come between runners and finish the race off well. I think Happy Valley is a track that is going to suit him.”

John Size’s consistent three-year-old will once again carry topweight of 135lb.

“He’s been anchored down a little bit with the weight. He’s probably going to be a horse that appreciates getting to the bottom of the Class Three with no weight on his back. But hopefully we can win this and that’ll put him there,” Purton said.

Thunder Prince secured his breakthrough Hong Kong victory last week when he bolted in by two lengths and will look to go back-to-back in the Class Four Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1,200m).

“He’s obviously been a very frustrating horse, but he had everything to suit last week. He had the right barrier with no weight on his back, the tempo suited, saved all the ground. That really was his chance to do it and he did do it,” Purton said.

“Hopefully he’s taken some confidence out of that. But for him, the middle part of the race is the most important. And if they steady up and he starts pulling, he can’t finish the race off. So he needs the tempo to stay genuine and he needs a nice, smooth run.

“He’s coming off a win with a bit of confidence. Sometimes it’s the right time to strike – I don’t see the back up being a problem, it is just how the race will be run.”

Purton will take the reins on Armor Golden Eagle for the first time in the Class Three Jeju Handicap (1,650m). The Mark Newnham-trained import has thrived at his last two starts with the switch to Happy Valley.

“He’s gone up in the ratings a little bit, but he’s put a couple of really good runs together back-to-back at the Valley. He just needs a little bit of luck and he’s a genuine chance,” Purton said.

Purton will also line up on the David Hayes-trained pair of Honest Witness and Star Brose.

Honest Witness went from barrier-to-box last start, beating The Heir by a head, and will look to do the same in the third section of the Class Four Yeongcheon Handicap (1,200m).

“He’s a one-trick pony. He has been better in front on the fence. He can do a few things wrong; he doesn’t change his legs and he gets unbalanced so he’s a work in progress. But it was good that he got that win and hopefully he can go on with it but he needs at the moment he’s a better horse if he can find the fence,” Purton said.

Star Brose has a strong record over the 2,200m trip, recording a win and second, and will contest the same distance in the Class Four Daegu Handicap.

“He can run the trip, he just needs to relax in the race,” Purton said. “He can want to do a little bit too much at times and then he becomes really one-paced, whereas if he can just get into a nice rhythm and the tempo suits him, he can finish the race off a little bit better.

“He’s become a pretty consistent horse in recent times, so hopefully he can get things to suit him and run well.”

Mighty Steed is Purton’s other ride on the nine-race card.

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