Angland seeking Hong Kong milestone

Monday 30 June 2014, 4:30pm

As Zac Purton prepares for a history making celebration as Hong Kong's premier jockey, fellow Australian rider Tye Angland is out to achieve a personal milestone at Sha Tin this week.

Angland returned to Sydney from Hong Kong a few weeks ago after a family tragedy but will ride at the final two meetings on Tuesday and Saturday.

He goes to Hong Kong at the top of his form with four winners at Rosehill on Saturday and wants to cap his best Hong Kong season with at least another two winners to reach the 50 mark for the first time.

Purton has ended Douglas Whyte's reign at the top of the tree and needs just another five winners to pass the 13-time premier jockey's record of 114 set in 2006.

Although he has 21 races to set the mark, Purton is not confident.

"It's a record for a reason and it won't be easy," Purton told the South China Morning Post.

"Most of my trainers have put their horses away for next season, so I don't have the firepower at the last two meetings to be confident of getting the record.

"Even the last few weeks that's been the case. I've had to zig and zag a bit and work with whatever I could get."

Purton's season also includes one of the biggest prizes in Australia, the Group One Doncaster Mile on the Chris Waller-trained Sacred Falls.

While Purton has an 18-win lead over Joao Moreira, multiple premiership winner and fellow Australian John Size will have to fight hard for the trainers' title.

Size and Caspar Fownes head to Tuesday's meeting on 59 apiece.

Sydney rider Hugh Bowman ended his short-term stay with a double on Saturday with the jockey missing the final two meetings through suspension.

– AAP

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