‘Incredibly frustrating’: Purton’s whip rule flu

Hong Kong superstar Zac Purton has slammed Australia’s confusing whip rules, saying it’s the biggest adjustment he’ll need to make while riding in Australia ahead of Saturday’s first incline on Mount Everest.

Zac Purton, a friend of Hong Kong punters for his aggressive style in the saddle, says he worked hard to avoid being suspended for using a whip while riding in Australia.

While jockeys are almost free to use the whip in Hong Kong, Purton will be bound by rules that state jockeys are not allowed to use the whip more than five times or in consecutive strides ahead of the 100m in any race in Sydney on Saturday.

“From the moment I got on the horse I had the thought ‘whip, whip, whip’ running through my head, which is difficult when you’re out in a big field, running between horses, trying to time things.” Correctly, then you have to work hard to find the mark and see where you are,” said Purton, the six-time Hong Kong champion.

“Then you have to try not to hit the horse too many times, which I must say is very frustrating and that’s definitely the hardest thing about getting back there.

“Obviously you don’t want me to think about the race and think about what I’m doing and not have me disrupt, so you’re trying to keep your horse straight and all the things you need to think about, like how your horse is responding.

Hong Kong superstar Zac Purton is leaving his mark on Australia’s autumn. Jeremy Wu – Getty Images.

“Also, I was wondering if the whip would not hit, hit once, or hit twice. It would be really difficult for me.”

As we all know, Purton returns to Sydney for the first time since last autumn and walks away with Group One spoils, cementing his status as one of the best players in the world.

Visiting jockeys, who are licensed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and can only travel with its approval, face intense pressure not to be suspended when riding overseas.

“That’s one thing I don’t want to worry about, but they are the rules,” Purton said.

“I understand the jockeys there (in Australia), they follow the rules every day so it becomes second nature.

“When you’re unfamiliar with the environment and you’re put into it, especially here, the owners and punters want to see us use the whip and when we don’t, they ask questions.

“It’s a completely different mentality.”

Purton will ride Secret Everest with Light Infantry in the Group One King Charles III Stakes (1600m).

He is also scheduled to ride light pacer in the Cox Plate Group 1 later this month, alongside the Willie Mullins-trained Rider in the Melbourne Cup.