Zac Purton says he would not ride Ka Ying Rising any differently if he had his time again after angry punters turned on the champion jockey for deciding not to push forward on the worldโs best horse early in Saturdayโs $20 million Everest.
Hong Kong hero Ka Ying Rising was the shortest priced favourite in the raceโs history as he chased a 22nd straight victory and second successive Everest.
However, Purton and Ka Ying Rising were trapped wide early and dropped to the back of the field before launching one last run, only to fall just short and finish second to Tempted.
Purton was not concerned by the attention online. His ride on Lake Forest at last yearโs corresponding meeting in the King Charles III Stakes was blasted by connection Maureen Haggas as โabout the worst I think Iโve ever seen in my entire lifeโ.
He said now he had time to reflect on Ka Ying Risingโs performance, there was nothing he would change.
โThatโs Australia; everyone has an opinion,โ said Purton, the Hong Kong-based Australian regarded as the worldโs best jockey. โThey shoot from the hip before they digest it properly.
โYou change the barrier with the winner [Tempted] and it changes the result. I guess you could say that about a lot of races.
โThe moment we drew 11, our hand was dealt a bit.
โNobody would have predicted the leaders would go out as quick as they did โ they went so fast, the three of them [Savvie Hallie, Blue Door and Spicy Martini] collapsed and fell in a hole.
โIf I rode the ears off my horse to be up there with them, he may have collapsed and fallen in a hole as well.
โI didnโt have a choice other than to come back, pop in, give him a chance with some cover, and let him finish the race off, which he did.
โI never felt like I was going to get there. For a long time in the straight, it felt like he was going nowhere.
โIt wasnโt until Headwall came up next to him that he started to fight and find something. It was just too late.
โIn Hong Kong heโs so switched on and locked in to what he needs to do. But he gets to Randwick, and it was like he was having his second or third race start again, and canโt put it together. He still ran well and certainly lost no admirers.โ
Temptedโs jockey Chad Schofield and trainer Ciaron Maher pinched the worldโs richest sprint feature, but the huge Randwick crowd had come to see Ka Ying Rising continue his amazing record.
Bookies saved millions of dollars in payouts, especially because Ka Ying Rising was the final leg in multi bets involving the various football codes from throughout the respective seasons.
Purton said during the week he was slightly disappointed after the win last year because the Australian racing fans had not seen him at his dominating best.
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