Zac Purton hopes Light Years Charm can put it all together on Class Two debut: ‘it's a much stronger field'

South China Morning Post

07-06-2025

Zac Purton knows there will be much less room for error as Light Years Charm rises in grade for Sunday's Class Two Lee On Handicap (1,400m) at Sha Tin.
In traffic turning for home after missing the start as the $1.5 favourite when last at the races on May 10, Purton had to pull out all the stops to drive Light Years Charm between horses late in proceedings.
That half-length success was Light Years Charm's second victory to go with three placings from seven Hong Kong starts and the David Eustace-trained four-year-old now finds himself on a rating of 85 and locking horns with the likes of Healthy Happy, Young Champion, Invincible Shield and Chiu Chow Spirit.
'It's a much stronger field than what he's been racing against. He went back to the trials and seemed to jump a little bit better,' Purton said.
'Once he learns to jump out of the gates, he's going to make it a bit easier for himself. In this race it looks like they're going to go fast, there's a bit of speed there, so if he's flopping out of the gates and giving one or two lengths away and then they get running, he's all of a sudden going to be well out of the race.
Check out this ride! 🙌
Timed to perfection, Rubick gelding Light Years Charm scores a sweet win with @zpurton for @EustaceRacing at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/0bMtO10x1R — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 10, 2025
'He doesn't want that scenario, where he's chasing the whole way. But he gets in with a lightish weight and he's in form.'
Light Years Charm, who jumps from gate seven of eight and will carry 121lb, is one of nine rides for Purton as he looks to build on his 116 winners so far this season.
Ping Hai Comet and La Forza are the other last-start winners among the star Australian's book, with La Forza chasing a third victory on the bounce after impressing so far this season.
The Jamie Richards-trained three-year-old sticks to the Sha Tin straight for the Class Three On Yam Handicap (1,000m) and will carry 131lb after rising 18 points in the ratings across his past two successes.
Barrier nine will help La Forza's cause in his first run since March 30.