Zac Purton reached a significant milestone at Sha Tin on Sunday, guiding the progressive Gold Patch to a determined victory in the Class 3 Handicap over 1200 metres, a result that brought up his 100th winner of the season. The success, achieved for trainer Francis Lui, carried added meaning as the gelding continues to build a reputation as a rising force.
Settled within striking distance throughout, Gold Patch travelled smoothly before asserting himself in the closing stages, responding willingly under pressure to edge clear and secure the contest with authority. It was a performance that reflected both maturity and promise, underlining his steady progression through the grades.
The result also cast a spotlight on his background, with the New Zealand-bred gelding emerging from the NZB Ready to Run Sale system. His journey has been closely followed by Lilywhites Lodge, where principal Sophia Nolan identified his potential early.
“He’s a horse that stood out to me from the first day I saw him at the on-farm yearling inspections,” Nolan said. “He had a real presence about him, and such a powerful walk through his hindquarters.”
That early impression proved decisive. Nolan, alongside partner Derek Nolan, secured the colt for $155,000 at Karaka in 2024 before presenting him at the Ready to Run Sale later that year, where he was purchased for $250,000 by owner Kin Man Yeung.
“He was quite a cool customer throughout his preparation,” Nolan added. “Although he was quite big and raw, he had just the most beautiful action, and we knew he would just keep improving.”
Sunday’s victory offered further validation of that belief. Gold Patch’s ability to quicken and finish strongly suggests there is more to come, particularly as he continues to strengthen physically and gain experience in Hong Kong’s competitive sprint ranks.
For Purton, the landmark win was another chapter in a season defined by consistency and high-level performance. Bringing up a century of winners before the campaign’s closing stages reflects both opportunity and execution at the highest level of the sport.
Behind the result lies a broader narrative of international bloodstock pathways. Graduates of the Ready to Run Sale have made a notable impact across major racing jurisdictions, and Gold Patch’s success adds to that growing record. Over the past five seasons alone, such graduates have amassed 34 Group One victories and more than a hundred stakes wins, reinforcing the sale’s global standing.
The honour roll includes elite performers such as Invincible Ibis, Golden Sixty, Lucky Sweynesse and Beat the Clock—names that have shaped recent seasons in Hong Kong and beyond. Gold Patch may not yet belong in that bracket, but his trajectory suggests he is a horse to follow.
Attention now turns to future assignments, where connections will look to build on this latest success. With his profile on the rise and confidence growing, Gold Patch’s Sha Tin win may well prove a stepping stone to more prominent targets.
Meanwhile, preparations continue for the 2026 Ready to Run Sale, scheduled for November at Karaka, where another crop of emerging talent will be presented to an international audience eager to find the next headline performer.
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