Zac Purton partners the progressive Denfield for the first time at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, one of four rides aboard last-start placegetters the reigning champion jockey has picked up for the midweek meeting.

Third on his seasonal debut under Karis Teetan three weeks ago, Denfield was awkwardly away and found trouble early before running on for a one-length third behind Mega Bonus.

“His win at the end of last season was quite impressive. We were expecting him to carry that on, and of course, he was a bit slow out the gate the other day, but he still had a nice spot, and he had his chance,” Purton said.

“He just didn’t go through with it. Maybe he needed the run. He’s had another trial, so we’ll see what he can do this time.”

Denfield, who finished two lengths behind Packing Bole under Purton in that 1,200m all-weather trial, has drawn the sticky gate nine for the first section of Wednesday night’s Class Four Tai Shue Wan Handicap (1,200m).

Purton would not divulge the tactics he and trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing may choose to adopt in a race that looks to be Denfield’s for the taking, but the star Australian will no doubt be wary of getting too far back when there looks no guarantee of a strong pace.

Elsewhere among Purton’s eight-strong full book, he sticks with last-start runner-up Sunny Baby and will be hoping he is jumping aboard Allgreektome, Humble Star and Copartner Ambition at the right time.

Purton was poised to ride Allgreektome in his first-up run, but the five-year-old was a late scratching after his tangle with a lead pony, with Luke Ferraris in the saddle for the gelding’s last-start third.

Humble Star finished second under Teetan three weeks ago, while Copartner Ambition was a narrow Sha Tin runner-up in tandem with Vincent Ho Chak-yiu on September 17.

Purton also partners Miracles, Durham Star and Romantic Laos as he looks to continue a solid – if not spectacular – start to the season by his lofty standards.

“It’s pretty easy to see we’ve had a lot of small fields, and the horses who’ve been fitter – or prepared to win early – have had the advantage because of the small fields,” said Purton, who has 10 wins to his name through seven meetings.

Yeung chases more Joy after lively start to 2023-24 campaign

“They’re not getting as far back, or having to make the wide runs, or finding trouble like they do in the bigger fields. It’s played right into the hands of those horses who’ve been prepared to go early. That’s the way it is. The season will sort itself out.”

In other news, Hugh Bowman – who leads Purton by one in the jockeys’ premiership – will ride the Chris Waller-trained Espiona in October 14’s The Everest (1,200m) and Buckaroo for Joseph O’Brien in the Group One King Charles III Stakes (1,600m) on the same Randwick card.

Bowman will return to Hong Kong the following day to partner California Spangle for the first time in the Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) after putting the reigning Hong Kong Mile champion through his paces at the trials on Tuesday morning.