Zac Purton ended his run of outs with a Happy Valley four-timer on Sunday, delivering Jamie Richards the best win of his Hong Kong career in the process.

Winless from his past 33 rides, which included five mounts at Moonee Valley on Saturday, Purton saluted on Turin Mascot, Durham Star, Tomodachi Kokoroe and Seasons Wit to put himself level with Hugh Bowman at the top of the jockeys’ championship.

“It wasn’t even a dry spell. We’ve had a wet track and a soaking wet dirt track, so you can’t count those meetings,” Purton said. “I just turn up and do my job – that’s it. It’s nice to keep ticking along.”

The pick of Purton’s wins came aboard Seasons Wit in the Class Two Kwangtung Handicap Cup (1,000m), which supplied second-season trainer Jamie Richards with the biggest success of his Hong Kong career.

“It’s been a bit of a slow start to the season, so it’s good to get one on the board,” Richards said.

After signing off with a hat-trick of wins in Class Three company over the course and distance last term, Seasons Wit made his return up in grade.

Tracking leaders Kurpany and Nervous Witness throughout, the son of Capitalist quickened clear inside the final 150m to record a three-length win in Sunday’s feature.

“This is the race we had picked out since the programme came out, but it’s always hard to know how much they’ve improved in the off-season until you get them back to the races,” Richards said.

“His trials have been good, but it was certainly a new peak for him. Hopefully, he can continue to work his way through the grades. He had no weight on his back, and he had a perfect run, but I thought he put them away well.”

With the next 1,000m Class Two contest not until December 17 at Sha Tin, Richards faces a dilemma of where to send his progressive galloper, with a step up to 1,200m on the cards.

“I’ll have a chat with Zac. He’s either got to go to Sha Tin over 1,200m, or there’s a Happy Valley race for him at the end of November, and he can step up to 1,200m here,” Richards said.

“The way he relaxed makes me think he’ll handle 1,200m at Sha Tin, but I’d like to give him another spin around Happy Valley if I can.”

Purton, who took his win total to 20 for the campaign, was impressed with the Richards-trained speedster.

“He’s done a really good job. He was a three-year-old last season, and after a few runs, he started to get the hang of it,” Purton said.

“Jamie was mindful to have him a little bit more ready for the start of this season because he took a couple of runs last season.”

The champion jockey got off the mark for the afternoon aboard Pierre Ng Pang-chi’s Turin Mascot in the Class Three Guangzhou Handicap (2,200m), with the $2.4 shot hitting the front in the final strides to justify favouritism.

Purton’s two other victories on Sunday came on the Douglas Whyte-prepared Durham Star in the Class Four Huizhou Handicap (1,650m) and the David Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe in the Class Four Shantou Handicap (1,200m).

On the hunt for his seventh Hong Kong jockeys’ title, Purton said he remained resolute during his rare cold spell.

Running treble to wrap up card makes Yiu Happy at the Valley on Splendid Sunday

“My confidence is always there. I can’t run for the horses – that’s just the way it is,” Purton said.

“I just get on and steer them, and if they win, they win, and if they don’t, they don’t. There’s nothing else I can do.”