Zac Purton will ride a Caspar Fownes-trained runner for the first time since September 2021 in the final leg of Wednesday night’s Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley.

The last time Purton and Fownes combined was when Group One-winning miler Southern Legend finished sixth behind Tony Cruz’s Buddies in the Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin two years ago.

Last-start winner Kaholo Angel will bring Hong Kong’s six-time champion jockey and four-time champion trainer back together during this season’s edition of the prestigious HK$1 million event that features 12 of the world’s most talented riders.

The Jockey Club’s specially designed program, which allocates the 48 IJC rides intending to make the high-profile four-legged contest as competitive as possible, has paired Purton with John Size’s Savvy Delight, Pierre Ng Pang-Chi’s Tattenham, Francis Lui Kin-wai’s Silver Sonic and Fownes’ Kaholo Angel.

Fownes offers olive branch to Purton in the form of Classique Legend

While class riser Kaholo Angel, who heads to Happy Valley following two victories from seven starts, should be competitive at the bottom of the weights from gate two, astute form student Purton does not fancy his chance of a record fourth IJC crown.

“I don’t think I’ve got a stand-out [ride],” said Purton, who won the IJC in 2017, 2020 and 2021 to move alongside Frankie Dettori (1999, 2001 and 2011) and Douglas Whyte (2002, 2007 and 2008) on three titles. “I think I’ve got my work cut out for me.

“I think [the IJC ride allocation system] is better than it used to be. It’s made it more even, and that was the idea behind it. I think history shows it’s a fairer contest now than what it possibly was before. It just hasn’t worked out that well for me.

“I think it’s particularly even this year. There’s good depth to it. A lot of jockeys have chances.”

Preliminary analysis of the IJC races suggests James McDonald is a key contender for the HK$600,000 first prize even though his four mounts have run just five times at Happy Valley for only one placing.

Amazing Ace was a half-length third on his latest Happy Valley appearance two starts ago and hails from the Ng yard, which is seeking to make it 10 consecutive meetings with at least one victory.

While David Hayes’ Wide Blue Yonder does not appeal as one of the IJC second leg’s likeliest winners, McDonald could feature in finishes aboard Fownes’ Flagship Warrior and Whyte’s Gameplayer Elite.

If Flagship Warrior transfers the best of his Sha Tin form to Happy Valley, he could earn IJC points, while Gameplayer Elite went into many notebooks on his second Hong Kong appearance last month when he registered the race’s fastest closing sectionals.

With Silvestre de Sousa disqualified until March, Tom Marquand is the only one of last year’s IJC joint winners among this year’s dozen riders.

Unfortunately for Marquand, the British jockey looks unlikely to join Purton (2020 and 2021), Whyte (2007 and 2008) and Ryan Moore (2009 and 2010) as back-to-back champions because of his mediocre book.

Fownes-conditioned gallopers Galvanic and Killer Instinct are trip queries over 1,000m and 1,650m, respectively. Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s Splendid Living may be in the grips of the Jockey Club handicappers following his stellar nine-month run of four wins and four placings, and Lui’s Golden Empire tackles Happy Valley for the first time after beating only one of his 11 opponents at Sha Tin on November 26.

Mickael Barzalona, Hollie Doyle, Lyle Hewitson, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu, Yuga Kawada, Rachel King, Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, 2019 IJC victor Karis Teetan and Moore round out this season’s elite field.