Even though the buzz and lights of Hong Kong international racing are behind us, there are still plenty of reasons to rejoice as the 2023-24 season enters a busy festive period.

It’s back to business as usual as we head into Wednesday’s schedule at Happy Valley, with a pair of Class 3s highlighting the nine-race card.

And while the action doesn’t get the pulse racing like last week’s International Jockeys’ Championship, punters and racing fans can buckle down as the heavyweight fight between James McDonald and Zac Purton continues.

McDonald, whose short-term contract in Hong Kong ends on December 22, and Purton were one Group 1 win away from the Hong Kong Vase before winning all four at Sunday’s showpiece Sha Tin meeting.

The Kiwi superstar shone on Voyage Bubble in the Hong Kong Mile and Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), while Ka Ying Rising broke through to the highest level in the Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) under direction of the seven-time champion jockey. Purton.

Winning the Group Ones in Hong Kong has become a successful quest for McDonald and his recent stint is no exception.

He brought home 13 winners from 56 races with a success rate of 23.2 percent – ​​just above Purton’s winning percentage of 22.4 – and won more than HK$63 million in price in just three weeks.

With his current prize money haul at just HK$13.7 million compared to Purton’s returns for the 2023-24 season so far, the 32-year-old is flying compared to the same period of the ‘last year. At the same time last season, McDonald had returned five winners from 42 races before having a successful January.

12 months later, he has built the perfect platform to continue his rich vein of form, with the new Longines World’s Best Jockey title in high demand.

On Friday, McDonald relished his chances of success in Sha Tin’s biggest day of racing and joked that Purton “might not start favorite in the Jockey Challenge for once”.

McDonald was right, he started a warm favorite at $1.50 and came out on top with 42 points, while Purton returned 24.

In fact, of the seven meetings he has attended in Hong Kong this season, McDonald has won the Jockey Challenge four times and Purton once.

The pair look set to do battle once again on Wednesday’s card at Happy Valley, with Purton taking a full book of rides and McDonald climbing aboard eight gallopers.

Purton is looking for back-to-back wins with Circuit Duffy, trained by Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, who held on well to lose his maiden title in the last two outings.

He lines up in the third section of the Class 4 Albatross Handicap (1,200m), while the runner also teams up with runner-up Ninja Derby in the Class 4 Mesia Handicap (1,650m).

Among McDonald’s main chances, last start winner Take Action and Yee Cheong Spirit will aim to continue their good form in the Mesia Handicap and section three of the Albatross Handicap, respectively.

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