Step up in distance and a wide draw bring out the best

Zac Purton loomed in sight of 200 wins in this neck of the woods when he continued on from his mid-week treble by getting Almond Lee's Classic Figure across the line first in the fourth. The son of Bertolini had shown better than Class Five form at times in his 10 starts, but it took the step in distance beyond 1,200m and a wide draw to bring out the best in him. 'Gate 14 was probably a positive - I always thought he would get across and Almond told me the horse likes to have plenty of room,' said Purton, who now has 198 wins in Hong Kong. 'He's a bit of a revvy type even as a five-year-old, but he hasn't had a lot of racing and, if he takes a chill pill, he could have some progress in him.'