Watch What Happens perfect match for Royal Pericles, insists Purton

Zac Purton reckons Chinese Recreation Club Challenge Cup winner Royal Pericles and his rival dirt sprinter Watch What Happens should almost be a bracket declaration.

'The last two times Royal Pericles has won it has been with Watch What Happens in the race and plenty of pace on,' Purton said after the grey seven-year-old took his prize money to almost exactly HK$5.4 million, despite winning his third race.

It was third time lucky in this trophy event, too, as Royal Pericles had finished third two years ago and fourth last year.

Purton was on the Gary Ng Ting-keung-trained sprinter the last time he won a race in May, and on that occasion it was Watch What Happens who carted the field along.

This time, Brilliant Chapter was too fast even for the Sean Woods-trained Watch What happens, who sat in second, but either way the serious tempo suited Royal Pericles.

'I was pretty confident he would run a race once I saw the field, because I knew there would be speed on, and when he drew gate one, that was some extra icing on the cake,' said Purton.

'He doesn't win many and he needs it all to go right but he looks pretty good when it falls his way like it did today.'

Purton continued his own good record on the grey - four rides for two wins and a second - and kept his season ticking along in good style, equal third on the jockeys' table with eight wins.