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By Ray Hickson

It doesn’t matter to champion jockey Zac Purton that he won’t have been on In Secret’s back until he’s legged on board the Godolphin mare in Saturday’s $20 million TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

Jockey Zac Purton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

In fact, he says it could work in his favour. And his hit and run record in Sydney this year hasn't been bad, snaring Group 1s on Artorius (Canterbury Stakes), Communist (Randwick Guineas) and Mr Brightside (Doncaster Mile).

The Hong Kong based Aussie hoop has his first taste of the TAB Everest in 2023 and will ride in the race knowing he’s on a horse that’s been specifically aimed at it – and that’s enough for him.

“I don’t feel it necessary to ride a horse prior to race day, I’m not the type that needs to get a feel for a horse, I think you can learn enough watching their barrier trials and replays,’’ Purton said.

“You get a feel of them going to the gate anyway. The connections always give you insight into what the horse might be like.

“Sometimes it can work in your favour because you don’t have any preconceived ideas or convictions about the horse and you can just go out and ride it as it presents itself on the day.

“When the Everest was first implemented at the time it didn’t fall under the Jockey Club’s criteria to travel and compete but I’ve watched it grow over the years so I’m excited to take part in it.”

In Secret competes in the Godolphin slot and trainer James Cummings has prepared the four-year-old with two races and a barrier trial, all of which showed she is on track.

She resumed with a close second in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) then started favourite and ran fourth in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) a month ago. All was on track as she warmed up in a barrier trial last week until barrier 12 threw a curve ball.

Purton said there’s not a lot he can do about that but knows he’s on a horse with a winning chance if things work in their favour.

“Unfortunately drawing the outside has made our task a lot harder with a lack of speed in the race as well,’’ he said.

“It’s hard to know where I can see myself in the run, I’ll be guided by what James and the team tell me to do but she doesn’t appear like she’s an on pace runner.

“The way this field is probably going to map means we might have to go all the way back to last which makes it difficult. But she’s trained for the race and proved herself before and looks to be peaking at the right time.”

After falling out of favour when gate 12 was revealed on Sydney Harbour, In Secret has firmed up to be an $11 chance with TAB on Friday.

Light Infantry Man is Purton’s Group 1 ride in the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) and he describes the import as a very interesting horse that is difficult to assess.

The five-year-old raced in Australia last year under the name Light Infantry and ran sixth in the Golden Eagle. He returned to Europe where he’s collected a string of placings at a high level before arriving back down under.

“He’s gone back to Europe and has raced really well, he’s been racing against the top horses over there in some of their best races and acquitted himself well,’’ Purton said.

“He looks as if he’s a little bit tricky and he’s one I’m going to have to try to get the best out of.”

Group 1 placings at Longchamps, Ascot and Deauville have been added to Light Infantry Man’s CV in the past 12 months and he was runner-up to Chindit in the Superior Mile at Haydock prior to entering quarantine.

🏆Superior Mile Stakes (G3)
1.640 m - 75.000 GBP - for 3yo+
🇬🇧 Haydock Park

Chindit (IRE)
(5h Wootton Bassett-Always A Dream , by Oasis Dream)
Chindit (IRE)
J : @the_doyler
T :Richard Hannon
O :Villoo Poonawalla Greenfield Farmspic.twitter.com/xmCoftiD9n

— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) September 9, 2023

In that latter race he became strung up behind horses and the winner put a space on them before he was able to work into the clear.

“If he brings the form he’s been racing to in Europe of course he’s got a very good chance,’’ Purton said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what he feels like. He’s drawn a decent enough gate, it’s hard to say where he’s going to be in the run.

“In Europe he’s raced on the pace, he’s raced from the back of the field. The Australian speed in the race is a little different to the European speed.

“But with the gate he’s drawn he can probably tell me where he wants to be then from there hopefully we can get the best out of him.”

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Everest Day at Randwick on Saturday