Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton will ride Willie Mullins trainee Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.
“The Melbourne Cup is the race that Zac wants the most,” Purton's manager Paul 'Popup' Webster told Racenet. “Earlier this year we discussed targeting Willie Mullins.
“Whatever he brings over, lets do everything we can to get on it and it's come to fruition. We've picked up the ride on Absurde.”
A winner of the Ebor H. in August, Absurde and his Mullins stablemate Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) are both targeting the iconic two-mile race and have arrived at the Werribee Quarantine Centre.
“The Melbourne Cup is the dream, it's the pinnacle for any Australian jockey,” Purton said. “Willie Mullins is a training genius, as good as anyone I've come across anywhere in the world.
“There's none better at travelling horses and he's had a couple of near misses already in the race. He knows the right type of horse to bring and I'm honoured to be riding one for him.”
Mullins has placed twice in the Melbourne Cup with Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}) when second in 2015 and third two years later.
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