Interest does, however, still remain high on the jockey front with Purton sitting on 166 winners for the season and has rides in 10 of the 11 races in his bid to overhaul Joao Moreira’s record mark of 170 set in 2016-17.
Size, who celebrated his 65th birthday during the week, has a slender lead in the trainers’ division over John Moore with the score 76-74 and the former will saddle eight runners on Sunday to Moore’s 11.
“It feels a little bit temporary to me, but we’ll keep trying,” Size told the Hong Kong Jockey Club after Wednesday’s penultimate meeting at Happy Valley.
John Size is currently ahead of John Moore in the trainers premiership
“Every sport’s the same, there’s a winner and a loser and a sportsman’s life is like that from start to finish.
“Every sport’s the same, there’s a winner and a loser and a sportsman’s life is like that from start to finish. “ – John Size.
“I see a lot of individual players in many different sports under a lot of pressure because they have to do everything themselves, whereas a horse trainer actually has a team of people helping him so it’s not so bad.
“Every day you pick up the paper and there are winners and losers. A sportsman’s life, that’s what it is and you have to endure it.”
There is a healthy respect between Size and Moore with the latter to bow out after a celebrated career in Hong Kong where the mandatory retirement age for a trainer is 70.
John Moore will be retiring at the end of the season
“John Size doesn’t take it lightly. This is one hell of a trainer that I’m up against,” said Moore, who is vying for his eighth trainers’ title.
“John Size doesn’t take it lightly. This is one hell of a trainer that I’m up against.” – John Moore.
Retained rider Moreira will have five rides for Size on Sunday.
“Everyone knows that I’m backing him up otherwise I’d have gone to being a freelance jockey by now,” he said.
“The competition between him and John Moore is outstanding for the sport and they both are amazing trainers. Whoever wins deserves it. I hope Size wins, but if John Moore wins he will have deserved it.”
With the Size stable not entering the action until the fourth race on the card, Moore will have early chances with Adonis (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Investor Boom (Foxwedge) in the opening event, Whisky Knight (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) in the second and Shouson (Star Witness) in the third.
Moore will then rely on Bingo (Hinchinbrook) in race four, Smart Rocket (Smart Missile) in the sixth, Hello Beauty (Sepoy) in the seventh, Good Standing (Artie Schiller {USA}) in the eighth on the card and Good Beauty (Hard Spun {USA}), Buddies (So You Think {NZ}) and Thanks Forever (Duporth) in the closing three events.
Jockey Joao Moreira will have five rides on Saturday for John Size
No monkey business
Size’s first runner is Monkey Jewellery (NZ) (Exceed And Excel) and followed by Dor Dor (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) in the sixth, Aerohappiness (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) in race seven, Dinozzo (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}), Raging Blitzkrieg (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) and Time To Celebrate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) clash in the eighth and Hezwonforus (NZ) (Sufficient {NZ}) and Mr So So (So You Think {NZ}) run in the final event.
Moore’s leading chances include the last-start winners Smart Rocket and Buddies, Good Standing was successful two runs back while Thanks Forever missed out last time, but he had posted three consecutive wins prior to that.
Size has a number of form runners engaged with Monkey Jewellery a last-start runner-up and Dor Dor, Aerohappiness, Time To Celebrate and Hezwonforus all look to be major players.
