Zac Purton delivered a winner for Mark Newnham at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, but the result carried an undertone of sadness that reached far beyond the Class 4 Kai Tak Handicap.
The ride aboard Legend Winner had become available only because Luke Ferraris was not in Hong Kong. The young South African jockey had returned home to be at the side of his grandfather, Ormond Ferraris, the Hall of Fame trainer who passed away this week at the age of 94.
Ormond Ferraris died peacefully at his retirement home in Plettenberg Bay after a short illness, surrounded by family including his sons David and Paul, grandson Luke, granddaughter Caroline, and stepdaughters Kim and Leigh. In a statement, the family said that while their hearts are heavy, they take comfort in the memories shared and the legacy he leaves behind.
His passing closes one of the longest and most influential chapters in South African racing. Ferraris saddled his first winner, Shenandoah, at Gosforth Park in 1954 and trained for more than six decades before retiring in 2019. He saddled no fewer than 10 Oaks winners, among them Pretty Border, the filly he rated the best he ever trained. He was a four-time champion trainer who mentored a generation of horsemen, including his son David, the former Hong Kong-based trainer, as well as Mike de Kock and Michael Clements. Luke was apprenticed to his grandfather at the South African Jockey Academy and rode his first professional winner at the Vaal for him.
For Newnham, the loss gave a difficult context to a search for a substitute rider that, in the end, took no time at all.
"Luke's had that unfortunate situation, so I was lucky Zac was available," Newnham said. "I asked him on Saturday actually. He didn't have a ride in the race, so I just thought we'll start at the top and work down, and I didn't have to go any further."
Purton settled Legend Winner just off the speed before guiding the gelding to the front in the straight, holding off the late thrust of Precision Hope by a length at the post. Sure Joyful, who led for much of the contest, kept on for third.
Newnham was encouraged by the manner of the win, suggesting there is more to come.
"Look, getting down in class has helped him, but a little bit similar to Armor Golden Eagle – like he dropped down into Class 4 and then was able to get a bit of confidence, bounce back up into Class 3," Newnham said. "So, I think this horse has enough talent, he just lacks a bit of confidence. And Zac said the same thing. He said it took him a while to get to his top and he's still looking around a bit, so there's more improvement in him."
