Extreme heat, dehydration, the very real risk of serious injury or worse—the Sport of Kings demands extreme physical and mental resilience from its subjects. Zac Purton tells Gen.T what it means to put it all on the line for what you love the most
He is the "David Beckham of Hong Kong", the taipan of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the king of Wednesday nights at the Happy Valley racetrack. And while a sporting CV this dazzling presupposes a little "Golden Balls" energy, Gen.T honouree Zac Purton—the Australian jockey on a 10-year winning streak—is delightfully self-effacing.
“Oh, the David Beckham comparison is very flattering,” he says, in his strong New South Wales accent. “But I don’t see too many similarities between us. I mean, he is famous everywhere and I am famous in one city. But yeah, I guess in the pond that is Hong Kong racing, it is pretty fantastic to be me. I get to go to amazing hotels, get tables at busy restaurants, get asked for selfies—you know, all the stuff that makes you feel welcome somewhere. But I would imagine that David Beckham would be recognised a lot more than me in Hong Kong, even on race day.”