“It’s never easy to win a championship. There are always different obstacles, different challenges but I’ve won it again and that’s all that matters – nice result,” Purton remarked. The 41-year-old reflected on the season’s challenges, noting, “It hasn’t been a smooth season. It was really difficult early on with the small fields and wet tracks. I struggled with injuries and the stables I generally rely on weren’t flowing early, but once they got momentum and I started to get some treatment, things started to fall into place, and it’s been a good back half of the season.”
Purton’s illustrious career includes previous championships in 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22, and 2022/23. Despite his incredible success, one race continues to elude him – the Lexus Melbourne Cup. During a visit from the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour in 2023, Purton shared his aspirations, saying,
“The Melbourne Cup is the race that I’d like to win; it would put the cherry on top of the cake and complete what my dream would be. For any Australian jockey, it’s the dream, it’s the pinnacle.”
