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“Big sissy”: Wife of trainer “horrified” by Purton ride
Andrew Slevison • October 23rd, 2025 10:03 am
Zac Purton has been torn apart for his ride on Lake Forest last weekend.
The Hong Kong-based Australian jockey rode the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest in the Group 1 King Charles III stakes at Randwick only to finish a disappointing last of 12 runners.
Maureen Haggas, the wife of William, tore shreds off Purton's ride, describing him as a “big sissy”.
“As far as I'm concerned, Lake Forest never had a race,” Haggas, the daughter of legendary UK racing figure Lester Piggott, told RacingTV.
“It was about the worst ride I think I've ever seen in my entire life. I was appalled, absolutely appalled.
“We went all that way and, I mean I don't know Zac Purton at all, but it was just dreadful. It was so disappointing because everyone knows he is a horse that you have to tell what to do.
“He knew that, and he was told it, and he just sat there like a big sissy.”
Haggas continued to pot Purton for his less than desirable efforts on Lake Forest who was a $4.60 chance in the $5 million mile race.
“I was horrified, I really was,” he added.
“We've gone all that way at huge expense on the owners part and it just makes you realise how lucky we are with the jockeys we have in England, Ireland and France when you compare them to the rides we got on Saturday which were, as I say, really shockingly awful.”
The King Charles came two races after Purton rode Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising to victory in the $20 million Everest.
The last time Lake Forest raced in Australia he won the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November last year. Gun British jockey Kieren Fallon rode him on that occasion.
Watch the concluding stages of the King Charles, won by Ceolwulf, below:
