![Zac Purton [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2185492.jpg)
As far as post-race sprays go, it’s pretty decent. Whether it’s fair is another question.
And of all the jockeys to pick, it’s one of the best in the world who had just won a $20 million race on the world’s best sprinter.
But according to Maureen Haggas, Zac Purton delivered a “dreadful ride” that was “worst ride I think I’ve ever seen in my entire life” and sat on the horse “like a big sissy” on Lake Forest in the King Charles III Stakes.
Ouch.
Lake Forest finished last after starting second favourite for the $5 million race. Stewards quizzed Zac on the performance: “Z Purton reported the horse did not stretch out when under pressure in the straight and failed to close off. A post-race veterinary examination did not reveal any abnormalities,” the report read.
“I mean, it was about the worst ride I think I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I was appalled, absolutely appalled,” Haggas told UK based RacingTV.
“We went all that way and, I mean, I don’t know Zac Purton at all, but, I mean, it was just dreadful. It was so disappointing because everyone knows he’s a horse that you have to get, you know, you have to tell [Lake Forest] he’s got to do it and he knew that and he was told it and he just sat there like a big sissy.”
“Yeah, I mean, I was horrified, I really was.”
🗣 “It was about the worse ride I’ve seen in my entire life”
It’s safe to say that Maureen Haggas was not impressed with the ride that Lake Forest got at Randwick on Saturday. 👇 pic.twitter.com/jGo57UGMAa
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 22, 2025
Haggas didn’t stop there, even delivering a clip to the Australian jockey ranks which suggests she is still a tad emotional about Saturday’s racing.
“We’ve gone all that way at that huge expense on the owner’s 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 … you know the rides we got on Saturday which were I say really shockingly awful.”
We’ll let others deliver their take on Purton’s ride [full disclosure – this humble scribe took some early future action on Lake Forest]. We doubt Purton will be too worried about Haggas’ tirade consider the outstanding success he had on Ka Ying Rising.
It reminds Betsy of the famous ‘spray’ John Sadler gave Damien Oliver. It was later revealed as a prank, but it’s entertaining nonetheless.
“It was just a bit of fun,” Sadler later admitted. “It was supposed to be something just for the Caulfield trainers.”
“I’ve given some jockeys some sprays over the years, probably just talking through my kick, but I would hate to think I would react in that way in any circumstance.”
