A war of words has broken out between the Hong Kong champion jockey and the daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott after she labelled him “a big sissy”.
Jockey Zac Purton has responded to Maureen Haggas after she accused him of giving Lake Forest “about the worst ride I think I’ve ever seen in my entire life” in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.
Trained by her husband William and co-owned by Brighton & Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom, Lake Forest won the highly valuable Golden Eagle in Australia last year and was well fancied for the Group One at the weekend, only to finish last of 12.
Speaking to Racing TV on Wednesday evening Haggas said: “As far as I’m concerned, Lake Forest never had a race. 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 and so disappointing. Everyone knows you have to tell him he’s got to do it and he knew that and was told it, but he just sat there. I was horrified, I really was.”
Hong Kong-based star Purton, who on the same card won the world’s richest turf race, The Everest, on Ka Ying Rising, told Nick Luck’s Daily podcast: “She’s entitled to her opinion and if she wants to wear that, that is her prerogative.”
In a further interview with RSN’s Giddy Up podcast in Australia, Purton said: “The most disappointing part is that every time William Haggas has brought a horse to Australia we have championed him. We’ve been very happy for his success, We’ve welcomed him down. We’ve rolled the red carpet out for him and made him feel like he’s loved in Australia – and then they have one bad day and she falls off the rocking horse. It’s probably a bit much. She must’ve been on the drink.”
