Champion Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton will ride Lake Forest in next month's Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick for British trainer William Haggas.
Last year's $10 million Golden Eagle winner, Lake Forest is returning for another Australian spring campaign, this time targeting the $5 million mile feature at Randwick on October 18.
Lake Forest, a last-start second in the Group 1 City Of York Stakes over 1400m at York in August, was ridden by Cieren Fallon to victory in the 2024 Golden Eagle but connections have sided with expatriate Australian rider Purton this time around.
Purton had also been asked to ride the Charlie Fellowes-trained Luther, a last-start winner of the Grade 2 Hall Of Fame Stakes in the United States on August 1, in this year's Golden Eagle.
But it is understood that Purton's application was refused by the Hong Kong Jockey Club because the Golden Eagle is not a Group 1 race.
