Purton picks up Teaspoon ride in Slipper
Hong Kong-based Australian Zac Purton will ride Teaspoon in the Golden Slipper with Hugh Bowman conceding the weight battle.
The Michael Freedman-trained filly will carry 54.5kg in the $3.5 million race for two-year-olds on Saturday week at Rosehill.
The weight is generally under Bowman’s range and Freedman said via Twitter on Friday the jockey had relinquished the ride and Purton had been booked.
Teaspoon is one of two fillies Freedman will saddle up in the Slipper with Tommy Berry to stick with Frolic, winner of last Saturday’s Reisling Stakes at Randwick.
Berry has won the Slipper twice on Overreach in 2013 and Vancouver in 2015.
Purton rode Yankee Rose into second place behind Capitalist in the 2016 Slipper.