Australian Zac Purton will not be resting on his laurels after becoming the first person other than Douglas Whyte this century to win the Hong Kong jockeys' championship.

The 31-year-old Purton who has ridden in Hong Kong for seven seasons, asserted himself over the 13-time premiership winner early this term but had to hold off a spirited challenge from Joao Moreira who joined the riders' ranks late last year.

The charismatic Moreira left Singapore as the leading jockey and met with immediate success in Hong Kong, finishing 15 wins behind Purton on 97 and relegating Whyte (88) to third place.

"I suppose the pressure is off. I set out to win the championship and I did," Purton told the South China Morning Post.

"But now that I am champion I have to defend my title. There's no backing off.

"I started from the bottom. I didn't know anybody here and I certainly didn't have the red carpet rolled out for me, but all of those obstacles make me appreciate it more.

"It's been a long, hard slog over seven years but because of that I have earned it, and it's been very rewarding and it will be very satisfying. But it also means I want to keep it."

Australian John Size was pipped for the trainers' title by Caspar Fownes. Both ended the final day on Sunday with 62 wins for the season but Fownes won on a countback of second placegetters.

Purton, who was just two wins short of Whyte's record of 114, will take on a new challenge during Hong Kong's down time, spending the next few weeks riding in Japan.

Sydney's reigning premier jockey Nash Rawiller has almost certainly forfeited this season's title by also choosing to spend time in Japan.

Rawiller rode his first winner there on Sunday, steering Sweet Donuts to victory at Hakodate.

He left Sydney with 70 metropolitan wins for the season which ends on July 30 at Warwick Farm.

James McDonald is poised just two wins behind but is sidelined due to suspension until after Saturday's meeting at Randwick.