Purton, the Hong Kong-based Australian regarded as the world's best jockey, chose not to push forward early on Ka Ying Rising, who was trapped wide after drawing barrier 11. The horse dropped to the back of the field before launching a late run that fell just short of a 22nd straight victory and a second successive Everest.
"That's Australia; everyone has an opinion," Purton said. "They shoot from the hip before they digest it properly."
Purton said the wide draw made the race difficult from the start, and the frantic early tempo set by Savvie Hallie, Blue Door and Spicy Martini ruled out going forward. "If I rode the ears off my horse to be up there with them, he may have collapsed and fallen in a hole as well," he said.
"You change the barrier with the winner and it changes the result. I guess you could say that about a lot of races."
The jockey said he never felt he was going to get there for much of the straight, until Headwall came up beside him and stirred his mount into a fight. "It was just too late."
Purton noted the contrast with Ka Ying Rising's form in Hong Kong, where he is "so switched on", while at Randwick it was like a horse at his second or third race start. "He still ran well and certainly lost no admirers."
Criticism of Purton's big-race tactics is familiar. His ride on Lake Forest at last year's corresponding meeting was blasted by the horse's connection Maureen Haggas as "about the worst I think I've ever seen in my entire life".
Tempted's jockey Chad Schofield and trainer Ciaron Maher claimed the world's richest sprint feature, while bookmakers were reported to have saved millions of dollars in payouts, with Ka Ying Rising the final leg in many multi bets.