Joao Moreira set a new benchmark in Hong Kong racing today, Saturday, 16 May, as he swept past Douglas Whyte’s previous all-time high of 114 wins in a season. The Brazilian had equalled that mark - established in 2005/06 - in some style on Wednesday.
Moreira rode a hat-trick of wins that night to match Whyte’s best score. He achieved the record-clinching victory aboard Penang Hall in race 2 today to set a new mark of 115. The rider known as “Magic Man” proceeded to take his score to 118 by the day’s end.
“I am very happy,” said a delighted Moreira, who last month streaked to the fastest ever Hong Kong century. “From now on all I can do is to keep working hard to win more races until the end of the season.”
With 16 race meetings remaining before the season concludes on Sunday, 12 July, the premiership leader could extend that tally to a monstrous new record. Moreira, Whyte and Zac Purton are the only jockeys ever to have reached a century of wins in a Hong Kong season. Purton’s last term tally of 112 – a total that clinched the Champion Jockey title and ended Whyte’s unbroken streak of 13 titles – is now the third highest total in Hong Kong history. Whyte, the jurisdiction’s winning-most rider with 1679 victories, has notched a century six times in his career.
“It’s only my second season in Hong Kong and breaking the record means a lot to me. Luckily so many people have been helping me here. Honestly speaking, before I came to Hong Kong, I wouldn’t have expected I could achieve this,” said Moreira.
The runaway premiership leader ended the day with 118 wins for the season having notched a total of four wins on the day. After clinching the record outright, Moreira proceeded to score further wins on Smart Guy (race 3), Sun Jewellery (race 5) and Athena Baby (race 6).
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Photo 1:
Joao Moreira lands a record-clinching victory atop Penang Hall to set a new mark of 115, sweeping past Douglas Whyte��s previous all-time high of 114 wins in a season.
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Photo 2
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