6/4/2022

 

Joao Moreira posts 1200th Hong Kong winner in record time

 

By Leo Schlink

 

 

Joao Moreira created racing history at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (6 April), reaching the 1,200-win milestone in Hong Kong record time while also over-taking Zac Purton in the battle for the 2021/22 jockeys¡¦ championship after posting a double.

 

On a defining night for Moreira, the 38-year-old Brazilian became only the third jockey to slot 1,200 wins or more in Hong Kong behind Douglas Whyte (1,813) and arch-rival Purton (1,393), but the ¡¥Magic Man¡¦ reached the mark quicker than either man.

 

Purton took 7,470 mounts to hit 1,200, while Whyte ¡V Hong Kong¡¦s all-time record-holder with 13 jockeys¡¦ championships ¡V reached the mark after 7,662 rides. Moreira¡¦s success on Ricky Yiu¡¦s Natural Storm in the Class 4 Murray Handicap (2200m) came aboard his 5,553rd mount in Hong Kong.

 

¡§I wouldn¡¦t be sitting on that number (1,200) without the support of a lot of people,¡¨ Moreira beamed after opening the meeting with a race-to-race double. ¡§Not in even in my wildest dreams, could I have those dreams, you know before I came over to Hong Kong.

 

¡§I wasn¡¦t counting. I wasn¡¦t aware that I was on 1,198 before the meeting and I didn¡¦t come to the races thinking about it. It¡¦s always good to reach the mark.¡¨

 

Moreira moved to Hong Kong in October, 2013 and has since set a slew of records, including the most wins in a season (170 in 2016/17), most wins at a single Hong Kong meeting (eight on 5 March, 2017) and most prize money earned by a jockey in a single season (HK$215.30 million in 2020/21) as well as claiming the jockeys¡¦ championship in 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2020/21).

 

Moreira¡¦s latest haul leaves him level with fellow four-time champion Purton on wins for the season ¡V 98 each ¡V after the Australian closed the meeting by winning the Class 3 Des Voeux Handicap (1200m) atop Francis Lui¡¦s Star Brite - but the Brazilian now leads overall because he has a more second placings.

 

Moreira accelerated his charge from the outset with victory aboard talented Whizz Kid in the Class 3 Connaught Handicap (1000m) ¡V the opening race of the card ¡V with a victory which delighted trainer Tony Cruz.

 

¡§I love this horse, his character is fantastic. The only worry is that he keeps on putting on weight so I¡¦m going to have to gallop him in the off-season to keep him in shape,¡¨ Cruz said.

 

¡§He loves Happy Valley and the Sha Tin straight course over 1000m, but I¡¦m sure he¡¦ll get further in the future. Tonight, Joao said everything went great, everything was perfect, so I¡¦m very happy.¡¨

Matthew Chadwick interrupted Moreira¡¦s spree with success on Benno Yung¡¦s Humble Steed in the Class 5 Queensway Handicap (1650m) before Charity Go surprised trainer Danny Shum by claiming the Class 2 Chater Handicap (1800m) under Matthew Poon.

 

¡§I didn¡¦t expect him to win, but I¡¦m very happy that he did,¡¨ Shum said. ¡§He had a good run and he seems to get along well with Matthew Poon. Everything worked out well tonight. His best distance is 1800 metres and he showed that tonight.¡¨

 

In-form Yung fired in his third win from his past five starters to total 30 for the campaign when Multimore held on grimly to land the Class 4 Ice House Handicap (1000m) under Dylan Mo, while Yiu sealed a brace with Prime Minister for Derek Leung in the Class 3 Glenealy Handicap (1650m).

 

Lyle Hewitson and Douglas Whyte combined successfully for the fourth time this term when Durham Star broke through in the first section of the Class 4 Lambeth Handicap (1200m). All of Hewitson¡¦s wins this season have come in tandem with Whyte.

 

Chadwick followed Sunday¡¦s Sha Tin double with another brace, partnering Chris So¡¦s Jiangxi Stamina to impressive victory in the second section of the Class 4 Lambeth Handicap (1200m)

 

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (10 April).

 

 

Photo 1

Natural Storm propels Joao Moreira into history.