Perfect eight for Moreira
Three-time Singapore champion jockey Joao Moreira etched his name in Singapore horseracing’s history books for a feat that may never be emulated again there when he booted home eight winners from as many rides at Kranji on Friday night.
Joao Moreira. Picture supplied
The mercurial jockey equalled jockey Saimee Jumaat’s Singapore record of seven winners in a day when he lifted Weowna Flyer to a thrilling neck win in the penultimate event of Friday’s nine-race programme. But then, Saimee, a nine-time Singapore champion jockey, was trumped when the Brazilian ace scored yet another win in theatrical fashion aboard Faretti in the last race.
Choking on his words, Moreira said he had never dreamed he would pull off such a leviathan performance but that he had started to believe something “Magic” (his own nickname) was in the air as the night wore on.
“What’s better than a dream come true? I think this is it,” he said.
For the record, Eddie Castro set the North American record when winning nine races from 11 mounts at Calder Racecourse on 11 June 2005, the day after he won five races in one day at that track. Riding eight from eight is certainly in the same realm as Frankie Dettori’s Magnificent Seven when he rode the card at Ascot on 28 September 1996.
– Singapore Turf Club
