Brazilian chasing another Brazilian

A sixth title might not be the be-all and end-all for any champion.

It is more than likely that Brazilian jockey Manoel Nunes would feel no different.

Bar his third crown in 2016, he always streeted his Kranji rivals from a long way out.

Still, the competitive 48-year-old is as keen as ever to add one more such feather to his cap. Bruno Queiroz has already thrown the gauntlet; the younger Brazilian leads him by two wins (53 v 51) with four meetings left till Oct 5.

To go down in history as the last top hoop in the annals of Singapore racing is not lost on him either.

However, it is a sub-plot that is more in his crosshairs these days – interestingly, to gun down another Brazilian, and a lot more famous.

“I’d like to pass Joao Moreira’s 737 wins at Kranji,” said Nunes.

“I’m only six wins behind, and there are 40 races left. It’s doable.”

Besides Saimee Jumaat, Moreira is arguably the jockey who put the most bums on seats at Kranji, albeit during only a relatively short reign from 2009 to 2013.

The jockey they call Magic Man beat Nunes into second place at the one season they competed in Singapore – 2013.

Nunes’ haul of 112 winners would draw praise all round for any newcomer, but it was still a whopping 67 winners behind Moreira, who did not even complete the season.

To give it even more perspective, when Moreira cut short his stint to move to Hong Kong on Oct 13, 2013, Nunes needed to win 636 races to bridge the chasm.

Back then, Nunes would probably ask to get your head checked at any suggestion he could one day beat Moreira’s record.

Some 11 years later, it may turn into reality, albeit at a time when milestones feel irrelevant when juxtaposed to the end of Singapore racing’s long 182-year history.

“We’re all sad by what is happening to our racing,” said Nunes.

“But it would still mean a lot if I can get to 738 wins as Moreira is a jockey who has broken all the records in Singapore.

“He was champion four times. He once won 206 races (2012), a record, even if it’s true Singapore raced twice a week then and had around 100 meetings a year.”

Should Nunes pull off the feat, he would rank as the third most successful jockey at Kranji after Barend Vorster (789) and Saimee Jumaat (776), both now retired.

After a double (Supreme Liner, Creative Dreams) on Sept 7 when back from a one-day suspension, Nunes knows he has to maintain that tempo to be in with a chance.

However, with a shrinking pool of fewer than 300 horses left, chasing good rides is literally like chasing his own tail.

The struggle is not only in terms of quantity but also quality.

“It’s all about the support, but unfortunately, we don’t have much to chase in terms of good rides these days,” said Nunes.

“Some horses run, some come back again. We take what we have.”

He is still pleased with his book of seven rides on Sept 14, even if Queiroz has picked up two more.

The last three rides, Vittoria Perfetta (Race 7), Tennet Tentennet (Race 9) and Asif (Race 10) are the ones he is banking on the most.

“Vittoria Perfetta deserves a chance. I know he’s nine years old, but he’s in good form,” he said.

“Asif is in a strong field. The 1,400m is a question mark, but as he gets older, maybe he can take it.

“Tennet Tentennet’s been knocking on the door. He will run well.

“The rest are okay only, but if I ride two or three winners, I’ll have a good chance to pass Moreira.

“I actually also have some good rides next week on Sept 21.”

They include his Singapore Gold Cup ride Makin in the Class 1 race (1,400m), Great Warrior, Charminton, Elliot Ness, Fast And Furious, Shihab and Fearless Warrior.

“Makin runs in the trial tomorrow. He didn’t run in the QEII Cup (Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Sept 7) as there was no point running against Lim’s Kosciuszko and Lim’s Saltoro at level weights,” he said.

“He also had a tough 4YO series. The 2,000m of the Gold Cup is a query, but I wonder what weight Lim’s Kosciuszko will carry.”

Incidentally, the Singapore Gold Cup, slated as the last race on Oct 5, is one of the few Kranji Group 1 races to have eluded Nunes.

Should that and the “Moreira Mission” fail, he can still pin his hope on one last “consolation”.

“I’m fighting for a sixth title of course. It’s a good battle,” he said.

“Bruno is in a better position as he can ride lightweight and he gets big support from Jason Ong. It all depends on the next few weeks.”

manyan@sph.com.sg