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Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira
earned plaudits for his three brilliant winning rides aboard Mission
Impossible, Look At Me and Happiness Come on Sunday.
Balance, style and the all-American stength in the saddle were on show before
an appreciative crowd at Kranji as Moreira showed that his four Sao Paulo
champion jockey titles were certainly not usurped.
Trainer Stephen Gray was one of the many new fans to
acknowledge the instrumental part played by the newly-licensed rider in
Mission Impossible's success in the $55,000 Class 4 Division 2 race (1400m).
Mission Impossibe (Joao
Moreira) finishes the best in Race 2.
“We need more quality riders like him (Moreira). It is hard booking top
riders when they are all committed to some stables here,” said Gray.
“He gave the horse a lovely ride and punched him out at the
right time. I told him to sit handy if the pace is slowly, but if the pace is
on, he would be smiling because he gets back and will come home strongly
anyway.
Moreira showed his polish in the saddle with the way he handled
the ride aboard the $13 favourite. He showed a patience of Job by nursing him
along in fourth on the fence and never panicked when the on-pacers set sail
for home.
Mission Impossible is owned by the Mission Stable and has now
racked up three wins from 17 runs and amassed prizemoney close to $160,000.
The second leg of the double came one race laterand was harder to carve out,
but Moreira produced timely precision to find the line with Look At Me for
trainer Dr Yeoh Kheng Chye in the $65,000 Restricted Maiden (2&3YO) race
(1200m)..
But all honours to Moreira who went on to produce another masterful ride
aboard $81 outsider Happiness Come for trainer Steven Burridge in the $75,000
Class 3 race (1600m).
Happiness Come (nearest
camera) gets up in the shadows of the post to ring up Joao Moreira's winning
treble.
Second favourite Marco Kid (Beasley) was being hailed the winner when
Happiness Come came from the clouds to just pip Brian Dean's galloper by the
barest of margins on the line.
The modest Moreira however deflected all praise, putting down his
winning treble to luck.
"I was lucky to get three good rides and get them in very good positions
during the race," said Moreira.
"I always try my best and it's a great pleasure to get my first treble
here. I also have to thank the trainers and owners for the amazing support
they have given me since I came here."
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