Jockey Bruno Queiroz has reached a new personal milestone in his six years of riding after he edged fellow champion Brazilian jockey Manoel Nunes out for a narrow win on the Singapore jockeys’ premiership this season.
Pacific Padrino (No 2) brings up jockey Bruno Queiroz’s fourth win in Race 9 (Pic – STC)
While Singapore, and most of the international racing fraternity had their eyes locked on the final running of the SG$1.38 million Grand Singapore Gold Cup, which was eventually won by the David Kok-trained Smart Star and South African visiting jockey Muzi Yeni, Queiroz had another goal he wanted to achieve other than the most coveted trophy on Saturday.
A Group 1 win for him in Singapore was not meant to be after Pacific Vampire peaked on his run and came back last in the feature race, but the two-time Rio de Janeiro champion jockey still booted home four winners on the undercards at the 10-card meeting to sit on 58 wins with Nunes.
A five-time Singapore champion jockey, Nunes bagged a treble at the penultimate meeting on 28 September and sat on a comfortable three-win lead on Queiroz, who had 54 wins coming into Saturday’s races.
The 23-year-old rider, who began riding in Singapore in July last year, drew first blood in the SG$45,000 William Henry Macleod Read Cup, a Class 5 race aboard the Kuah Cheng Tee-trained Ciango, who was also Kuah’s sole runner and winner on the day. Nunes immediately hit back with a win atop Ocean Jupiter in the SG$45,000 Colonel Cup, a Class 5 race in the second race to maintain his lead.
Down but not out, the determined Queiroz grinded his way back with three more wins on board The Wild Chief in the SG$45,000 Abdul Mawi Cup, a Class 5 race , Pacific Warrior in the SG$85,000 S.R. Nathan Cup, a Class 4 race and Pacific Padrino in the SG$85,000 Rocket Man Cup, a Class 4 race.
Both Brazilian jockeys were sitting on 58 wins by the second last race, but with Nunes’ mount, Dream Alliance, finishing in fourth in the Grand Singapore Gold Cup, the decider came down to the number of seconds, in which Queiroz (54) had more than Nunes (48), hence he took the crown.
It was a thrilling battle to the wire at the final season in Singapore. The last time Singapore saw a similar nail-biting finish in the premierships was when the late legendary trainer Laurie Laxon and Australian trainer Michael Freedman each had 76 wins by the last race in 2012, but the former eventually took the training honours based on a better countback for seconds.
Queiroz probably had no idea of the battle of the Titans back then given the Sao Paolo native was only 11, albeit he might have already heard of the Little Red Dot 16,978 km away from him given his godfather and famous jockey Joao Moreira won his third consecutive champion jockey’s title that year.
“It’s the perfect day for me, thank God,” said Queiroz, who had his father and jockey Antonio, mother Sandra and girlfriend Kemilly Rodrigues with him on Saturday.
“After a break back home last December, my goal this year when I came back was to win the premiership because it’s very important for me.
“But it’s not easy because Nunes is a very strong and competitive rider and he has good support. He’s very experienced and has been riding for eight years here.
“But I worked hard, always did my best and I know I had some good rides. I’m very happy I won (first Singapore champion jockey title) and I want to thank all the trainers and owners who supported me.
“Also, thanks to my family and friends in Brazil. My dad, mum and girlfriend gave me a lot of support here.
“My sister and family in Brazil watched the races in the morning in Brazil. Joao’s races in Australia (Melbourne) ended earlier and he watched my races too and was very happy for me.”
Moreira had six rides at Flemington racecourse on Saturday and finished second aboard the Chris Waller-trained Buckaroo in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, which was won by stablemate Via Sistina and jockey Damian Lane.
The pair of godfather and godson will ride in the races at Sao Paolo on 11 and 12 October after Queiroz flies back to Brazil with his family and girlfriend on Wednesday.
