Excelling was a more than worthy winner of the Gr2 Merlion Trophy on Sunday, but without taking anything away from that win, there is every chance he was later overshadowed by Brazilian jockey Ruan Maia’s seven winners.
It was Maia’s biggest score ever, not only since the 32-year-old began his one-year licence at Kranji in January, but in an entire riding career (close to 600 winners) which began in Sao Paulo in 2006.
The best the two-time Macau champion jockey had achieved at his new hunting ground was four doubles before, but in one fell swoop, he now boasts a seven-timer to his Singapore and career resume.
Ararat Lady (Ruan Maia) gains the upperhand on Flak Jacket (Matthew Kellady)
He scooped up the first three races with El Chapo, The Mareeba Mango and Moon Face before continuing his white-hot form in the last six races, claiming four of them with Meryl, Ararat Lady, Elite Power and Gamely in the Lucky Last.
“It’s amazing. I never rode seven winners before,” said Maia, still pinching himself he was enjoying such a fairytale run.
“I’ve ridden four in Macau, three or four times, and twice in Brazil. I had only a few doubles in Singapore, and now, all of a sudden, seven. It’s amazing.”
The bountiful run comes just off the heels of another “amazing” feat – his first Singapore Group 1 success aboard Aramaayo in the Kranji Mile last Sunday, which he said would still take pride of place on his mantelpiece, though.
“The Gr1 win is still (a) more amazing (achievement). It’s a Group 1, nothing comes close to that,” said Maia.
Going into the previous meeting (Kranji Mile) on August 16, Maia sat in second place on 20 winners, about half of leader Vlad Duric’s 39.
Who would have thought that barely one week later, he would have shaved that massive lead back to 10 winners only, with Duric having not won since (suspended for careless riding last week and rode no winners on Sunday)?
Not even Maia would have thought so, although he did have a good hunch about his book of 13 rides this Sunday.
Elite Power (Ruan Maia, blue cap) just pips his rivals in a four-way thriller in Race 13
“I knew I had some good rides, but I thought I could ride three winners maybe,” he said.
“My best chance was The Mareeba Mango, followed by Ararat Lady and Meryl, who ran on so well over 1400m last time and was stepping up to 1600m.
“I thought Gamely had a good chance with his light weight, and I was very happy when he finished strongly to give me my seventh win.
“But the most difficult win was Elite Power. In the last 200m, when I looked at the inside and outside, I thought I could not pass another runner.
“I was also happy I rode my first two winners for Cliff Brown, Moon Face and Ararat Lady.”
Maia was seen at his patient best on Ararat Lady ($25), the consistent mare who then brought up his fifth win in the $70,000 Beau Brummell 2009 Stakes Class 3 Division 2 race over 1000m.
The Battle Paint five-year-old could have led outright after a smart jump from barrier No 3, but the speedy Flak Jacket (Matthew Kellady) kicked up on her inside. Maia did not insist, happy to let Ararat Lady travel on his outside while keeping a neck in front.
At no time did Maia urge his mount to cut to the rails, just waiting for the right time to pop the question at the 400m mark.
And how she responded, extending beautifully under hands-and-heels riding to get up with three parts of a length to spare from a very resilient Flak Jacket.
Gamely gives Ruan Maia his Magnificent Seven in the last race.
Gamely gives Ruan Maia his Magnificent Seven in the last race
Wassergeist (Vlad Duric) and Watch Out Boss (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) made ground late to fight for third place another neck away, which they eventually shared with the judge unable to split them.
“Cliff knows this mare very well. He told me to wait a bit longer before making my move in the straight,” said Maia.
Clocking 58.18secs for the 1000m on the Polytrack, Ararat Lady has now chalked up four wins and seven placings from 15 starts for around $190,000 in stakes earnings for the Jass Stable.
The sheer delight etched on Maia’s face was evident as he returned to the winner’s enclosure for the seventh time aboard Gamely – even with the mask on, while racing trivia buffs could not help but see the shades of the heroics of another Brazilian they called Magic seven years ago.
Joao Moreira not only went one better with eight winners on September 6, 2013, it was a perfect score achieved from eight rides for a Singapore history-making feat. Four years earlier (August 2, 2009), multiple-champion jockey Saimee Jumaat (now a trainer) also rode seven winners, which were dubbed the Magnificent Seven.
Granted, Maia had more rides than Moreira, but he is nonetheless humbled to have come the closest to his famous compatriot.
“Moreira texted me and sent me his congratulations. Of course, I know of his eight-from-eight here, and I did think of that when I won the last race,” said Maia, who won the Macau jockeys’ premiership at his full second (2017-2018) and third season (2018-2019) in the former Portuguese enclave.
“But you know, riding seven winners is nice, but it’s more important to keep working hard and getting the opportunities.
“I am a bit closer to Vlad now, but to be honest, I don’t think too much about it. I just let things come naturally.”
- Singapore Turf Club
