No stopping red-hot Pinheiro
Barely a week after his Malaysian six-timer, Brazilian jockey knocks in five wins at Kranji
Even after another five-timer coming less than a week off a personal best of six wins, jockey Bernardo Pinheiro was still entertaining wistful thoughts.
The Brazilian’s Midas touch reached new heights at the Selangor Gold Cup meeting on Sept 8, with one of the sextet of wins coming in the coveted Group 1 event with Antipodean.
Like a success story that just keeps writing itself, the 28-year-old rider returned to his Kranji home base with another day out on Sept 14.
In steering home Windfall ($20), Strike Gold ($9), Wind Of Dubai ($40), Jin Sakamoto ($24) and Energy Baby ($18), he equalled his Singapore record of five winners (Silo, Rich Fortune, Real Efecto, Two Million and Cosmic Dancer) achieved 15 months earlier on June 30, 2023.
He did rue the one or two who got away, otherwise, he would have hit another milestone.
But for Pinheiro’s eyes to glaze over after he hopped off the last winner, Energy Baby, something else was on his mind.
“When I came here this year, I had 44 winners in Singapore, 30 in 2023 and 14 in 2022. My goal was to hit 100 winners before the place closes,” he said.
“I needed 56 winners and I’m now on 40 winners. I know there are only three meetings left, which means I need another day like today every week.
“I thought there was no way I could do it, but after today, I’d like to think it’s not impossible.”
Should he scoop winners at the same rate of knots, it is not just the century that he could go after, but also the premiership.
Mathematically, that is a harder ask as it would entail at least 16 winners in three meetings (Sept 21, 28 and Oct 5) while hoping for the two leading jockeys, fellow Brazilians Bruno Queiroz (53 wins) and Manoel Nunes (51 wins), to stop riding winners.
It sounds like a most improbable scenario, but the fact remains that both leading protagonists returned empty-handed on Sept 14.
Still, it may prove too little too late despite Pinheiro’s current insatiable appetite for wins.
Truth be told, both the 100-win goal and the No. 1 crown could have been on the cards had Dubai not been his first home.
“I only started late in April because of my riding commitments in Dubai up to the World Cup (in March),” he said.
“Who knows what could have been? I’m still happy with my wonderful season, even if the place is closing down.
“I really enjoy each ride, and always try my best to win them all.
“It could have been six today, but Fortune Wheel and Longevity were caught four wide throughout. I would have broken my Singapore record.
“I’d like to thank my wife Gabriela for her support. I also wouldn’t have done it without the owners’ and trainers’ support.”
Pinheiro owed his big haul to regular backers Ricardo Le Grange (Windfall and Strike Gold), Richard Lim (Wind Of Dubai and Jin Sakamoto) and Jerome Tan (Energy Baby).
While he is essentially a freelance rider, one can feel the mutual trust that exists between him and those trainers.
In Energy Baby’s resounding win in the last race, the $70,000 Class 3 event over 1,400m, he was every bit the team player.
“This horse is a very good horse. He had some problems when he was scratched the morning of a race four weeks ago,” said Pinheiro.
“We didn’t want to rush him. When he galloped so well this week, I told Jerome the horse was fit enough and I’ll ride him for luck.
“As he was also fresh, he ran on strongly. Everything went to plan.
“I was able to find the fence. When I asked him for his run, he answered very well.”
Front runner Aniki (Queiroz) looked all set to go all the way, but had no answer to the flying grey’s superior finish on the outside.
Tan said it was his job to nurse the son of Rich Enuff back to full fitness, and for Pinheiro to nurse him home. But, before the race, he had a hunch that had little to do with the science of horse racing.
“Pinheiro’s fourth winner was No. 4. Energy Baby was No. 5, so it was a good omen,” said the jocular Singaporean trainer.
“But seriously, the horse ran a very good second at his last start (Aug 11), even though the 1,200m was not his distance.
“Two weeks later (Aug 24), we had to scratch him on the morning of the race itself, his leg was swollen. I got him back and Pinheiro rode him very well today.
“He’ll run on the last day (Oct 5) in a Class 3 over 1,600m.”
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