Nunes the champ issues warning

As expected, three-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes delivered – and laid claim in no uncertain terms to snaring another premiership title.

Never mind, it was only the first day of his season on Saturday, but the 46-year-old Brazilian once again showed he has what it takes to be The Champ yet again.

Given the wide support, he was expected to have a grand harvest with his strong book of nine rides on his first day back in the new Singapore racing season. After a one-day suspension for careless riding, he kicked home four winners and five seconds. Wow!

In just one meeting, he has jumped to the top of the jockeys’ premiership. 

It looks like smooth sailing from now, barring unforeseen circumstances, of course. 

He is level with Panama-born Singaporean Oscar Chavez, but he has three more seconds on countback.

Popular with Kranji racing fans, all his rides were strongly backed – five first favourites, three second fancies and one third favourite.

“I’m so happy to start the season with four winners. It could have been better, but I can’t complain and can’t be too greedy, anyway,” said Nunes, who was Singapore champion from 2014 to 2016.

He added that he was very happy with the way things have gone. After all, he had a break of two years in his native Brazil because of the pandemic. 

He managed to ride for only three weeks last November on his return to Kranji but showed no rustiness. He scored eight times from just 32 rides for a high 25 per cent strike rate.

After beating all but The Shadow in Saturday’s opener on Lucky Imperator, Nunes made the first steps to his great waltz on the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained newcomer Dancing Light in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden event over the Polytrack 1,100m. 

He made it pillar to post on the Tivic Stable-owned three-year-old, who cost A$200,000 (S$195,000) as a yearling. Fitzsimmons said Nunes told him the horse won on natural ability.

With improvement, we should hear more good things from the youngster before the season is out.

It was Fitzsimmons who provided Nunes with two other winners, Super Atas and my last-race best bet Lucky Jinsha. 

Trainer Michael Clements saddled his other winner, Mortal Engine, who is also owned by Tivic Stable.

Nunes kept the Velocity Racing No. 2 Stable-owned Super Atas a handy third before making his challenge in the straight in the $20,000 Maiden event over the Poly 1,600m. 

French jockey Marc Lerner made a desperate lunge on the Stephen Gray-trained Great Expectation but fell short by a neck.

Lucky Jinsha’s win was what new racecaller Patrick Comerford labelled as an “unbelievable arrogant performance – a blast in the last”.

The Hong Kong-owned Lucky Unicorn Stable’s four-year-old appeared a racing certainty on his consistency and two trial wins. Hence, the $8 win odds.

But the victory was not expected to be that easy; like a morning workout. After Nunes found the front smoothly from his wide barrier, the race was as good as over.

In the straight, Lucky Jinsha just drew further and further away. Nunes already dropped anchor about 75m from the winning post. Yet, he won the $50,000 Class 4 event over the Poly 1,200m by 51/2 lengths in 1:11.52.

It was the Australian-bred’s third straight success and his fourth in his last five starts. He is heading for better things, for sure.

Nunes also managed to get Mortal Engine to a soft lead from his wide berth in the $50,000 Class 4 race over the Poly 1,100m.

The last-start $10 beaten favourite went to the post 13/4 lengths clear in 1:04.71. The trial winner paid well – $29.

He is another whose owners will have plenty of fun with this season.

How Nunes fared
Race 1    Lucky Imperator (2nd)
Race 2     Dancing Light (1st)
Race 3     Sun Power (2nd)
Race 4     Gold Cut (2nd)
Race 6     Super Atas (1st)
Race 7     Mortal Engine (1st)
Race 9     Wawasan (2nd)
Race 10   Siam Warrior (2nd)
Race 11   Lucky Jinsha (1st)