It’s Joao time again on Sunday, with Joao ‘The Magic Man’ Moreira returning from suspension and ready to put real pressure on Zac Purton’s jockey championship lead.
Purton was able to post four wins and extend his lead to 10 over Moreira while the Brazilian was sidelined for three meetings, but now the squeeze will really be on.
Moreira returns to a nice book of rides, with winning chances throughout the card headed by Dehere’s The Love for John Size and Divine Ten for Me Tsui.
Divine Ten has been beaten only once, in controversial circumstances when Purton was aboard, and makes the rise to Class 2 on Sunday in what looks an ideal opportunity to make the grade from a draw nearer the outside in the straight event.
Moreira is also unbeaten on Dehere’s The Love, who has been a revelation since switching to the all-weather this season and was a soft winner at his latest appearance.
The Brazilian could make a clean sweep of the three straight races, with great prospects on Whistle Blower in the second event and on Super Abundante in race nine. Both ran well last time over the course from lower draws but drawn more advantageously in the outside half of the field this time.
Purton is battling to get the opportunities he had before Moreira arrived and is waiting on his main trainers, Dennis Yip and Caspar Fownes, to strike serious form this season.
His best chances might lie with Africa Light in the opening race for Benno Yung and a Yip-trained debutant, Generous Bobo, who has looked good at the trials.
During the week, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced the field for this year’s Derby on March 16, with no surprises and John Moore-trained Designs On Rome and Able Friend looking head and shoulders above their 12 rivals.
By Nathan Mody
