Jockey Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira broke the record for most winners in a season for the third consecutive term at Sha Tin on Sunday. Aboard the Peter Ho-trained favourite Sunny Win (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) in the 1200m Class 3 Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road H., the Brazilian scored his second winner on the card after Fantastic Show (Aus) (Not a Single Doubt {Aus}), who is trained by Me Tsui, saluted in the 1200-metre Chai Wan Road Plate, giving him 169 wins for the season in Hong Kong. The total was one higher than his 2015/16 total. During the 2014/15 season, Moreira booted home 145 winners, which bettered the mark of fellow Hong Kong champion jockey Douglas Whyte's 114 set back in 2005/06.
“It has been a very special season,” Moreira said. “It means a lot, it means that the hard work that I have put in this season has all been worth it. Records are there to be broken so it's nice to get to do it again, although I'm sure there will be someone who comes along and breaks my records one day.”
Added Ho, “The outside draw [nine] was a big help for him. If he had drawn inside, I don't think he could have won because he has a big stride and he doesn't like kickback. Joao came back and said that he needs further so we still have the 1650m up our sleeve again next season, it's just that there were no races for him now over the mile. Obviously for Joao, it is a big thing getting the record, although I think it is just another winner for him. He has ridden plenty of them.”
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