Moreira and Size look to keep the ball rolling after midweek treble

They combined for a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night and jockey Joao Moreira and trainer John Size team up three times at Sha Tin on Saturday as they look to continue their recent good form as a duo.

Moreira and Size have tasted success together 13 times this season and five of those victories have come in December. Size is a notoriously slow starter but has surged into second in the trainers’ premiership, just two wins behind leader Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, and Moreira is enjoying being along for the ride.

“Riding horses for John Size at the best time of the year when he really hits the ground running makes a jockey’s life much easier,” Moreira said after the pair dominated Wednesday night’s meeting.

The duo join forces with Running Glory in the Class Four Lukfook Jewellery Goldstyle Handicap (1,400m), Leading Fortune in the Class Four Lukfook Jewellery Love Forever Collection Handicap (1,600m) and smart four-year-old Blaze Warrior in the best contest on the 10-race card, the Class Two Lukfook Jewellery Cup (1,400m).

Winning streaks put to the test as talented youngsters go head-to-head at Sha Tin

“His first run for the season of course he needed the run so he ran a good second and second-up he was able to have a very nice run in transit and he got into the clear at the right time and he won the race in a way that you would think he can win again. He is such an exciting horse,” Moreira said of Blaze Warrior, who is on a path to the Classic Mile at the end of next month.

“He is the kind of horse who gets us excited for the near future and the horse has no problems, he is definitely feeling very well.”

Moreira’s hopes of winning a fifth premiership have been boosted by the unfortunate injuries suffered by Zac Purton, who was one of four jockeys to hit the turf in Sunday’s fall in the Hong Kong Sprint.

The Magic Man cut the gap in the race for the jockeys’ title to seven at the midweek meeting and while the he knows he is likely to be in the lead by the time Purton returns in January, he’d much rather his rival be on the track with him.

“I would love to win the championship but I wouldn’t want to see my [fellow riders] being in the hospital and being out of competition because it’s not a pleasure,” he said.

“Unfortunately we had a bad experience at the weekend but it’s something that has to be left behind and hopefully those fellows get well soon and come back to racing.”

Comments