3 minute read

As surprising as it may sound, it has taken six months for jockey Manoel Nunes, second only after runaway leader Joao Moreira on the Singapore jockey's log, to finally ride his first winner for seven-time champion trainer Laurie Laxon on Sunday.

The former Macau-based Brazilian jockey has been an instant hit at Kranji since taking up a licence in January, riding winners by the spades for a variety of trainers including the likes of Michael Freedman, Leslie Khoo, Sam Chua, etc, but somehow rides, let alone wins, have not been forthcoming from the Kiwi conditioner.

Nunes, who got aboard only two previous Laxon runners, without success, before Sunday, may see a few more phone calls from Laxon from now on after he greeted the judge aboard Natural Nice in a driving finish in the $95,000 Class 2 race over 1400m on Sunday.

The last-start winner settled in midfield before he came chiming in with his own challenge as a three-pronged charge made up of favourite Born To Fly (A’Isisuhairi Kasim), Greenstone (Joao Moreira) and Peaceful Warrior (Danny Beasley) set sail after runaway leader Lamborghini Flame (Ivaldo Santana).

The last 200m was a sight to behold as all four runners made a race of it, but Natural Nice pinned his ears back to lunge on the line for a head win from Born To Fly with Greenstone peaking on his run to run third another head away.

Peaceful Warrior had every chance, but found three better to finish fourth another three parts of a length away. The winning time was 1min 22.36secs for the 1400m trip on the Long Course.

“I’m very happy to have finally ridden a winner for Laurie. I’ve had two rides for him before, but this is my first win,” said Nunes who was clocking in win No 52.

“Obviously, the opportunities have been scarce from that side because it’s either Joao or Danny who gets most of the rides, but I hope that first win will change all that now.

“I had this horse in a lovely spot, one-off the fence. As it was on the Long Course, I took my time as I didn’t want to go too soon, or else he would probably stop.

“He looked like he wanted to bite a horse when he put his ears back, but he tried very hard and showed plenty of courage to win narrowly.”

The only letdown, if any, was Laxon was not on hand to celebrate their first winning combination as he is currently on holidays in Phuket. He was represented by assistant-trainer Shane Ellis who, however, heaped praise on Nunes' ride.

“I actually first approached Oscar (Chavez) for the ride as he won on him at his last start, but he went to India to ride in the Indian Guineas for an owner,” said Ellis.

“With the 51.5kg on his back, we thought of Nunes and it’s worked out well. If he rides them the way he did today, I’m sure he’ll get more rides from us from now on.”

Natural Nice, who has now scored six wins from 24 starts for prizemoney in excess of $300,000 for the V-Day Stable, will certainly make up for the narrow second of their standardbearer Ready To Strike at the hands of Deep Pockets two events earlier.

“The thing about both horses is they both have tough bulldog fighting qualities,” said Ellis.

“This one (Natural Nice) really stuck his head out to get the money. It was a super effort considering he was stepping up to Class 2.

“He had no weight on his back and just kept fending them off in the last bit. Tough bugger he is.”