Moreira targets strong finish after playing key role in Fownes’ title triumph

By Paul Ryding

Four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey Joao Moreira paid tribute to his boss, Caspar Fownes, following the trainer’s emphatic title win ahead of the Season Finale at Happy Valley on Wednesday (15 July).

The “Magic Man” was drafted in by Fownes on a short-term stable contract for the final part of the season to help in his bid for a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship. The Brazilian, a full-time rider in the city between 2013 and 2022, duly played his part delivering 27 of Fownes’ 69 winners so far, which wrapped up this year’s premiership with a meeting to spare at Sha Tin last Sunday (12 July).

Moreira, who has expressed interest in racing in Hong Kong next season, said he was proud to have played his part in delivering the title to Fownes’ yard.

“It’s very rewarding,” Moreira said. “It’s been a pleasure working with him. He’s a great trainer. He’s done everything to deserve the success he’s been getting.

“In my opinion, he has won with a quality of horses that is not as good as some of the other trainers. He’s done an amazing job to get those horses to win as many wins as he’s got. I’m just so pleased and proud of being involved.

“Hopefully, this is not it. Hopefully, we can get some more winners. We’ve got this last race meeting and we do have some very nice rides,” he added.

Moreira concludes his arrangement with Fownes by taking five rides for the champion trainer at Wednesday’s triumphant conclusion to the 2025/26 season, and the 42-year-old is aiming to maintain a scintillating run of form, which has seen him return 30 wins from 185 rides so far, at a win rate of 16.22%.

His brightest hope may well be four-year-old Pejibaye (135lb), who showed marvellous potential during his first season in Fownes’ care, bagging a win and three seconds, before a horror showing on the Sha Tin dirt earlier this month when, as betting favourite, he finished tailed off in 11th.

Moreira believes the Per Incanto gelding’s immaturity was a factor in that disappointing run.

“He’s a very difficult horse,” Moreira said of Pejibaye, who contests the Class 4 Star Shine Handicap (1200m). “We’ve done everything we could to make sure that he settles in.

“He played in the gate. He didn’t help himself by doing that, missing the start and giving his chance away. However, he’s a very nice horse. He’s been training very well. He’s very healthy, and it’s not going to be a surprise to me if he goes there and wins, because he has proven to be capable.

“He’s very fast out of the gate, as long as he doesn’t play around as he did last time. If he shows the speed he’s got, he’s going to be right there with them, and I really hope that he brings his A game.”

Moreira links up again with Somelovefromabove (121lb) in the Class 3 Encountered Handicap (1650m). The four-year-old Australian-bred has three wins this season, but has failed to reach those heights since stepping into Class 3 company in April, and steps up in distance in a last-ditch attempt to finish his sophomore season on a high.

“He’s been a very good horse for the stable throughout the season, and let’s just hope that he does it again on the last day,” Moreira said.

“He feels like he’s ready to win. He’s up to the class, and, in my opinion, he’s been just a bit unlucky. However, he’s going to have every chance coming from the gate one, and hopefully we can finish (the season) in the best way.”

Wednesday’s (15 July) nine-race 2025/26 Season Finale at Happy Valley starts at 6.30pm with the Class 5 Silver Grecian Handicap (1650m).