Joao Moreira, 31, took Singapore by storm between 2009 and 2013, landing four premiership titles and smashing record after record, before he continued on his crusade in Hong Kong where he is enjoying the same resounding success, currently well on his way to his first title after finishing second to Zac Purton at his first season last year despite missing two months of the championship. After showing his wares with a third place on 69 wins on the log at his first Kranji foray in 2009, the Brazilian jockey went on to secure four consecutive premiership titles (2010 to 2013), blitzing the record of most wins at Kranji when he reached the incredible haul of 206 wins in 2012. But all these were eclipsed by that almost superhuman feat of his – probably unmatched in racing’s record books and for years to come – score a perfect eight from eight at Kranji on 6 September 2013. Moreira, who began his career in 2000, was not as well known when he was riding in Brazil, though he was a two-time Brazilian Eclipse Award (Trofeu Mossoro) winner (2006/7 and 2007/8) and boasted a fine record of over 1,000 wins, including the Grade 1 Grande Premio Diana and Grande Premio Henrique de Toledo Lara, both captured in 2008 with Bubbly Jane in Sao Paulo. Before Moreira came to Singapore, his overseas resume included Argentina, France, Dubai and Uruguay, but his fame has since propelled him to international success in Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, England, Malaysia, Macau and Sweden, including success in jockey’s challenges in South Africa, Hong Kong and the UK’s famous Shergar Cup. Among Moreira’s most recent overseas feats are his two wins at his first Dubai World Cup participation in 2014 when he landed the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with Sterling City and the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint with Amber Sky, and his ever-growing Australian Group 1 tally this year with a win aboard Brazen Beau in the Newmarket Handicap. His major highlights in Hong Kong include the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, HKG1 Stewards’ Cup and HKG1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on Able Friend and the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and HKG1 Hong Kong Gold Cup on Designs On Rome. He has a phenomenal 108 Hong Kong wins so far this season for a total of 208 (as of 4 May). On 1 March, 2015, he equalled the Hong Kong record of six wins in a day held by Douglas Whyte and Brett Prebble. Though Moreira has won many Group 1 races in Singapore, headlined by the Emirates Singapore Derby with Chase Me in 2012, the SIA Cup and KrisFlyer have, however, still proven elusive to the jockey they call ‘Magic’.