Joao Moreira

The Sunday Racing silks were carried to a famous one-two at Nakayama on Sunday, but not in the order expected as Museum Mile (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) toppled the unbeaten Croix du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) to claim the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas). It was a blistering performance from Museum Mile as he lowered the course record for the 2,000-metre distance at Nakayama in a time of 1:57.00, passing the post with a length and a half to spare over...

Joao Moreira made it back-to-back wins in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) as Embroidery (Jpn) followed up last year's victory aboard Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) for the Brazilian-born jockey known worldwide as the "Magic Man". Sunday's Hanshin triumph also saw Embroidery become the first Group 1 winner for her sire, Admire Mars (Jpn), from his very first crop of three-year-olds since taking up stud duties at Shadai Stallion Station. Trained by Kazutomo Mori, Embroidery entered the 1,600-metre contest as a leading contender after a two-and-a-half-length defeat of Ma...

Fan favourite Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) occupied the runner-up spot in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen for the third consecutive year at Chukyo on Sunday, as Satono Reve (Jpn) fought off the best sprinters that Japan has to offer to make the breakthrough in Group 1 company. Defending champion Mad Cool (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) also featured in the 18-strong field, but it was Namura Clair, previously second to First Force (Jpn) in 2023, who headed the betting in her quest to finally to win this six-furlong heat. Last seen...

A very impressive winner of the Listed Hyacinth Stakes going Tokyo's one-turn mile on Feb. 23, Koichi Nishikawa's Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) was even more eyecatching when taking out Saturday's $228,217 Fukuryu Stakes (allowance) at Nakayama by five dominating lengths over the metric nine furlongs. The 40 points earned for the victory took his Kentucky Derby points total to 70, good for the automatic berth on the first Saturday in May, should connections opt to take up the assignment. Favored at 3-10 with Joao Moreira taking over from the record-setting...

A field of 11 3-year-old colts is set to face the starter for Saturday's $226,404 Fukuryu Stakes, an 1800-meter allowance contest at Nakayama Racecourse that serves as the last of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 40-20-12-8-4 scale. Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) currently sits in pole position in the series, having earned 30 points when proving best in the Listed Hyacinth Stakes over Tokyo's one-turn, 1600-meter configuration on Feb. 23. A full-brother to dual G1 February Stakes winner Cafe Pharoah and...

It isn't that they weren't expected to perform--each was sent away at 1-10 favouritism--but reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and new sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) gave the Sha Tin faithful and a broader audience worldwide exactly what they wanted at Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting. Romantic Warrior, purchased by Mick Kinane for 300,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls October Sale as a prospect for the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Hong Kong International Sale, took out the G1 Longines...

Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) reversed the form with her G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies conqueror, Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) Daiwa Major (Jpn), as she ran out an authoritative winner of Sunday's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) at Hanshin Racecourse, the first leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara. The hitherto unbeaten Ascoli Piceno was crowned champion Japanese two-year-old filly in 2023, though Stellenbosch didn't have much to find with the favourite on their Hanshin Juvenile Fillies running when she'd finished best of all from the rear of the field to be beaten...

Just a handful of days after her passing from colic, Ecurie des Monceaux's star broodmare Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) came up with her fourth group winner, the now two-for-two Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who won the G3 Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai S. at Kyoto on Saturday. The chestnut full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was made the 5-2 pick by the Kyoto faithful, but his task was not made easier when he made a slight hop at the break and...

The blaze-faced Strauss (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) attained his first stakes victory under Joao Moreira in the G2 Tokyo Hai Nisai S. at Tokyo on Saturday. A winner on debut over 1600 metres locally in June and a solid third in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup on Oct. 7, he was sent off at 4-1 in this return to group company. Content to track Teleos Lulu (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) from a wide third down the backstretch, he was eager to improve his position through the first half-mile in :47.30....

Perched atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings at 129 pounds for much of the year after his sensational 3 1/2-length victory in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in Dubai this March, the formidable Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) will attempt to become only the third horse to claim the ¥421,420,000 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in back-to-back years at Tokyo on Sunday. The reigning Japanese Horse of the Year has never finished worse than second in eight starts, and landed the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin over 2200 metres--200 metres...

While there is no Triple Crown at stake this season, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over about a mile and seven furlongs (3000 metres) shapes an intriguing affair nonetheless, with the winners of the first two legs locking horns with--potentially--champion 3-year-old honours at stake. Shadai Farm's Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was late to begin his career, but was a quick study, winning his first three trips to the post and overcoming some immature habits to best Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) by a clear margin in...

Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira, Rest of the World team captain for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Aug. 12, is looking forward to the challenge, as he delays his retirement for now. "I was struggling with hip injuries at the end of last year, which I am not over yet but there is no doubt that I am a lot better than I was," said the four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey. "I was thinking about quitting riding but, once I started getting better, I felt I could...