Fitting farewell for the King of Kranji

SINGAPORE - He flashed the V-sign at the weigh-in after winning his final race.

The Kranji crowd roared in approval for the champion who has captured the imagination of not only Singapore racegoers but the racing world with his mastery in the saddle and possible world-record eight-from-eight feat last month.

As "The Magic Man" Joao Moreira stepped down from the scale, he must have expected a bottle of champagne to celebrate his crowning glory after almost five years, like those magical moments when he broke record after record.

Instead, he got the unexpected.

Fellow Kranji-based jockey Jose Verenzuela walked up and poured a pail of ice water over the stunned three-time Singapore champion.

The bottle of champagne was in the hands of John O'Hara, trainer of his final winner, the aptly-named Superb Success. O'Hara popped it, shook it hard and sprayed the bubbly over Moreira, who was still recovering from the shock of the pail affair.

In joined Verenzuela, with another bottle of flowing champagne.

That was the surprise celebration, but the champion took it all in his stride.

He smiled. He wept.

After all, he was all-conquering in his final moment - six wins in all, which was half the 12-race programme.

"You see, I've got so many good friends, these two blokes and, all those people who are here, they will be in my heart forever," said an emotional Moreira, tapping his left chest.

"Thanks to all of you guys, it's been a pleasure to be here today with you all." He said it was hard controlling his emotions.

"Yeah, it's hard. It's hard to handle that but I'll be carrying in my heart very good memories of Singapore, and all those people who have been cheeering for me, they will also be in my heart."

Moreira will be heading for Hong Kong, where he has been licensed to ride from Thursday until the conclusion of the 2013/2014 season in August next year.

With his hat-trick from seven rides last Friday, the effervescent hotshot has brought his season's total to 179 winners - a massive 92 clear of his nearest rival, fellow Brazilian Manoel Nunes.

With only two months left, it is unlikely that he will be overtaken.

That will make him King of Kranji four years in a row.

Singapore's loss is Hong Kong's gain

During his time, he also captured a host of major successes and was associated with many top gallopers, including Super Easy and War Affair, whom he rode to win yesterday's big race.

The congratulations and well wishes came thick and fast, and a lot of his fans stayed back to watch the high drama unfold, clapping and cheering.

Said one of them, Loh Kah Seng, in Mandarin: "I will miss him. He's the one and only."

Singapore's loss is Hong Kong's gain.

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