By Michel Lee, Singapore Turf Club
Update: Manoel Nunes obtained his medical report on Tuesday and is cleared to ride in races from this Saturday. He rode trackwork on Wednesday morning.
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Brazilian jockey and former Kranji punters’ pal Manoel Nunes is all poised to make his long-awaited Singapore riding comeback this Saturday so long as one last paperwork is ironed out in the next day or two.
After jumping through many hoops to get into Singapore from Sao Paulo due to the COVID-19 restrictions on work permits and border entry visas, the 45-year-old finally came out of his 10-day quarantine on Friday (he landed on October 19).
He has already accepted six rides for this weekend, but getting to sit on top of them come Saturday still hinges on one last formality – his medical clearance.
Manoel Nunes at his last Kranji win on Limited Edition on September 22, 2019.
Nunes was told he should receive it either Tuesday or latest Wednesday, following which he can start riding trackwork in readiness for his comeback.
“I didn’t approach any trainers as I wanted to slowly come back into it, but I’ve already got six rides, which is great,” said Nunes.
“They are Wind Of Liberty and Pisca Pisca for Hideyuki Takaoka, City Gate and Bizar Wins for Alwin Tan, Cheval Rapide for James Peters, and Implement for Steven Burridge.
“But I’m still waiting on my medical to get the final go-ahead. The clinic staff are trying their best for either this afternoon or tomorrow.
“I will then ride trackwork the moment I get that. I’ve already asked trainers like Mark Walker, Michael Clements through his assistant-trainer Chopsy (Michael White), Alwin Tan and Jason Lim through his assistant-trainer Joe, and they told me they had rides for me in the morning.
“During the quarantine, I rode my exercise bike every day. There is nothing more I could do, I’m now running and swimming since I moved into my apartment, but the best way to work on my fitness is to get on a horse.
“I’m at 52.5 to 53kgs. I didn’t take any lightweights for my first day, I think the lowest is 54kgs.”
After his Singapore reign in the mid-2010s during which he claimed the Singapore champion jockey title three times running from 2014 to 2016, Nunes left in 2017 after his licence was not renewed. He then plied his trade in Macau, Korea and Mauritius, but did make a cameo pitstop visit at Kranji on September 22, 2019 on an invitation from owner Joe Singh to ride Countofmontecristo in the Group 1 Raffles Cup.
He didn’t win, but he didn’t return to Mauritius (where he was then licensed and was eventually crowned champion jockey) empty-handed with one win aboard Limited Edition for Jason Ong to inch closer to the 500-win Singapore milestone on 496 winners.
He is not sure whether he will hit it at the last four meetings left in the Singapore racing season, as that late show at the backend is to him all about warming up for next year.
“It’s been a long wait since my licence was confirmed back in June, I missed five months, but that’s the way it is now with the pandemic. More importantly, it’s over and I can’t wait to start riding in races this Saturday,” he said.
“I will just use those last meetings to re-establish myself, reconnect with the trainers and owners, get to know the horses. If I can ride a few winners, that’ll be a bonus, but I’m looking at next year to hit top gear.
“I’ve already applied for a new licence in 2022 and like everybody else, I’m waiting for the new list to come out.”
