Highly-credentialed international jockey Manoel Nunes will make his South Australian riding debut at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
Nunes, a multiple leading rider in Singapore and Macau, has been booked for six rides and is expected to relocate to SA on a full-time basis later in the year.
Nunes has picked up four rides for local horseman Michael Hickmott as well as Fox Gem for John MacMillan and the Chris Bieg-trained Flyway.
The 47-year-old has ridden all around the world having tasted success in in Hong Kong, Argentina, Mauritius, Dubai, South Korea and at home in Brazil and is a natural lightweight who can ride as light as 51kg.
He currently leads the Kranji Jockey Premiership and finished third in last weekend’s Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) aboard Ghalib behind local superstar Lim’s Kosciuszko.
Nunes is being managed by Damien Wilton who said there was no doubt Nunes had all the attributes to make his presence in SA racing.
“We’ve already seen there is significant interest from trainers, he’s got links to Michael (Hickmott) through overseas connections and obviously Barend (Vorster),’’ Wilton said.
“But how that all plays out we’re not sure.
“He’s got commitments back in Singapore until the end of their season in the first week of October (last meeting on October 5) but all indications we’ve had is that he’ll look at returning to Adelaide on a full-time basis after that,’’ he said.
