Brazilian jockey Ruan Maia treated race-goers to a great display of horsemanship in getting Pearl Green first across the line in the Class 4 Handicap over 1500 metres (turf) at the Taipa track on Sunday.

Maia was following the speed and running fifth on the rail coming to the home turn when shortly after straightening he went to angle to the outside of Mater Of Cheers (Luis Corrales). Pearl Green clipped the heels of Master Of Cheers and dipped badly almost unseating Maia. The Brazilian kept his cool and minus the irons pulled the whip on Pearl Green and drove him through a gap switching the whip from right to left hand as he did.

The gelding burst away for a strong win on the line beating One Belt One Road (Ryan Curatolo), with Flying Team (Andrew Calder) running on strongly for third.

It’s not the first time that Maia has pulled off an extraordinary riding feat in Macau.

On April 16th Maia was put in an extremely difficult position when riding Cheerful Companion for trainer Alan Tam in a Class 6 contest on the sand. Maia’s saddled slipped badly down the side of the horse with his left foot stuck in the iron. His other foot was then pulled up high on the horses’ wither from the movement of the saddle. Maia did a great balancing act to free that foot then proceeded to pull the whip riding the horse right out to the post to get up and win narrowly.

Maia is fast making a name for himself in the enclave with a winning double on Sunday taking him to 31 wins for the season, a great tally considering he only arrived in December.

It took awhile for some decent rides to come his way but now that he is fully established, the Brazilian will be a force to be reckoned with in the new season, and a great chance of being champion jockey.

For Pearl Green it was the third win straight from his six starts in Macau and he is a horse on the way to the top.

Prepared in Macau by two times Champion K H Leong, the son of Fastnet Rock (Aud) was originally a $460,000 purchase the 2015 Gold Coast Yearling Sales. The then colt was named Meadow Lane and sent to the stables of Gai Waterhouse where he was beaten out of sight in two barrier trials.

Meadow Lane was then gelded and sold onto Macau no doubt for a mere fraction of his original purchase price, and after being re-christened Pearl Green with maturity has emerged as a serious racehorse that will be putting his hand up come Derby time next season.

Eleven year old iron horse Gauteng showed that there is still life in the old boy yet with another gutsy win at his pet course of 1350 metres on the sand.

Ridden by Ruan Maia, Gauteng fought back tenaciously when challenged by Éclair Infinity (Andrew Calder) to win by a neck on the wire, and make it thirteen wins at the distance and seventeen wins over all in Macau. The son of More Than Ready (USA) has had a total of 171 race starts in Macau for seventeen wins and forty one placed efforts and $4,697,000 HKD in prize money.

Judging by Sundays win in the 0 to 55 rated event it will not be the last for the K H Leong prepared galloper.

Kelowna Star showed his liking for the sand surface with a dominant win in Sundays Class 1 & 2 contest over 1510 metres.

Prepared by James Moore, Kelowna Star powered home down the outside under Peter Ho to win easily on the line from Advance Mission (Akash Aucharuz), with River Bobo (Luis Corrales) back in third.

The son of Sufficient (Aus) set a new track standard in clocking 1.32.6 for the distance eclipsing the old time set by More Than Happy in May of 1.32.9.

Peter Ho took riding honors on Sunday’s card with three winners and has now sealed his first Macau Champion Jockeys’ Title. After Sunday Ho leads on 51 wins 10 ahead of four times consecutive Champion Luis Corrales with Wayne Smith who has been the late finisher in third place on 39 wins.

With only three race days remaining Corrales would need nothing short of divine intervention to peg back that margin so the result appears a foregone conclusion.

K H Leong is set to claim his third Trainers Title after a winning double on Sunday taking him to a clear lead in the trainer’s standings.

Whilst it appeared a done deal prior to Sunday, Leong now leads on 44 wins from another two times Champion in Kim Cheong on 30, with Tony Fung on 27 wins in third spot.

Go Go Mission became the first winner from last year’s MJC Online Sales when he overcame a wide draw and a tough run in transit to win on debut in the 0 to 55 rated event over 1050 metres.

Trainee by Patrick Lee and ridden by Frankie Choi, Go Go Mission is only second horse to race from the sales to date. By Darci Brahma (NZ) from the Testa Rossa (Aus) mare Testa Secret, Go Go Mission is a small but neat precocious type that will have no trouble paying his way in Macau.