Early talks of former Kranji kingpin Joao Moreira’s next heir apparent may be a touch premature, but Brazilian jockey Antonio da Silva’s riding treble on Sunday had some observers talking up the newcomer in that direction.

Fellow countrymen, reigning Singapore champion jockey and current runaway leader Manoel Nunes, and to a lesser extent, Ivaldo Santana had done a fine job filling the big boots left by the mercurial record-breaking Brazilian and four-time Singapore champion jockey, when he left for Hong Kong in 2013, but da Silva seems to be the closest, not so much in terms of riding style, but more the immediate impact he has made.

Granted, the 27-year-old went through two blank meetings following his debut winner Stick Seeker at his first day of riding on October 18, but to be fair, quality and quantity were somehow lacking.

But not this weekend, when he could count on a better book of rides on his side. Da Silva got off to a flier on $16 favourite Rosegold in the first race, the $35,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1400m before springing an $108 upset three races later in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1200m, then going back-to-back with another top fancy with Happy Saga ($26) in the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1400m.

Da Silva, a winner of over 700 races in Brazil including seven at Group 1 level, is certainly a polished rider from the way he flaunted three different registers at his three wins – coaxing Rosegold to a narrow win in a driving finish, leading all the way with Cactus Jack and coming from near-last with a flourish on Happy Saga.

Now that da Silva has got the show on the road, it is very likely his services will go up exponentially, never mind his broken English as Cactus Jack’s trainer Cliff Brown highlighted, not without his own brave crack at foreign languages.

“I think he’s great even with the language barrier, but we’ve got through that,” said the Australian trainer.

“He trialled the horse the other day and they went very well. Grazie Antonio.”

In showing his usual funny side, Brown, however, got his countries mixed up, as Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Italian, but it did not really matter, as most importantly, he does not get his training skills mixed up.

A four-year-old by Iffraaj, Cactus Jack (not to be confused with another Cactus Jack raced by the same owner Jerry Sung of Auric Stable some years ago) was only at his second start, 224 days after a modest debut when 10th to Mr Nicholson in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m.

“We put him away after he had some splint issues. He’s a big horse and it’s taken a while to get him right,” said Brown.

“Jerry has been very patient and I can’t thank him enough for that.”

English may still be a challenge for da Silva’s at this stage, but “thank you” were two words the former Sao Paulo jockey has already mastered.

“Thank you, thank you! I’m very happy with three wins,” he said before adding through his interpreter Eleandro Lopes. “I love it here and the weather as well, and I also want to improve on my English.

“I thought I had good chances today but to have three winners is really great.”