The only time champion jockey Manoel Nunes ever rode for trainer David Hill was in the 2013 Singapore Airlines International Cup when Flax ran last to Military Attack.
We are not sure if the Brazilian got a roasting or he was exonerated of any blame from the British handler, but the fact is he never sat on any of his horses after that.
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since. And both men have done well not to burn their bridges either.
The no-nonsense Hill is not one to keep track of such petty matters, anyway, and when the opportunity arose this week, he was certainly not averse to the idea of giving Nunes a leg-up on Keep Spinning ($26) in Sunday’s $80,000 Japan Racing Association Trophy (2200m).
It was still a rare link-up that raised a few eyebrows, but it proved to be a masterstroke in the end.
From the way the three-time Singapore champion jockey looped the field from the 800m with a bold searching run that ended up with the Keeper five-year-old unleashing an explosive acceleration in the home straight for a stellar 3 ¾-length win, it is odds-on the memories of the Flax ride had been buried once and for all.
At the winner’s circle, Hill cheekily could not resist reminding Nunes of that less than memorable partnership aboard arguably his best horse trained at Kranji (Hong Kong legend River Verdon still takes pride of place on his mantelpiece for other shores).
The ace jockey laughed it off as just banter because their first winning combo instead was all they wanted to celebrate with the Spinners Stable on Sunday.
“It’s only the second time I’ve put Nunes on. The first time was on Flax and he messed it up,” said Hill in feigned indignation.
“But he rode Keep Spinning very well today. I was a bit worried when they slowed up the pace midrace, but Nunes did the right thing by not getting caught behind slow horses and decided to circle the field instead.
“By the home turn, my horse was travelling so well that I knew he would be hard to beat.”
Hill has always held a high opinion of the horse he even earmarked for the Singapore Derby, but had to curtail such lofty plans after hoof issues flared up.
“This horse has always wanted a trip. He is bred to stay,” said Hill.
“He’s an out-and-out stayer and last year, I was even looking at the Derby for him. But he had some feet problems and here I have to give credit to Paul Summers (Singapore Turf Club farrier) for the terrific job he’s done on him.
“He has put half bars to support the frog better. He doesn’t feel any pain and he’s been a different horse since.”
Nunes said he was on a hiding to nothing by going around “some slow horses” for the longest course to the post, but by the home turn, he could afford to count his chickens.
“I was second-last and had a beautiful run at the back. I was following (Nooresh) Juglall’s horse (Mongolian Chief) in the backstraight, but I knew he would start coming back on me,” he said.
“That was why I had to pop up around the outside and he improved three to four lengths very quickly.
“My horse loves a trip and I wasn’t worried about coming out wide. Dave told me he is a lazy horse, and I had to keep hunting him up, anyway.”
Homeward-bound, Keep Spinning swung out three wide and the moment Nunes gave him his full head, he just put a big space on the rest for a most impressive win that has Hill thinking big again, even if he did not want to get too ahead of himself.
“There is no real target for him in the short-term. He will have to go up in ratings and hopefully, we can look at some of the big races later,” said Hill.
“From what I gather, there aren’t many races like today’s. I will have to work out where to run him, but a race like the QEII Cup would have been good for him, but I’m not sure if he can get in.”
The Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) is a weight-for-age event that will be run on June 4, but normally draws horses with much higher ratings than Keep Spinning’s current 61 (likely to go up after Sunday’s win), but nothing stops him from being entered.
Keep Spinning has done well despite being lightly-raced ,having now taken his record to four wins and five placings from 22 starts for stakes earnings in excess of $180,000.
