Singapore’s three-time champion jockey Manoel Nunes is looking forward to reuniting with Well Done in the $500,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) on Sunday.

Nunes was the 2016 Singapore Derby winner’s partner early doors during his four-year-old campaign, securing one win in four rides, in a Kranji Stakes C race over the mile (Macau Jockey Club Trophy) in February 2016.

But an untimely bout of kidney stones saw the Brazilian forfeit the ride at his next start – a Class 3 race over 1700m, which was meant to be his final warm-up prior to the Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) and Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m).

 

Nunes got over his kidney woes, but he must have still felt sick in the guts afterwards: Well Done won all three.

The first win hurt the most as he should have been aboard, and he would arguably have stayed right through on him if he had, but it was replacement jockey Michael Rodd who reaped the benefit. He also went on to win the big one, the Derby.

While the sickness could be seen as just sheer bad luck, Nunes probably kicked himself for the last two Legs of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge. He rode favourite Titanium in the Bowl and Rockfast in the Derby.

Trainer David Kok and owner Jason Goh had in the meantime switched between Rodd and Glen Boss (won in Patron’s Bowl), but they have now come full circle, it would seem. Nunes is back on board.

“I’m very grateful to David and Jason for putting me back on Well Done,” said Nunes who knows a thing or two about the game of musical chairs racing can be at times.

“I didn’t have any rides in the QEII Cup, and when they asked me if I was available, I was like, of course I am. Well Done is such a good horse and I’m glad to be back on him.

“I remember the only time I won on him was in that Macau Jockey Club Trophy race. He was already showing he was quite a special horse then.

“As you know there was a combination of factors that led to me losing the ride on him. First my kidney stones, then I was also committed to Titanium for James Peters, and in the Derby I went with Rockfast for Mark Walker.

“But that’s racing. What matters is the now, and I can tell you Well Done ran very well first-up in the Saas Fee Stakes. Michael Rodd rode him great but the 1400m was too sharp for him.

“I galloped him last Saturday and last Wednesday and will gallop him tomorrow. He is as usual very professional, he’s a very smart horse and does whatever you ask him to do.

“I am very happy with the way he is going; he’s had the perfect prep for the QEII Cup. David, as you know, does not rush his horses, and he’s done a great job to bring him back to this level of fitness.”

It sounds like Nunes will not be prised off Well Done so easily this time in, but is treating Sunday’s race as a better gauge where the Falkirk chestnut is at, given the tough opposition in his way, especially one particular horse.

“This is one of the best QEII Cup fields I’ve seen for a while. There are a lot of good horses, but the one I respect the most is War Affair; it was just amazing to see the way he won his last race,” said Nunes.

“It was all leaders who were winning that day, but he came from nowhere to get up right on the line.

“No doubt, there is always a query second-up, especially as he is going up in trip, but he is a champion horse and he will be again hard to beat.”