Champion jockey Manoel Nunes was thankful to connections for reinstating him back on two-from-two winner Yabadabadoo on Sunday.

At his debut, the Makfi three-year-old had Derreck David up as Nunes could not make the lightweight of 50kgs in the Restricted Maiden race over 1100m. The Brazilian jockey was also recovering from a knee injury at the time.

The Joe Giovanni-owned chestnut has since been tipped out because of shinsoreness. At Yabadabadoo’s comeback race in the $75,000 Waikato 2009 Stakes, a Novice race over 1200m, Nunes was the one in the pigskin.



Yabadabadoo (Manoel Nunes) finishes strongly to claim Race 7 on Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club

Even though they were sent out as the $13 favourite, Nunes still had to overcome the outermost alley against a fairly handy bunch made up of the likes of Speedy Phoenix (Vlad Duric), Mokastar (Nooresh Juglall), and debut winners Ebraz (Oscar Chavez) and Tun O’Reilly (Daniel Moor).

But Yabadabadoo asserted his superiority in no uncertain terms inside the last 300m even though he had to face some adversity in the first 700-800m when Mokastar railed through on the inside to keep Yabadabadoo on the outer despite coming up with the fastest getaway.

Nunes did not engage into a cut-throat battle with Juglall, easing his mount slightly off before going all out inside the last 300m. Yabadabadoo easily got the better of Mokastar before clearing out and then holding off a late attack from Speedy Phoenix.

Yababadoo reigned supreme to score by 1 ½ lengths from Speedy Phoenix with Mokastar third another three-quarter length away. The winning time was 1min 10.94secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.

Nunes, who is currently facing an uphill battle to land a fourth title, sitting 18 winners astern of runaway leader Duric, was delighted with any leading opportunities that come his way, especially when it is one who nearly slipped through his hands.

“He’s a very straightforward horse to ride, a lovely and intelligent horse,” said Nunes.

“He’s a jump-and-run type of horse, but is still a big baby. He will win a lot of races for sure.

“I’d like to thank the owner Joe Giovanni who put me back on his horse. At his first run, he carried a light weight and I couldn’t make it, and I also hurt my knee.

“He then got shinsore, but they told me they would put me back on and I’m so grateful they did.”

Clements, who was at a training double after saddling smokie Spur Me On to an earlier win, could not hide his delight at the winner’s circle.

“He’s got a bright future here. He came back a bit shinsore after his first run and we gave him a let-up to get over that,” said Clements.

“Today he jumped from the outside barrier and had to do a lot of work early, but then he came back and settled off the girth of the other horse, which I thought was a good option from Manoel.

“The horse settled very well and kicked on strongly up the straight. He’s still young ad still learning, but he has improved a lot from his first start.”