Macau’s champion jockey Ruan Maia started the new season with a bang by kicking home three winners on Sunday’s first meeting of the 2018 -2019 racing year

 Ruan Maia Picture:Macau Jockey Club

Maia was a runaway winner of last season’s Jockey Championship with 60 victories, 21 ahead of his nearest rival Luis Corrales.

He picked up right where he left off in booting home favourite Thunder Bear  in the first race, the Class 4 & 5 over 1500 metres.

Thunder Bear, a son of Smart Missile, has taken awhile to mature but had turned the corner recently with three placings from his last four runs.

The KH Leong-trained galloper will continue to pick up a cheque or two for his connections in the lower ranks.