Thursday, 16th October 2025
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Star international jockey Joao ‘Magic Man’ Moreira and last season’s dual Group 1-winning 2O colt Militarize (Dundeel) appear likely to renew their massively successful partnership next month, reports punters.com.au. Brazilian-born Moreira, whose titanic battles in Hong Kong with Australian expat hoop Zac Purton have become legendary, has a big fan in trainer Chris Waller who is hoping to lure him back to Sydney following his exploits during The Championships in the autumn this year. Sharing the Nathan Berry medal with James McDonald, Moreira’s other Group winners during the carnival included Surefire (Fastnet Rock), Kristili (Hellbent) and Olentia (Zoustar). Waller, who noted that Moreira has recently been riding in Japan, indicated that the sought-after rider would only be parachuting in for key races if he comes. That is likely to include the Gr1 Golden Rose at which Militarize is being aimed at. The untapped son of Arrowfield Stud’s stallion Dundeel is expected to make his seasonal return on Saturday, with Waller weighing up whether he starts in the Gr2 Run To The Rose (1200m) or the Gr2 Theo Marks (1300m), but leaning towards the latter: “I just think the Theo Marks, 1300m, might be a little bit better than a 1200m carrying a big weight."
