3 minute read
From the way Luan Machado has been busying himself at trackwork and at last weekend’s races (as a keen observer), it is clear the Brazilian jockey is not in town for a holiday.
While the 25-year-old is licensed to ride at the Ultima El Dorado Classic and Raffles Cup meetings this weekend, he came out one week early to recce the place – and more importantly, get a feel of the horse who took him from Brazil to the US, and who has now taken him to far-flung Kranji, Elite Quarteto.
The Kentucky-based Machado is the only rider to have won on the now Cliff Brown-trained stayer. He was aboard at all his four wins, including that in the Grade 1 Grande Premio Brasil (2400m) last year, when he was then still plying his trade in his native Brazil, mostly in Rio De Janeiro.
Machado received a call out of the blue from Sennett Ho, the Elite Performance Stable's racing manager, not too long ago.
Elite Quarteto has been a bit of a damp squib at all his four Kranji starts (all at Group level). It was time to go back in time to search for answers.
While it was not yet a call for SOS, Ho wanted to get a bit of low-down on the horse Machado knew as Quarteto De Cordas back home. The former Penang trainer got a few pointers, but in the end thought why not just bring Machado over.
Maybe he is the horse whisperer who can unlock the Brazilian-bred Rock Of Gibraltar five-year-old's real potential in this Friday's $150,000 Group 3 Ultima El Dorado Classic (2000m).
The 350-odd race-winning jockey has wasted no time in jumping back on the horse he last teamed up with in that Brazilian Grade 1 triumph in June 2018.
Under Ho's keen pair of eyes, the old Brazilian firm reunited for a spin around the Polytrack on Saturday.
"I galloped him on the Polytrack (Track 2) on Saturday and he felt good," said Machado who is at his first visit to Singapore.
"I still think he needs more time to acclimatise. Hopefully I've come at the right time for him."
Ho said there was no guarantee the replication of a winning team 17,000km from home would pay off, but the early signs are certainly encouraging.
"Luan told me the horse actually felt stronger than in Brazil," said Ho.
"He also reviewed some of the horse's past runs here and did point out where we could have done a few things differently. He's won four races on him, so he knows where to position him and when to push the buttons.
"It was my idea to get Luan over. At first it was just to find out about the horse, what we could be doing wrong and what we could do to improve him.
"Then I asked him if he was keen to ride the horse here and he said okay. It's not cheap to bring a jockey over from the States, but I think it's been well worth it.
"I'm glad he got a ride in an earlier race ($20,000 Open Maiden Division 2 race over 1400m) on Joyful Aspiration for Leslie Khoo as he will get a chance to go around the track at least once before the El Dorado Classic."
Machado, who rode in two barrier trials on Tuesday, Brown's newcomer El Macho and Come And Take All for Khoo, has thus far been booked on two rides on Friday – Elite Quarteto and Joyful Aspiration – and another two rides on Sunday – Elite Excalibur (also trained by Brown) in the $800,000 Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) and the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Elite Silverghost in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m.
"I was at the races on Friday and Sunday and really enjoyed that," said Machado.
"I also rode trackwork yesterday and today, riding about three to five runners each, mostly for Cliff Brown and some for Ricardo Le Grange."