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Joao Moreira is the jockey to follow on Saturday’s Macau Derby program at Taipa with an outstanding full book of eight rides.

The Brazilian champion rides favorite Obrigado Mais for the inform Kim Cheong stable in the 26th running of the SJM Derby and has come up with the plum gate in barrier one.

Obrigado Mais is coming off a fast finishing sixth beaten four and a quarter lengths behind River Treasure in the G1 Macau Guineas on April 22, and the step up to the 1800 metres looks ideal.

With the track expected to be soft the main opposition for Obrigado Mais looks to be the Alan Tam trained Eclair Journey to be ridden by Andrew Calder.

Eclair Journey like Obrigado Mais, came from near the tail of the field in the Guineas for an eye catching third beaten three and a quarter lengths.

River Treasure was aided by the very soft conditions in the Guineas and will no doubt be a major player again with the soft track and leading Macau rider Peter Ho on top.

Moreira has a super chance of picking up his second Macau-Hong Kong Trophy when he rides Marvel Hero for trainer Casper Fownes in the 1500 metre G1 event.

Fownes and Moreira combined to win the race with My Name Is Bond in 2014. The pair will be hoping that Marvel Hero’s soft track form from the UK will stand him in good stead for Saturday’s race.

Moreira can expect stiff opposition from the Tony Cruz prepared Romantic Touch to be ridden by Zac Purton. Romantic Touch is coming off a last start third to Invincible Dragon in the Hong Kong–Macau Trophy at Sha Tin on March 5.

Local hope The Alfonso will be hard to toss under Luis Corrales and last year’s winner Best Of Luck will again relish the wet conditions.

In the third G1 event of the day the Chairman’s Challenge Cup Moreira rides the speedy Mister Kaopu for trainer KH Leong, The sprinter is looking to make it three wins on end in the 1200 metre event.

Mister Kaopu is a former Gerald Ryan trained galloper. He cost $A600,000 at the Easter Sales in Sydney and has won four and placed three times from eight runs in Macau.

The four year old has shown a liking for the wet ground in Macau. Add to that the fact that the gelding had form on soft tracks around horses like Group performer Japonisme in Australia

The only hurdle Mister Kaopu has to overcome is the extreme outside barrier of 14 in a race with a stack of speed inside him.

Toughest for Mister Kaopu to beat appears to be The Joe Lau trained Sparta to be ridden by Peter Ho who is a winner of five races and four seconds from only 10 starts in Macau. The Kenny Seo – Victor Chan trained Sweet Korean to be ridden Wayne Smith also must be considered.

In the Group 3 Grand Lisboa Cup over 1500 metres Moreira links up once again with the old timer Lucky And Wealthy. Together they won the Macau Gold Cup back in 2013.

The rising nine year old caught the eye when a recent seventh behind stablemate Huka Eagle over 1200 metres on April 16.

In any other circumstances the gelding would be going out at a good double figure quote Saturday, but with the soft ground, gate one and the added bonus of Moreira the chestnut will be well tried in the market.

His Hong Kong counterpart Zac Purton rides the Danny Wong trained Oh So Easy.

Of So Easy is a tough front running type that has won twice at the trip. He simply ran too hard for his own good at his latest run a two and a half lengths third to Lucky Winston, at this distance on a soft track on April 28.

Turquoise Power another Geoff Allendorf prepared runner looks to have the wood on his rivals in the Listed Grand Lisboa Palace Cup over 1800 metres the second race on the card.

Moreira produced a gem of a ride to win last year’s Derby on Turquoise Power, and lines up at the same distance and similar track conditions again here.

Turquoise Power will carry 130 pounds as opposed to the rest of the fields 116 pounds, but has earned the impost and looks superior to them.

In the two Group 3 contests on the all weather track Moreira has picked two top line chances in Pak Lok Angel in the Oceanus Cup over 1510 metres, and Invincible in the Sand Classic Cup over 1350 metres.

Pak Lok Angel a winner of 10 and placed 12 times is a class act on the sand and was an easy winner on the surface two runs back in Class 1.

The race looks a two horse affair with the highly promising King Of Realestate (Peter Ho) the biggest threat to Pak Lok Angel. King Of Realestate is a US bred galloper that has looked super in five easy victories on the all weather.

Invincible will run a short priced favorite in the Sand Classic Cup given his wonderful record of six wins from seven starts on the sand. The son of War Chant steps to the 1350 metres for the first time but it’s not expected to be a concern for the speed machine.

Both Victory Megastar from the James Moore yard and Evergreen Star from the Tony Fung stable will ensure that it’s no cakewalk for Invincible, with both horses outstanding on the surface and Victory Megastar unbeaten at the trip.

Moreira’s other ride is the Victor Chan trained Kelson in the Listed Lisboa Juvenile over 1200 metres.

China Paradise will run a warm favorite following his easy win in the Lisboa Prelude over 1100 metres on the soft ground.

Kelson made his debut in the race and blew the start hopelessly before running on strongly even though beaten eight lengths.