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Reigning champion jockey Manoel Nunes landed his 600th win at Kranji after three wins on the trot on Sunday.
The Brazilian ace left Singapore in 2018 but returned in late 2021, bringing up his 500th Kranji winner on Good Fight on November 20 that year. Six months later, he hit his 2000th career winner atop Loving Babe on May 28.
It only took another nine more months before Nunes achieved another personal milestone with the Jason Lim-trained Super Salute ($23), who passed his first test on turf in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1200m) first-up.
After bursting clear at the 200m, the four-year-old son of I Am Invincible held off Dream Alliance (Simon Kok Wei Hoong), who came from last to run second, one-and-three-quarter lengths away.
Ironchamp hung on well to finish third another neck away. Favourite Silent Is Gold (Ronnie Stewart) ran an unlucky fifth after he was hemmed in in the straight.
The winning time was 1min 9.13secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Despite stepping up to Class 3 for the first time, Super Salute has continued to impress Nunes with three wins in a row.
"He's a lovely horse and has done everything well so far, but there were just not much races for him," said the four-time Singapore champion jockey.
"Running first-up over 1200m on the turf was a bit of question mark, and there was a lot of speed but I was able to sit him off and run all the way through.
"I expected him to run a good race. He's up and coming and Jason has done a great job with him.
"When I came back from my injuries and first worked on him (in October last year), he was a bit nervous. We had to try to settle him because he's a bit hot-headed inside the barrier too, so it made things tricky.
"Today, he stepped up to Class 3 and ran against a very good field, but he proved that he can handle the turf, and any kind of surface I think.
"I believe he can go further. He's very versatile as you can ride him anywhere in the field, I'm excited to see where they take him next."
Prior to Super Salute's win, Nunes steered the other Lim-trained $7 hot favourite General Command to a back-to-back wins in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race (1100m).
Shortly afterwards, in the very next race, $16 favourite Griffin fended off the fast-closing Captain Singapore by the smallest of margins to break the duck in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 2 race (1200m).
For good measure, Nunes also won with Jewel Sixty-One ($26) in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race (1200m) three races later.
Nunes was very happy that his four-timer has stretched his lead further on the jockeys' premiership, where he sits four clear of jockey Wong Chin Chuen (12 wins).
"Singapore is a place I have a lot of success (in) and I'm very thankful to the trainers and owners for putting me on the horses," said Nunes, who rode his first winner Beloir in Sao Paulo 28 years ago.
"I'm very happy to ride my 600th winner."
Lim, who flew to Sydney for the Inglis 2023 Classic Yearling Sale on Thursday, was convinced that the Alan N John Stable-owned gelding is ready for the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge series.
"He has definitely proved himself after today's win and he will go for the 4YO races," said the Singaporean handler who bagged a double on Sunday.
"We'll see what rating he gets and will look for a race for him next.
"I am very happy that my staff did a great job while I'm away.
"Thanks to all my of them, especially (assistant-trainer) Zulkifliy (Ismail) and (stable supervisor) Kalaimani."
The reinstated Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge is made up of three legs, namely the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m) on June 11, the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) on July 2 and the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 23.
While Super Salute came with one win (1200m) in 15 starts in Australia, his record of three wins in four starts in Singapore has taken his earnings to over $90,000 in prizemoney for his connections.
