Joao Moreira fulfilled a childhood dream of a first win in Japan yesterday and put himself in prime position for success in the World All-Star Jockeys series at Sapporo racecourse with a three-timer that earned the admiration of his new legion of fans.

The Magic Man captured his first win in Japan with his opening ride of the day, before a runner-up finish and a win in the first two legs of the World All-Star Jockeys series gave him the clubhouse lead heading into today's final events.

The popular Brazilian was cheered by a delirious mob of autograph seekers and the 31-year-old obliged, spending time with the fans and later expressing his gratitude for their support.

"The fans here are amazing and the whole experience has been fantastic - it really is a dream come true to ride my first winner in Japan and I couldn't ask for much more from the day overall," Moreira said.

"When I was 16 and I had just started out in racing, someone gave me a Japanese racing magazine, and I was blown away. It just seemed another world away."

Moreira hit the ground running with an all-the-way win on Sumire, before a similar effort on short-priced favourite Baby Tapit at his next ride to notch a perfect two-from-two record.

Australian-bred Baby Tapit is owned by Kazumi Yoshida, matriarch of the all-powerful Yoshida family, and the significance of the victory was not lost on the reigning champion jockey.

"I am aware of the Yoshida family's history, and their success, so I am very thankful to ride for such a famous family and that they trust me enough to let me ride one of their horses," he said.

Moreira leads the World All-Star Jockeys series with 35 points, 10 ahead of local legend Yutake Take, but Hong Kong's leading rider could consider himself unlucky not to be further in front.

Moreira will partner Bravissiomo and Quetzalcoatl in today's concluding two legs of the World All-Star Jockeys series, a 1,200m sprint and an 1,800m contest.

It was a big day, meanwhile, for Hong Kong-based jockeys abroad as Jack Wong Ho-nam snared second in the Asian Young Guns Challenge in Seoul, while Gerald Mosse made the most of a hit-and-run mission to England, winning the Group Two Celebration Mile on Kodi Bear.

Back in Hong Kong, Nash Rawiller and Howard Cheng Yue-tin combined to take out the unofficial first race of the season yesterday, the Jockeys' Sprint, in front of over 10,000 spectators at Sha Tin.