A massive month of January has the “Dream Team 2.0” partnership of Joao Moreira and John Size on target for their best return and maybe even within striking distance of the single season record for most wins by a jockey-trainer combination.
The original Dream Team of Douglas Whyte and Size set the current record for most wins when they racked up 54 wins together in 2009-10.
Moreira and Size edged close last term when they each had massive individual seasons and had a combined 48 victories.
Last month, Moreira and Size went on a rampage, particularly at Sha Tin daytime fixtures, with 10 wins from 17 runners at the bigger track from just four weekend meetings.
During that stretch, just three Moreira-Size runners finished unplaced at the track and it has pushed their numbers into record-breaking territory.
Moreira’s 23 total wins from 86 rides for Size equates to a strike rate of 26.7 per cent, far exceeding the next best they have registered over the past four seasons.
Six of Moreira’s nine rides on Sunday are for Size, including two, Ping Hai Star and Ivictory, that will start pronounced favourites.
The rides also include plenty of other live chances, including Dinozzo and Infinity Endeavour, who carry the black-and-red striped silks of the Siu family.
Dinozzo backs up four days after an impressive Class Two win at Happy Valley and looms as an intriguing chance in the Group Three Centenary Cup.
Jumping Jack Wong flashes back at Happy Valley as John Size’s Dinozzo chases a double
Size said it had been a long-range plan for the horse to run in both races.
“He didn’t have too tough a run you wouldn’t think, at least visually, but obviously he won the race so he’s done plenty of work,” Size said.
“He seems to be OK at home though and maybe the cool weather will help him out a little bit. It was the plan for a while – he’s going to struggle a bit after Sunday to find a suitable race, so I thought if he runs in both of them and wins one of them, it would be a good result for his owners.”