A Brazilian jockey has narrowly avoided disaster after holding on to win his country’s biggest race despite celebrating very early.

Leandro Henrique saluted aboard Sinzel in the Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

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But it very nearly went haywire when he became a little too confident some 50m away from the post.

Thinking he had seen off his only challengers, Henrique stood up on his horse and celebrated towards the grandstands.

Incredibly, he lucked out.

He never seemed to realise Wilkley De Xavier had ridden Valparaiso up the inside.

Replays showed Sinzel won by a nose while Henrique was still standing with one arm outstretched.

As well as being the biggest race in Brazil, the Grande Premio also offers the winner a berth in the $US5 million ($A7.7m) Breeders’ Cup Turf.