By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons is having a breakout season.
After being granted stables at Kranji late in 2019, the affable Australian had an inauspicious start to his training career, saddling his first winner in 2020 and then four more from 95 runners that year.
Hard work behind the scenes – and with strong support from very loyal owners – saw the stable send out 281 runners in 2021 and his 33 winners had him up in a very respectable fourth place on the trainers’ log.
He was more than competitive but still a long way off top spot with ex-Kranji trainer Mark Walker saddling 66 winners that year. More notably, Fitzsimmons had yet to train a Group winner.
Fast forward to October 2022 and the former assistant-trainer to ex-Kranji handler Cliff Brown now sits second on the trainers’ premiership with 52 wins (one behind trainer Donna Logan) and has won the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m), the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) with Golden Monkey, as well as the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) with Relentless.
Both horses had excuses at Group 1 level this year, with Golden Monkey running third in the Lion City Cup and Relentless finishing a close-up second in the Singapore Derby, and the task at hand on Saturday is to scratch that particular itch.
Fitzsimmons will saddle Relentless and Trumpy in the $300,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m). While the latter may be better suited at the handicap conditions of the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on November 19, Relentless looks a serious chance on Saturday.
He may even start as the favourite, which is remarkable in itself given the Arexevan-Relentless Stable owned four-year-old only won in a Class 4 race back in May.
But given his subsequent Group 2 success, the ‘oh-so-close’ second in the Derby and a last-start eye-catching fifth behind Senor Don over the mile in Class 1 company on September 24, the son of Hallowed Crown looks cherry ripe to give the iconic feature a big shake.
His trainer could not be happier.
“Very happy,” said Fitzsimmons on Thursday.
“I thought his last run was great – he was only beaten by less than a length – and he has come on well since.
“Hard to fault his work leading into the QEII (Cup) and the step up to 1800m is ideal.”
What was not ideal is the wide gate no. 11 but Fitzsimmons knows it is a case of ‘swings and roundabouts’ with barrier draws.
“He doesn’t often get a good gate, does he?” lamented Fitzsimmons.
“But (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) is the top rider and has a lot of straight to use down the back.
“The long course (B) will suit too and if he gets any cover early, he will have every chance. I think he can win.
“And the law of averages should give both my horses (Trumpy jumps from gate 13 in the QEII Cup) a better gate come the Gold Cup!”
Of Trumpy’s chances on Saturday, Fitzsimmons – who only had the Argentinean-bred seven-year-old in his care for one run (third to Senor Don in Class 1 company over 1600m on September 24) – knows it is a big ask, but warns against writing him off.
“He’s competitive,” he continued.
“The gate makes it tough at this level at weight-for-age but he doesn’t run too many bad races and I think he has improved on his last run.
“He stays all day – so the Gold Cup on a lightweight is probably a better race for him – but don’t discount him on Saturday if (jockey) Harry (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) has him close enough when it gets serious.”
With one eye on the Singapore Gold Cup in a month’s time, the ambitious trainer could have as many as five runners then.
“It will be tight with ratings but Mr Black Back would get a start if he wins (the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1800m) on Saturday,” explained Fitzsimmons.
“That should be a great race against (trainer) Donna’s (Logan) horse (Super Impact) as both looks in really good form.
“Cyclone is also racing against the clock but he will have a crack next week (in a Class 3 race over 1400m) to see if he can get enough (rating) points to get a start. Play by ear with him.
“In All His Glory is also nominated and he was good at his last start (finished second behind Super Impact in a Class 3 race over 1600m on September 24), so he could run too.”
A busy month ahead for Fitzsimmons and his owners, who were also busy at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday.
“I just got back, so I’m a bit tired,” he said.
“But I’m really happy with what we bought. I was very keen on five horses and got three of them, which was good going at a sale like that.
“One looks an early runner but the other two are more of the Guineas types, so a bit of everything I hope.”
