Among his three runners in Sunday’s $150,000 Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m), trainer Tim Fitzsimmons thinks that the 2022 Singapore champion three-year-old, Golden Monkey, is the horse to beat.
Fitzsimmons – who will also saddle Gold Star and Mr Black Back in Sunday’s feature race – suggested that Golden Monkey is best suited at both the distance and at the handicap conditions, with his recent winning form a big factor.
The Jig Racing/Elvin Stable-owned gelding bounced back from a rare poor run in the Kranji Stakes A race (1200m) in January with an eye-catching win in a similar affair on March 25, when he beat Sky Eye by a length
That win – his fourth from just nine starts – was Golden Monkey’s third over 1200m but since he won the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic in July last year with ease at his only start over 1400m, confidence in the Fitzsimmons’ camp is high.
Furthermore, he was only beaten under two lengths by Lim’s Kosciuszko in the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m), a weight-for-age race in August last year. Hence, the EW Barker Trophy looks tailored-made for a very strong showing.
The son of Star Turn will carry 54.5kgs on Sunday and while Fitzsimmons is wary of those horses on the minimum weight of 50kgs, he reckons the weight is helpful to his rising star.
“This race has a history of lightweights winning but Golden Monkey looks well in with that weight,” said Fitzsimmons on Tuesday.
“I thought we might get 51kgs – that would have been nice – but (trainer) Donna’s (Logan) horse (King Arthur) wasn’t nominated on Monday (in the handicaps), so we got a few extra kilos to carry.
“We respect the horses carrying less than us but I was very happy with how he (Golden Monkey) bounced back to form at his last start. Also, his recent trial (ran third to stablemate Cyclone in trial no. 3 on April 13) was fantastic.
“He only had one bad run in his life, so he really can’t be faulted, form-wise.
“(Jockey) Simon (Kok Wei Hoong) won well on him last start when he had excuses for getting a little further back than we wanted. Hopefully, we will draw well for this race and he can get a sit just behind the pace.
“In saying that, Simon will ride him where he’s comfortable. If he (Golden Monkey) switches off and is relaxed, he will unleash his turn of foot, which is pretty special.”
While that is the case for Golden Monkey, the same instructions will not be given to experienced Australian jockey Ronnie Stewart, who should be leading on Mr Black Back when the dust settles.
“We are keeping the blinkers on Mr Black Back and he will roll to the front regardless of where he draws,” Fitzsimmons said of the Snitzel five-year-old.
“In hindsight, we probably shouldn’t have ran him with blinkers second-up over the mile and with 58kgs in the (Group 1) Raffles Cup (1600m) at his last start (March 25).
“But we are going to persevere as his trials with blinkers (finished first in trial no. 4 on March 16 in the time of 58.61secs) on were very good.
“Being back to 1400m with only 51kgs (handicapped at 50kgs but Stewart will ride him one kilo over) looks much better for him. We are lucky to get Ronnie onboard and if he gets it his way in front, they could be hard to pass.
Of his other runner – Gold Star – Fitzsimmons hopes the seven-year-old son of Redente can race handier than he normally does, but he knows the race will need to be run to suit.
“I know the last time he won was over this trip (when he beat Lim’s Kosciuszko in a Class 1 race in April 2022) but that was a year ago and he carried no weight (50kgs),” said the Footscray Football Club tragic.
“If he draws a gate and (jockey) Marc (Lerner) can have him in midfield, he should be strong late; especially if they go at a clip early.
“His recent trial was good enough (ran second to Invincible Tycoon in trial no. 4 on April 13) and Marc’s a strong rider, which will suit. Let’s hope things go his way.”
Of the horses to beat, Fitzsimmons – while keeping a close eye on those down in the weights – thinks the Ricardo Le Grange-trained Rocket Star is in well as the top weight with only 57kgs and Super Salute picks himself on form.
“You have to respect Rocket Star with 57kgs,” he said.
“I know he doesn’t win out of turn but he races in the top company and rarely runs a bad race. (Jerome Tan-trained) Sacred Croix has a similar profile and looks well in with 56kgs.
“But (Jason Lim-trained) Super Salute has won five straight and gets in at the same weight as Golden Monkey (54.5kgs), so he looks hardest to beat.”
