After going agonisingly close last year, trainer Tim Fitzsimmons now hopes Dream Alliance can go one better to win the $1.38 million Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on Saturday.
The six-year-old Australian-bred gelding arguably ran the race of his life at his short head-second to the dominating Lim’s Kosciuszko in the 2023 Singapore Gold Cup. His then partner and jockey Bruno Queiroz lodged a protest against the winner after the race, but it was dismissed.
Fitzsimmons was left to wonder with “what could have been” as it became another runner-up finish in a Group race to a champion of the ages in Lim’s Kosciuszko. The two-time Singapore’s Horse of the Year beat Fitzsimmon’s top string of gallopers, namely Dream Alliance, Golden Monkey and Raising Sixty-One into second in the 2024 Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m), the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) respectively.
Hence, the Australian handler would love to go out a winner in the Grand Singapore Gold Cup, and Dream Alliance looks to be the horse to help him achieve that.
Despite not winning any races this year, the Legacy Power Stable-owned son of Into Mischief has to defy a drift in the weights from his narrow defeat while carrying 50kgs in 2023: with a handicap of 50.5kgs in this year’s race. Meanwhile, Lim’s Kosciuszko, who won five races this year, including three Group 1 wins, will carry the same 58kgs as he did last year. This looked to be a handicapping anomaly and while it was minor in the grand scheme of things, it was a point of concern for Fitzsimmons.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” mused the 2022 Singapore champion trainer.
“We somehow meet him (Lim’s Kosciuszko) worse at the weights for not winning a race since they met last year and he won plenty! So the handicapped weight is definitely against us.
“In saying that, (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) will ride him (Dream Alliance) at 52kgs or thereabouts on Saturday and the good thing is that we have drawn well (barrier three), so I’m happy about that.
“He (Nunes) has won on him three times, so he knows the horse really well. I would expect Manoel can settle him midfield or just worse if he wants from the good gate.
“Dream Alliance is in good form too. He had excuses at his last couple of runs at weight-for-age (the Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1600m on 11 August and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup over 1800m on 7 September) conditions and they were better than the results in the book (finished in sixth and seventh respectively).
“So he’s ready to run a big race back at handicap conditions and I can’t tell you how satisfying it would be to win with him after we went so close last year.”
Fitzsimmons will not be putting all his eggs in one basket though. He will also saddle King Of Sixty-One in the iconic handicap feature race and believed the son of Gutaifan may look a bolter’s hope when the capacity field of 16 turns for home.
“He’s an interesting horse,” he said of the five-year-old, who will be ridden by three-time (2008, 2009 and 2011) Singapore Gold Cup-winning jockey, Ronnie Stewart.
“Not many horses in this year’s race have won over the trip but he has (in a Class 4 race on 23 September 2023). He always puts himself in a race by leading or being right on the pace.
“Not that he will lead in this race with Pacific Vampire in the field, but Ronnie can run his own race and stalk the leader and I reckon he will have a first crack at him (Pacific Vampire) at some stage.
“It could get very interesting, tactics-wise, with so much early speed expected. With just 50kgs, hopefully, for him and a wet track, he just might give them something to catch.
“He’s (King Of Sixty-One) flying at the minute and it’s the perfect race for him, so why not?”
Fitzsimmons, who sits third on 38 wins on the trainers’ log currently, has another 14 runners on Saturday, including Ravalli, Mt Niseko and Greatham Boy who have their chances in the $170,000 Red Numbers Cup, a Class 2 race over 1200m.
“All three could win this,” he said of the race named after artist Vincent Ho, who created the iconic art installation that greets racegoers at the Singapore Turf Club’s entrance near the Kranji MRT Station.
“We are backing up Ravalli (x Ilovethiscity) as he pulled up well after running second last Saturday (in a Class 3 race over 1200m). He should go well in this race with gate four a bonus.
“Mt Niseko (x I Am Invincible) will enjoy a good gate too. He’s never drawn inside five before and usually wider, so he won’t know what to do with himself from (barrier) two.
“Greatham Boy (x Stratosphere) would like some rain. He has drawn (in barrier) 10 but there looks to be plenty of speed on, so he should find a spot.
“It’s a good field but I’m happy with my three.”
Of his time in Singapore coming to an end earlier than expected, Fitzsimmons could not hide the emotions of leaving a place he has called home for 17 years.
“I love the place (Singapore),” he continued.
“I came here as a single bloke who had never been outside of Australia and I’ll leave with a wife (Joan), three kids (JJ, Joyce Kirsten and Julian) and heaps of memories.
“And I love the racing here. I have to thank (ex-Kranji trainer) Cliff (Brown) for giving me the opportunity to come to Kranji in 2007. To win Group 1 races with Cliff was special and to win one myself (Golden Monkey in the 2023 Singapore Derby) was amazing.
“Winning the champion trainer in 2022 was a highlight too. It probably gave me the most satisfaction as it’s a team effort. I have to also thank (assistant-trainer) Chris Bock, (owner) Josh (McLoughlan), (STC Vet) Dr Dan Shaw and all my incredible staff.
“The owners too, of course! You can’t win a premiership without good horses, so to the owners who supported me, they know who they are, thank you!
“It’s hard to believe it’s closing. I don’t think it will sink in until Monday, when I don’t have to organise anything.
“But I will enjoy Saturday and life moves on.”
By Larry Foley
