3 minute read
No one was game to tip against him and he started as a $8 hot favourite.
But not even the biggest fans of Golden Monkey could have envisaged the ease in which the new star of Singapore racing won the $150,000 Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m).
The only question mark prior to the race was the step up to the 1400m for the first time and truth be told – post-race - it was how far the son of Star Turn can now go.
With his regular rider Oscar Chavez suspended, jockey Jake Bayliss was given the job to continue the winning run. With the early tempo set (as expected) by his stablemate - Gold Ten Sixty-One (Vlad Duric) – the baby-faced hoop had Golden Monkey in the gun spot, one back on the rails.
Bayliss had a lapful of horse when the pressure turned on in the straight and with Silent Is Gold (Ronnie Stewart) doing the hard work on the flank of the leader throughout, it was a matter of peeling off heels and 'pushing the button' with the race well and truly over at the 250m.
Amazingly, the win was even more impressive than his three-and-a-quarter lengths romp in the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint three weeks ago, although Istataba (Bernado Pinheiro) ran on very well to keep the margin to two-and-three-quarter lengths. Major King (Shafrizal Saleh) finished another two lengths away in third.
The winning time was 1 min 21.45secs over 1400m on the Short Course.
And while it was Group-winning business as usual for the connections and trainer Tim Fitzsimmons, the 3YO Classic was Jake Bayliss' first Group win in Singapore.
The Australian jockey could not have been more relieved.
"I'd be lying if I say I didn't play this race a hundred times in my head since declarations," said Bayliss after the correct weight was called.
"So I just weighed up my options from the nice draw and didn't try to overthink it.
"I had the horse underneath me and his work had been too good and the runs were going to come.
"I was in two minds at the corner, as the stablemate - Gold Ten Sixty-One - was off the bridle, so I thought he might not take me into the race, but he took me far enough.
"And once I saw Silent Is Gold drop the bit, that was when I pushed the button, gave him a shove out of the way and gee, that's a nice turn of foot.
"Very privileged to get my first Group win in Singapore."
Fitzsimmons was full of praise for Bayliss and those behind the scenes.
"Jake did an amazing job today," said the leading Singapore trainer.
"But Oscar did all the work on him – I really feel for him – and my track rider Kali (Kalimuthu Ganasen) rides him every day and I've got such an amazing team, this is what it's all about."
Fitzsimons was also effusive when asked about his new star, Golden Monkey.
"He's a really serious horse and he just keeps getting better," he said.
"Thank to (owner) Josh (McLoughlan) for sending him to me as horses like this make my job really easy.
"I'm speechless today, he really just put them away. He's a really classy horse.
"I've been here a long time and I'm hungry. I want to keep doing what I'm doing. Working hard and I'm not getting ahead of myself, but good things will come."
A big group of connections was on hand to witness the win and McLoughlan - of Jig Bloodstock, who purchased the horse and put together the syndicate - was emotional after the race.
"So exciting," said the Australian bloodstock agent when talking to Pat Comerford from the English Broadcast team.
"So good to see all these guys (owners from the Golden Monkey Stable) here.
"A big shout-out to Oscar as he's had so much to do with this horse. He's done all the work on him with Timmy.
"But Jake was given the job - everyone wanted it – but he took it by the scruff of the neck and got it done."
And the future for the now two-time Group winner?
"We'll worry about tonight first!"
