3 minute read

Five weeks ago, Tim Fitzsimmons had not won a Group race as a full-fledged trainer.

Nothing wrong with that given the affable Australian handler only sent out his first runner – Petite Voix – back in September 2019 and winning races at the top level takes time, planning, the right horses and luck.

Appropriately, it was Golden Monkey  who got the proverbial 'Group Monkey' off his back when he won the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on June 18.

Two weeks later, Relentless won the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m).

The star that is Golden Monkey then made it three Group wins in-a-row for Fitzsimmons when he took out the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) last Saturday.

And now, Fitzsimmons has one of the nominal favourites in Relentless  in the $400,000 Group 1 Singapore Derby and his two other nominations – Hero and Boomba – giving the leading trainer a three-pronged attack in a field of 10 heading to the 1800m start on Sunday.

But Singapore Derbies – one of only five Group 1's in the current Singapore racing season and the only one with an age restriction (four-year-olds) - are hard to win.

Fitzsimmons was involved (as an assistant-trainer) back in 2011 when Clint gave ex-Kranji trainer Cliff Brown his only Singapore Derby win, but apart from the Japanese master Hideyuki Takaoka (who saddles Con Speranza on Sunday) who won the iconic race with three winners in Jolie Shinju (2009), Better Life  (2013) and Jupiter Gold  (2018), only New Zealander Stephen Gray (Lim's Prestige in 2007 and Hard Too Think in 2021) among the current trainers has more than one Singapore Derby trophy in their keeping.

A point not lost on the young trainer.

"Group 1s and especially Derbies are very hard to win but I had a good teacher in Cliff," said Fitzsimmons on Tuesday.

"He also won three South Australia Derbies (Cheviot 1996, Markham 1997 and Blue Murder in 2000,) – and almost won a fourth with Yaphet (second) this year – so he taught me a lot.

"So while all horses are different, we keep to the system and try to follow a typical Derby preparation where possible."

For Relentless, the Singapore Derby preparation started back in June 2021 when he won in Class 4 over a mile with jockey Vlad Duric aboard.

"After he won over the mile, we knew he had Derby potential," explained Fitzsimmons.

"At his next start, he ran a really good place in the (2021 Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old) Classic (over 1400m) and while he had setback after that run, the break – in hindsight - did him the world of good."

That eight-month spell from racing also made planning for the 2022 Singapore Derby – on paper at least – a simple progression through the grades and distances.

A sighter over 1200m in March was followed by a solid placing over 1400m in April, before the Hallowed Crown gelding won as the odds-on punters-elect over the mile in May – all in Class 4 – and the Derby journey was well on its way.

Stepping up to Class 3 company (1600m) on June 4 saw a gallant second behind the well-credentialled Circuit Mission and the Stewards' Cup win later that month is now history.

"The Class 3 run over the mile (June 4) was a late change," said Fitzsimmons who currently leads the trainers' premiership by four winners.

 "We had planned to trial him between those races – but it worked out well as the win in the Stewards' Cup was a bonus, given the Derby was always his grand final.

"He (Relentless) may not have the brilliance of the Lim's (Kosciuszko) horse or Tiger Roar but he's a dead-set 1800m or 2000m horse and the whole preparation has been round this race.

"His final gallop will be tomorrow, but he worked fantastic last Thursday with Vlad and we couldn't be happier."

Fitzsimmons is also excited about his two other Singapore Derby runners.

"Hero had a different preparation that included a run over 2000m," he said.

"So he needed the run in the Stewards' Cup and the race wasn't run to suit, so if he draws a gate and (jockey) Daniel (Moor) can have him fourth or fifth in running, he will be there at the finish as he is an out-and-out stayer."

On the other hand, Boomba got his Singapore Derby run by default.

"He missed the start badly at his last start (in a Class 4 race on June 18) and flew home over 1400m," he said.

"So while it was disappointing on the day, (owner of Barree Stable) Glen (Whittenbury) and I thought maybe he is better ridden quieter and he's only four once, so why not have a crack with (jockey) Ronnie Stewart booked."

Apart from good horses, Fitzsimmons knows good owners make for good trainers and was just as excited for the connections of his three runners.

"Buffalo Stable (owners of Hero) are my biggest supporters and Glen (Boomba) has been with me from the start," said Fitzsimmons.

"And Disco (David Dawson, Arexevan Stable manager for Relentless) and I have been friends for years, so to have them all with runners in the Derby is special."

Dawson- who fittingly gave Fitzsimmons his first runner back in 2019 with the filly, Petite Voix, - is over the moon to have a Singapore Derby chance with his mate.

"We have known Tim since he has been in Singapore – 2007 I think - and we're so happy to give him his first Group 2 win with Relentless," said Dawson enroute to Singapore for his own Derby preparation.

"After he won in June last year and we talked about the Derby, Tim has given him the perfect preparation.

"To have Vlad back is a bonus as he is two-from-two on Relentless and the report from the stable is that his is going super, so fingers crossed he goes well.

"We have a big crew coming on Sunday – some 20 or so guests and owners – so it should be a great afternoon - can't wait!"

Neither can we.