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Golden Monkey’s journey towards the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) on 18 May will kick-start with the $100,000 Class 1 race over 1200m this Saturday.
Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons and the Jig Racing/Elvin Stable have mapped out an extensive programme in 2024 for their star five-year-old, which was to take in suitable races and have him peaking for feature races.
Freshened up after he ran fourth in the Class 1 race (1200m) on Singapore Gold Cup day last November, the son of Star Turn will have his first run of the season in a similar affair before his next target in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl (1400m) on 11 February.
Meanwhile, other Group races like the Group 3 Committee's Prize (1600m) on 9 March and the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) on 21 April would also be stepping stones to the Kranji Mile, which, according to part-owner and principal owner of Jig Bloodstock, Josh McLoughlan, is the Holy Grail for the weight-for-age brigade this year.
"They (feature races) are all on the table, but the grand finale is the Kranji Mile," said McLoughlan, who purchased Golden Monkey as a raced maiden from Australia in late 2021.
"We (owners) sat down with Tim and worked backwards from the Kranji Mile. This race on Saturday over 1200m is a great starting point heading into the Fortune Bowl over 1400m, and onwards from there.
"He's (Golden Monkey ) fresh enough to run a big race (on Saturday) but we think he will be at his very best over 1400m and the mile now.
"And at his rating, he is best suited to the weight-for-age races like the Kranji Mile and the (Group 1) Raffles Cup over 1600m (11 August) and the (Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II) QEII Cup over 1800m (7 September).
"The (Group 1) Lion City Cup (over 1200m on 28 July) too, but again, we think he will be better over the longer trips now.
"Of course, we'd run into Lim's Kosciusko in those races, but while we haven't beaten him yet, we have gone close and he's the benchmark. You have to have a crack and we're out to beat him."
McLoughlan has been in the fickle racing game long enough to know things have to be taken one step at a time, and is looking forward to a good result on Saturday.
"We aim to win every race we go into," continued the astute bloodstock agent, who also has the impressive Dream Alliance and Lightning Strike – both also trained by Fitzsimmons - on his books.
"(Jockey) Vlad (Duric) will ride him again on Saturday and he was happy with his recent trials. He hit the line well at his trial last year (won trial no 3 on 7 December in 1 min 1.18secs) and Vlad gave him an easy time at last week's trial (finished fifth to Street Of Dreams in trial no 2 on 11 January).
"He's (Golden Monkey) fresh and bouncing back at the stables, so if they go quick early, which I think they will, we will be strong late and can win."
Fitzsimmons concurred with McLoughlan that Golden Monkey will be better over longer but could not be happier with his preparation heading into Saturday.
"He worked well this morning, so he's ticking over nicely," said the Australian conditioner of Golden Monkey, who gave him his first Group win with the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) in 2022.
"I do think he is looking for a little further now, but in saying that, I've kept him really fresh for this, so he will be sharp over 1200m.
"59 kilos is obviously not ideal, but this race is a nice stepping stone and he will go to the Fortune Bowl and Committee's Prize, with his main target the Kranji Mile in May."
Fitzsimmons, who has nominated 11 runners for Saturday's meeting, was also keen to see how the honest Relentless (x Hallowed Crown) shapes up in the $85,000 Class 2 race over 1600m.
"He trialled really well the other day (finished second to Mr Black Back in trial no 2 on 11 January)," said the 2022 Singapore champion trainer, who also has In All His Glory in the same race.
"Vlad will ride him as well and it would be nice if we get a little bit of rain as this looks a nice race for him."
