Gold shimmering over the horizon, but Derby first

Promising four-year-old Lightning Strike will get a second chance to better himself at Group level in the $400,000 Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on Sunday before any set plans of a loftier target for him at the end of the season.

Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons did mention a possible tilt at glory in the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on 5 October after the son of Impending won in a Class 4 race (1600m) in October, which was also his second win from four wins in-a-row late last year.

He maintained his good form with two seconds and two fourths from four starts this season, including his last-start fourth to Lim’s Saltoro in the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on 30 June with visiting jockey Chad Schofield. While the South African-born hoop was in the saddle twice, Lightning Strike will, this time, re-unite with top Australian jockey, Hugh Bowman.

The Hong Kong-based Bowman, who finished third on the 2023/2024 Hong Kong jockeys’ premiership on 69 wins after their season finale meeting last Sunday, flew to Kranji for two one-day visits last year mainly for his Group assignments on the Fitzsimmons-trained Golden Monkey.

The pair brought up Fitzsimmons’ first and only Group 1 win in the Singapore Derby after Golden Monkey saluted, so the Australian conditioner would love to repeat the feat, albeit with Lightning Strike this Sunday.

“It’s been a long-range plan. We actually booked him (Bowman) six months ago for the ride,” revealed the 2023 Singapore champion trainer.

“The last time he rode him (in a Class 5 Division 1 race over 1400m on 27 August), he (Lightning Strike) was in good form (ran third) and it’s a big confidence boost to be able to get Hughie (Hugh) on him again.

“The 1600m (Stewards’ Cup) was probably a bit short. I think his best distance could be 2000m and beyond in the future, but I was very happy with his lead-up run and the ride from Chad.

“He (Lightning Strike) pulled up really well and it’s three weeks in between races, so it’s perfect. He galloped last week and he will gallop tomorrow.

“We will ride him quiet but a genuine pace would help. I think he also likes the rain so it wouldn’t hurt to have some on Sunday, though the forecast said it could be dry.

“It’s a wide, open race. Lim’s Saltoro’s the one to beat, (trainer) Ricky’s (Ricardo Le Grange) two horses (Bestseller and Hole In One) ran great in the Stewards’ Cup and there’s also Makin, but it will be nice to win it.

“We will get through the (Singapore) Derby first and worry about the (Singapore) Gold Cup later. He will probably pick up a few more points with a few more races down the road.”

Nothing has been cast in stone yet with less than three months left to the Singapore Gold Cup on 5 October, but there might be more sparkle in Fitzsimmons’ eyes if he could send “a fleet” of runners in the final Group race in Singapore’s racing history.

Besides Lightning Strike, four higher-rated gallopers among his nine other runners this weekend were in talks of running in the time-honoured race at some point in their careers. They are Dream Alliance, Raising Sixty-One and Saint Tropez, who will be lining up in the $85,000 Japan Racing Association (JRA) Trophy, a Class 2 race (1600m) and King Of Sixty-One, who will run in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1400m).

Coincidentally, all three in the JRA Trophy ran in last year’s Singapore Gold Cup. Dream Alliance (x Into Mischief) ran a brave second to Lim’s Kosciuszko, while Raising Sixty-One (x Belardo) finished in fourth and Saint Tropez (x Not A Single Doubt), who was then trained by ex-Kranji trainer Shane Baertschiger, ran second last.

Owned by AJ’s Stable, King Of Sixty-One has also been set on the Gold Cup path after his easy last-start win in a Class 3 race (1600m) on 22 June and while the son of Gutaifan could have been Fitzsimmons’ fourth runner in the Class 2 race over the mile, owners preferred not to put their eggs in one basket.

Fitzsimmons agreed to split the runners in two races, but his biggest hope would be to get these runners through the races in their Gold Cup campaigns.

“Dream Alliance (second) and Raising Sixty-One (fourth) ran great at their last starts in the (Group 1) Kranji Mile (1600m) and I’m very happy with them,” said the affable trainer.

“Saint Tropez last won in a Class 4 race over 2000m (on 21 April). He can be a bit lazy out of the gates, so (jockey) Simon (Kok) will try to ride him more positively this week.

“Hugie (Hugh) will ride Dream Alliance and (jockey) Ryan (Curatolo) will be on Raising Sixty-One. We could try to ride these two in mid-field but I think barriers between one to three would be good for all three of them.

“Again, a genuine pace will be good. It’s a small (seven runners) but strong race with some nice horses in it.

“King Of Sixty-One is also on the Gold Cup prep. He was eight points up after his last win (now at 78). We wanted to run him in the Class 2 race but the owners have already got Raising Sixty-One in that, so I thought it’s better to split them up.

“It was a last-minute decision to run him in this Class 3 race, but I would have preferred one over 1600m for him because the 1400m could be too sharp and he’s carrying some weight (58.5kgs) here.

“The 1400m is a query but he’d run second once on the trip before (in a Class 4 race on 17 February) and the Short Course will suit him. We’ll try to lead.

“Ryan won well on him the last time but I’ve already booked (jockey) Bruno (Queiroz) on the horse since the time we planned to run him in the Class 2 race and I stay loyal to my decisions.

“It will be great if all of them and Golden Monkey can run in the (Singapore) Gold Cup.”

By Sharon Zhang