Early gold bid as Lightning Strikes twice

Tim Fitzsimmons has again shown a growing knack at building up a nursery of Singapore Gold Cup contenders, as early as a year out.

Lightning Strike was posting only his second win, in a humble $50,000 Class 4 race (1,600m) at Kranji on Saturday.

But the reigning Singapore champion trainer has already seen Gold Cup potential in the Impending four-year-old.

“He’s a genuine stayer and is another great find from Josh McLoughlan. He could be a Gold Cup horse next year,” he said.

The need to earn golden tickets towards that renewal has never been more pressing.

On Oct 5, 2024, the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) will not only be at its 100th and last running, but, even more poignantly, will also bring the curtain down on horse racing in the Republic.

With a hand in one winner – Gilt Complex in 2017 – as Cliff Brown’s assistant trainer, Fitzsimmons is still far from matching the pedigree of Gold Cup alumni like Ivan Allan, Teh Choon Beng, Malcolm Thwaites and Hideyuki Takaoka.

The Australian horseman obtained his trainer’s licence only in 2019, waiting another three years before saddling his first Gold Cup contenders.

But he was hardly dipping his toes in the water. With four runners, he had mustered the largest squad in the capacity field of 16.

When broken down into simplistic statistical terms, it was a four-in-one shot, but there was to be no fairy-tale start.

A podium finish with Cyclone in third, as Trumpy (fourth) and Mr Black Back (fifth) queued up right behind, proved that Fitzsimmons did not throw names in the hat just to make up the numbers.

He heads towards the time-honoured race coming up on Nov 11 with another embarrassment of riches.

Six of the 26 entries are his, but the team were cut back to five after Cyclone unfortunately broke down in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1,800m) on Oct 14. The nominations are Relentless, Dream Alliance, Trumpy, Raising Sixty-One and King Of Sixty-One.

Taking a leaf from the likes of Relentless and Raising Sixty-One, Lightning Strike fitted the Gold Cup bill while showing his early wares in modest company.

“I gave him a very good chance today (Saturday), even if he won in Class 5 at his last start,” said Fitzsimmons. “But that was because there was no suitable maiden race around for him.

“He broke the class record (1min 34.98sec for the 1,600m on the short course) that day. He has trained on since, and the speed in the race helped.”

An uncontrollable Ahorsewithnoname was ripping apprentice Ibrahim Mamat’s arms off as she barrelled away to a massive lead down the back straight.

As expected, the mare was more like a horse with no legs shortly after she cornered for the judge.

Lim’s Puncak Jaya (Louis-Philippe Beuzelin), who did all the bullocking work in leading the chasing peloton, was the first to pounce but could not quite draw clear.

Lightning Strike (Ronnie Stewart) probably enjoyed the best seat in the house midway through, tailing favourite Great Warrior (Manoel Nunes) everywhere he went.

At the 250m, four horses locked horns. But it was Lightning Strike ($28), with his light load of 52.5kg, who let down the best to score by 1½ lengths from a gallant Lim’s Puncak Jaya.

Great Warrior had every chance but, once again, his finishing touch lacked that extra punch. The Irish-bred three-year-old had to settle for a third consecutive minor placing in third spot, another length away.

Long shot Pacific Chief (Mohd Zaki) came from the ruck to just miss a minor placing by a nose. The winning time was 1min 34sec for the 1,600m on the long course.

Stewart revealed that he frustratingly watched Lightning Strike from his living room couch at his early Restricted Maiden races.

“This is the horse I trialled six times and couldn’t ride in his races because of my employment pass issues back in July,” said the Australian lightweight rider.

“I was laughing when they rolled along in front today. The tempo really suited him, although he was floating a little when he hit the front.

“This horse keeps improving. He also enjoyed a bit of cut in the ground.”

manyan@sph.com.sg