Tim’s hoping for a lucky Horseshoe
Fitzsimmons has two runners in Saturday's $125,000 feature
When trainer Tim Fitzsimmons was at the yearling sales last year, he had the Singapore Golden Horseshoe on his mind.
It was a lofty target for the budding trainer who was then building up his barn from scratch. But he has kept the dream alive and when the horses line up for Saturday's 1,200m trip, he will have a couple of tots carrying his hopes and that of his team.
It should have been a trio, but Golden One was a scratching yesterday. It's a pity as Golden One was the one who, just last Saturday, gave the 39-year-old his fourth winner for the season.
With Golden One left out to fight another day, Fitzsimmons' two runners in the $125,000 race are Relentless and Ace Sovereign.
Only one trainer will have more runners than him. That's Mark Walker.
With already 44 winners this year, the New Zealander will trot out Take A Chance, Our Secret Weapon and Boundless Glory.
Apprentice K. Hakim will steer Take A Chance. JP van der Merwe will be on Our Secret Weapon while Boundless Glory will have the services of Ryan Munger.
While Walker runs a massive training operation at Kranji, Fitzsimmons has a modest barn of just 20 horses - some of them "babies".
"I bought four two-year-olds at the sales and I got two running in the Golden Horseshoe. It's not a bad effort for a little stable," said the Australian.
Granted, he may not have a runner with the calibre of, say, Inferno. But his duo for the "Horseshoe" cannot be faulted.
"Relentless may be looking for 1,400m to 1,600m. At his last start in the Novice race, they went real slow and that didn't suit him.
"As for Ace Sovereign, he had a break after his last run in October. He is also looking for 1,400m, but the Singapore Horseshoe has come up and the prizemoney is good."
Come Saturday, Relentless will be reunited with Marc Lerner, the jockey who rode him to his only win in October.
As for Ace Sovereign, John Powell will do the steering. The son of Darci Brahma will be having his fourth race start.
Hopefully, for Fitzsimmons, he will get a dream ride from one of them.
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