Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons is preparing to get a clearer indication of where his stable star Golden Monkey stands as the gelding steps out for his first Australian start in Friday’s Country Discovery (1000m) at Echuca.
Golden Monkey arrives with an accomplished record from Singapore, having won eight of 31 starts and placing in another 16. Now based in Australia, the seven-year-old will race for the first time since Fitzsimmons relocated late last year with a group of 10 horses.
“Monkey has been my best horse,” Fitzsimmons said.
“He was champion three-year-old, champion four-year-old and he won the Derby and if it wasn’t for Lim’s Kosciuszko, he would probably be the best horse up there.
“It was a bit like Hay List and Black Caviar. I think at the end he ran second to him in five Group 1’s, but he won five Group races himself, so he’s a handy horse, but he could just never get past him.”
Although Golden Monkey’s most notable win came in the Singapore Derby over 1800 metres, Fitzsimmons says his best form was actually over shorter trips between 1200 and 1400 metres.
The 1000-metre contest at Echuca is expected to be on the sharp side, but the trainer is eager to see how his gelding finishes off the race.
“He needs a fast pace on, needs to be ridden quiet, so he does need luck,” Fitzsimmons said.
“If he can get a suck run through them and get out late, he’s got a really good last 350-metre sprint.
“We would have preferred 1100 or 1200, but it’s a nice starting point and then if he runs well in that then we’ll run him in the Wagga Town Plate over 1200 metres.
“We want to see where he’s at early. We’re not aiming for the skies as he’s an older horse now.
“There’s a race up on the Sunshine Coast, The Glasshouse, over 1400 metres, that might be alright for him later on.
“With his rating, he’s up with the big boys, but I was really happy with how he’s trialled.”
Fitzsimmons, who was assistant to Cliff Brown for over a decade, said he’s measuring Golden Monkey’s prospects against former Singapore champion The Inferno.
“The Inferno did really well when he first came back. He nearly won a Group 1,” Fitzsimmons said.
“He was probably a little bit better than Golden Monkey, but we’ll learn a bit more on Friday.”
