Fairway's Turf Online

Tim Fitzsimmons strikes gold at last

SINGAPORE: Feb 21, 2020

MEGA GOLD wins easily to give trainer Tin Fitzsimmons his first win - SNTC photo

Tim Fitzsimmons, the former assistant trainer to Cliff Brown who saddled more than 500 winners before calling it quits, finally saddled the first winner of his own when MEGA GOLD saluted the judges in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m on the polytrack at Kranji here today.

Fitzsimmons was granted his trainer’s licence last April but pnly moved into his stables four months later with only a handful of horses passede down from other trainers.

The new season brought hope for the Australian after a couple of placings earlier but it was one of the horses who landed last year for him which achieved the breakthrough for him.

MEGA GOLD landed unraced last August and finished a creditable fourth in his debut last month. With a switch of trainer to Michael Rodd who was Brown’s No. 1 rider, the son of Giant’s Steps came from off the pace early to win drawing away by 1 1/2 lengths.

"It’s fantastic, it’s a huge relief," said an emotional Fitzsimmons. "It’s fitting and fantastic that it’s Michael who rode my first winner, but how can I not mention about Marc Lerner who helps me a lot with the horses and would have ridden my two horses tonight, if he was not suspended."

"I was not overly frustrated I haven’t had my first winner. It helps that I’ve been here for so long, I was not panicking, if anything, it felt like other people wanted that first winner more than me!"

MEGA GOLD was his 22nd runner.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

1	CLASS 5 - 1700M (POLYTRACK)
8	SCOOTER	D Koh	K A'Isisuhairi	1
	(5 ch.a.g All Too Hard - Myria by Encosta De Lago)
9	Holy Grail	J Ong	N Zyrul	2
7	Success Street	KY Young	J See	3
4	Keep Winning	CT Kuah	L Beuzelin	4

2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN (WFA), DIV 2 - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
5	MEGA GOLD	T Fitzsimmons	M Rodd	1
	(3 b.nz.g Giant's Steps - Malala by Zenno Rob Boy)
3	Superior Coat	D Koh	S Noh	2
2	Lago De Como	KS Tan	CC Wong	3
1	Ningaloo	D Meagher	R Maia	4

3	OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1400M
7	AMORE AMORE	DL Freedman	P Moloney	1
	(3 b.a.g Champions Gallery - Ion You by Geiger Counter)
2	Mr Fat Kiddy	J O'Hara	M Ewe	2
8	Smoke And Mirrors	DL Freedman	R Maia	3
4	Voluntad	H Takaoka	L Beuzelin	4

4	RESTRICTED MAIDEN (WFA), DIV 1 - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
7	TAKHI	J Lim	ZX Tan	1
	(3 b/br.am.g Bahamian Squall - Anappleforaqueen by Forbidden Apple)
3	Fort Mustang	H Takaoka	L Beuzelin	2
1	Silver Sword	J Tan	CS Chin	3
5	Gold Rush	KS Tan	M Rodd	4

5	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
1	HEART OF COURAGE	M Walker	V Duric	1
	(5 b.a.g Fastnet Rock - Myrrh by Nassipour)
6	Uncle Lucky	J Ong	N Zyrul	2
5	Trigamy	D Meagher	T Rehaizat	3
9	Montoya	S Gray	P Moloney	4

6	CLASS 4 - 1600M (POLYTRACK)
9	TIGER FORCE	D Logan	R Maia	1
	(5 ch.am.g Kitten's Joy - Anecdote by First Samurai)
10	Bebop	H Takaoka	M Zaki	2
1	Dazzle Gold	S Burridge	WH Kok	3
11	Champagne Finale	D Logan	M Nizar	4

7	CLASS 3 - 1400M
13	PAX ANIMI	C Brown	P Moloney	1
	(4 b.a.g Rebel Raider - Geology by Fastnet Rock)
9	Adipson	S Burridge	WH Kok	2
2	Federation	M Walker	J Powell	3
5	Wecando	S Gray	V Duric	4

8	CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
8	BRING ME JOY	L Khoo	A Collett	1
	(7 b.nz.g Gorky Park - Moyvore by Grosvenor)
7	Lucky Red	CT Kuah	J van der Merwe	2
5	Thoth Warrior	J Lim	TH Koh	3
4	Tavito	KS Tan	WH Kok	4