Success for Fitzsimmons as he settles in Bendigo

BENDIGO trainer Tim Fitzsimmons’ patient approach since his arrival from Singapore is paying dividends.

A double on his home track on Tuesday last week gave the Group 1-winning trainer an impressive three straight wins from as many runners following a win the previous day with Condor at Mornington.

The four-year-old gelding presented Fitzsimmons with his first Australian winner at Swan Hill in early April, just a few months after setting up base and home in fellow trainer Shane Fliedner’s old premises, across the road from the Bendigo racecourse, and also delivered his second with a tough 1000m performance.

Just like his trainer, Condor has revelled in the move from Singapore, hitting career-best form with two wins and a second from three Australian starts, after two wins from 13 starts back home.

The stable’s momentum continued when Greatham Boy became Fitzsimmons’ first winner on his new home track with an impressive benchmark 64 win over 1000m, before Black Storm put the seal on a big two days two races later with a gutsy victory in a benchmark 54 over 1500m.

Dual wins brought a mix of joy and relief following a string of minor placings in recent weeks for the stable.

“It’s been a little bit frustrating – we’ve had plenty of seconds and thirds, but they are starting to turn into wins,” Fitzsimmons said.

“They (the horses) weren’t running badly, we just weren’t getting the luck.

“We definitely saw it coming with Black Storm. He was a bit unlucky first-up, so it was good to see him get the job done.

“Greatham Boy … I wasn’t 100 per cent confident he would win first-up, but he has been going along nicely.

“It was a great week … hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”

Fitzsimmons, who currently has 17 horses in work, was optimistic of better things in store for all three horses.

“Condor has been a real big improver out of Singapore. I think he has appreciated these short distances (975m-1000m) on the turf, which he didn’t get over there. We only had synthetic racing over 1000,” he said.

“I think he can win a (benchmark) 64 and one of those 955s at the Valley, albeit there’s probably not too many more because they are going to start the redevelopment (after the Cox Plate).

“Greatham Boy might be able to go through the grades a little bit, especially over the winter, and I do think Black Storm has got plenty of potential.

“We might throw the blinkers on him the next couple of starts because he does think a fair bit about what he’s doing and gets a bit lost when he gets to the front.

“All three definitely have more wins in them for sure.”

While excitement surrounds the impending Australian debut of his 2024 Group 1 Singapore Derby winner Golden Monkey, Fitzsimmons nominated recent Caulfield placegetter Yuuki as ‘one to keep an eye on’.

The two-year-old daughter of Doubtland and Syncopated backed up a pair of impressive trial performances with a solid second on debut behind the Dominic Sutton-trained Hey Jessie on April 16.

“She’s out having a break, but I think she is a real progressive two-year-old,” Fitzsimmons said.

“We don’t know where the ceiling will be with her, but we are really excited with her. She is a really nice horse.

“I’m excited for Golden Monkey> He is going to run in the ($150,000) Golden Topaz at Swan Hill on the first day of the carnival and if he runs well there, we will take him up to Queensland.

“He’s always been the stable star for the last couple of years, so hopefully he has a couple more good wins in him.

“I think the race will be perfect for him. They’ll go quick and a nice long straight will suit him.”

A big day for the locals at Bendigo last week included a breakthrough win for the Shane Fliedner-trained Shamateur.

The three-year-old Shamus Award gelding broke his maiden at start number six and was ridden by Fliedner’s nephew Harry Coffey.

The pair also combined for a second with the luckless Alvin, who notched up his sixth minor placing in 10 starts.