Fitzsimmons holds aces in two races

After pinching a double with Dancing Light and Golden Monkey last Saturday, Tim Fitzsimmons could gain more ground on Michael Clements as they tussle for the early lead in the trainers’ premiership.

As it stands, Fitzsimmons is the meat in a Clements and Stephen Gray sandwich, having saddled 12 winners to Clements’ 16 and Gray’s 11. But we all know – in this sport – numbers can and will change with every weekend of racing.

And, while we are on the subject of numbers, Fitzsimmons – the 41-year-old Australian – has entered a team of 14 for Saturday’s programme.

That is six more than Clements, who has a team of eight, and eight more than Gray who will be represented by six.

It is a power-packed team and, again by numbers, Fitzsimmons could hold the aces in two of the 11 races.

Gold Ten Sixty-One and Mimosas look outstanding in the Class 3 sprint over the Polytrack 1,200m.

Jewel Sixty-One and Ahorsewithnoname could be the pair the rest will have to beat in the Class 4 contest over 1,400m on grass.

That quartet of last-start winners were the standouts on a beautiful morning at the Kranji racecourse and there is nothing to suggest they cannot bring that form over to the races.

In a breezy workout, Gold Ten Sixty-One clocked 40.6sec for the 600m. Mimosas went over the same trip in 40.4. Both were fluent in their action.

Like her stablemates, Ahorsewithnoname was also not out to make time as she ran out the distance in an easy 43.5.

Jewel Sixty-One was the fastest of the four, clocking 39.8 in a separate gallop.

Fitzsimmons would have been mighty pleased.

Promoted to Class 3 after his slashing last-start victory over the short and sharp 1,000m on March 12, Mimosas is certainly heading for bigger and better things.

A winner of two races in Australia before being flown here to continue his career, the now four-year-old chestnut was outstanding in his trials.

He won two of his three early morning romps and punters soon caught on to him.

When Mimosas made his debut on Feb 25, they sent him off as the $11 favourite. But, alas, he found Petrograd a shade better.

But, with the benefit of that run, he made amends for that smart win.

He is certainly a horse on the ascent and will be on the radar of racegoers when he faces heavyweights like General Command and I Am Sacred in Saturday’s contest.

Of course, he would also have to beat his stablemate Gold Ten Sixty-One who, like himself, is also a last-start winner on the day Mimosas finished second.

One of many horses racing in the colours of the AJ’s Stable, Gold Ten Sixty-One has already been to the races a dozen times.

A four-year-old who likes to race in a forward position, he put two lengths between himself and the chasing pack, led by City Gold Forward and I Am Sacred.

Both horses are in Saturday’s line-up, making it even more interesting. Gold Ten Sixty-One is comfortable racing in Class 3 and we could be looking at a stable queue-up with Mimosas.

The same could be said when Jewel Sixty-One and Ahorsewithnoname face off in that Class 4 event over 1,400m.

Both have almost identical qualities and we could see a heads-up, heads-down battle from pillar to post.

Jewel Sixty-One won his last start on March 4 with an all-the-way performance over 1,400m on grass. That day, the American-bred beat Con Speranza after a spirited battle up the long straight. He eventually prevailed by a shorthead.

As for the Joe Giovanni Sarjeet Singh-owned Ahorsewithnoname, she was never challenged in that last-start Open maiden race over Saturday’s trip of 1,400m.

The mare led from go to whoa under Manoel Nunes, beating Free And Happy by a convincing two lengths.

It was her first win in four starts and, like the opening lyrics of that song of the same name by the pop group America, it could well be the “first part of the journey”.