Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of the Singapore Turf Club
Golden Monkey’s victory in Sunday’s SG2 Stewards’ Cup (1600 metres) handed his sire, the Vinery Stud resident Star Turn, his 11th stakes win.
The Tim Fitzsimmons-trained gelding, who was piloted by visiting jockey Chad Schofield, upstaged race favourite Super Salute (I Am Invincible), with Invincible Tycoon (I Am Invincible) completing an Australian-bred trifecta.
“Although I’ve done a lot of riding in Asia, I’ve never ridden in Singapore. It’s my first meeting (Sunday) and it was nice to get the opportunity to ride a horse like Golden Monkey. He’s got a lot of quality and we saw that (on Sunday),” Schofield said post-race.
“He’s (Golden Monkey) got a lot of quality and we saw that (on Sunday).” - Chad Schofield
Bred by Howard and Judy Blight at their Bendaree Park Stud, Golden Monkey was consigned by Byerley Stud at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where Research Bloodstock paid $54,000 for him. He was then passed in when re-offered by Blake Ryan at the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
Golden Monkey went winless in five starts in Australia with trainer Clayton Douglas before being exported.
He is the second foal of the dual winner Dixie’s Comet (Northern Meteor), who was also bred and raced by the Blights and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Hong Kong performer Flagship Shine (Tale Of The Cat {USA}). Dixie’s Comet raced six times, notching two wins and two placings. Her first foal, Django Dream (Dissident), is still racing and has five victories to his credit. Dixie’s Comet has a 2-year-old gelding, Dixies Statesman (Churchill {Ire}) with Ryan. The mare has a Castelvecchio colt on the ground and was covered by Dundeel (NZ) last spring.
Golden Monkey’s fifth win – and third at Group level – from 12 starts in Singapore took his prizemoney to just shy of SG$400,000 (AU$444,000).
Having taken home the second leg of the Singapore 4YO Challenge, Fitzsimmons will now give Golden Monkey a shot at the SG1 Singapore Derby on July 23.
“I think we (can) do exactly what we did (on Sunday), to ride him quiet,” he said.
“If he hadn’t run the trip, we would have headed to the (SG3) Rocket Man Sprint, but now the (Singapore) Derby (dream) is alive and it’s really exciting.”
“If he (Golden Monkey) hadn’t run the trip, we would have headed to the (SG3) Rocket Man Sprint, but now the (Singapore) Derby (dream) is alive and it’s really exciting.” - Tim Fitzsimmons
Star turn will stand at a fee of $27,500 (inc GST).
In further good news for Vinery Stud, the talented Bundle Of Charm - a son of Star Turn’s barnmate All Too Hard - won Race 9 - a 1200-metre Class 3 - at Sha Tin on Saturday.
The John Size-trained gelding has won two of his past three starts.
Vinery Stud bred Bundle Of Charm and then offered him at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, where Neerim Lodge paid $46,000 for him.
Bundle Of Charm is from the triple Listed scorer Dubleanny (Dubleo {USA}), making him a half-brother to the stakes performer Academy Award (Star Turn).
All Too Hard will again stand at $38,500 (inc GST) in 2023.
Morning Rise Stud also had reason to celebrate on Saturday, with Sword Point (American Pharoah {USA}) taking home the Hong Kong Reunification Cup (2000 metres, Class 2).
The Frankie Lor-trained gelding is out of the Group 3 winner Jazz Zong (Fastnet Rock) and she in turn is a daughter of the Group 1 heroine Absolut Glam (Snowland).
After being bred by Morning Rise Stud, Sword Point was bought by Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for $750,000 from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sword Point had eight starts in Australia. He chalked up two wins and was third in last year’s G2 Tulloch S.
Frosted entire takes Chukyo Group 3
Jasper Krone (USA) - a son of Frosted (USA) - posted his first Group victory on Sunday, taking out the G3 CBC Sho (1200 metres) at Chukyo.
The chestnut is from the stakes performer Fancy Kitten (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) and is closely related to the Listed winner Daring Devil (USA) (Daredevil {USA}).
Meanwhile, Deep Brillante (Jpn) colt Elton Barows (Jpn) made it three wins on the bounce when he landed the G3 Radio Nikkei Sho (1800 metres) at Fukushima.
Deep Brillante is closely related to the Listed scorer Danon Programmer (Jpn) (War Emblem {USA}), as well as Vega (Jpn) (Tony Bin {Ire}) - the Champion 3YO Filly in Japan in 1993.
