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Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons has maintained his judgement call on the decision to withdraw Golden Monkey from the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on 5 October.
It came as a surprise to many after the name of Singapore's second highest-rated galloper went missing from the starter field in the updated list of Grand Singapore Gold Cup nominations sent out on Monday morning.
Golden Monkey ran fifth to Lim's Kosciuszko at his last start in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) on 7 September when ridden by visiting jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor, but Fitzsimmons was not convinced the Star Turn six-year-old can prove himself equal to the task with the extra furlong in the last feature race in Singapore.
"We've decided not to run him in the Gold Cup after the QEII (Cup)," said the Australian handler.
"He ran fine (in the QEII Cup) but I just didn't think he would run a strong 2000m.
"I thought his best trips were over 1200m and 1400m and he can run out a strong mile but not the 1800m. Even if he won the (Singapore) Derby before, that was against his own age group (four-year-olds).
"I'm not disappointed at all. It has always been to wait and see how he runs in the QEII Cup before deciding on anything. He's been very good to the owners and we don't want to run him (in the Gold Cup) for the sake of running."
The Jig Racing/Elvin Stable-owned gelding has run his last race in Singapore, amassing just under $1.05 million in prizemoney for connections from his eight wins over trips ranging from 1200m to 1800m, and 13 placings from 26 starts.
The talented chestnut has been regularly featured in Group races in Singapore since his debut two years ago and won five of them, including Fitzsimmons only Group 1 win to-date after Golden Monkey claimed the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) last July.
But that will not be the last time fans get to see Golden Monkey as he will continue his racing career with Fitzsimmons in Bendigo, Victoria.
"He pulled up fantastic after the race (QEII Cup). He's one of the soundest horses in my stable and we want him to stay that way," said the 2022 Singapore champion trainer.
"He will go into quarantine on 3rd October for two weeks, fly over and quarantine for three weeks. After that, he will spend about four to six weeks in the paddock and hopefully get back to work in mid-December."
Meanwhile, Raising Sixty-One, who ran a huge second to Lim's Kosciuszko in the QEII Cup, has also been withdrawn from the Grand Singapore Gold Cup nominations after suffering a setback from that run. Fitzsimmons still has four other remaining nominees, namely Dream Alliance , King Of Sixty-One, Lightning Strike and Saint Tropez in the final Group race to be run in Singapore.
"Dream Alliance didn't have much luck (ran seventh in the QEII Cup), but I thought he stayed on okay. We can only hope for more luck in the Gold Cup," said Fitzsimmons, who only has two runners in Ben's Champion and Maze this Saturday.
"(Jockey) Ronnie Stewart will be back to ride King Of Sixty-One. He's won the Singapore Gold Cup three times before."
The Australian jockey won aboard top stayer El Dorado thrice in the Singapore Gold Cup in 2008, 2009 and 2011 when the race was run over 2200m. He has ridden King Of Sixty-One twice for one win in a Class 4 race (1600m) last March.
The lightweight jockey, who has been riding in Queensland recently, applied for a three-month leave of absence to return to Adelaide to help with his father's smallgoods business last December, but did come back to ride at Kranji on four meetings, with his latest visit on 21 April.