Success in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic would be a major breakthrough for former Singapore trainer Tim Fitzsimmons.
Former Singapore trainer Tim Fitzsimmons hopes to follow the lead of fellow trainer Dan Meagher by landing a winner with his second runner in Australia.
Meagher produced a winner at Sandown on Wednesday with his second starter after relocating from Singapore at the end of last year.
While Meagher is now based at Pakenham, Fitzsimmons has stables at Bendigo and is heading across the border to Murray Bridge to run Tesoro Mio in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic (1100m) on Saturday.
Tesoro Mio was Fitzsimmon’s first Australian starter when placed fourth at Moonee Valley last month and will be his second starter from the 19 horses he currently has in work.
Fitzsimmons was pleased with Tesoro Mio’s debut performance and thought the exercise of heading across the border for a $200,000 race was an exercise worth taking.
“A few little things went wrong early in the race at The Valley,” Fitzsimmons said.
“She copped a little bit of a squeeze, she was pretty green, but I still thought she ran well enough even though she got a little tired in the last 100 metres.
“We thought about whether to go to Murray Bridge or wait for a maiden at home in around 10 days, but she galloped really well on Tuesday, and this is really the only chance you get at a Magic Millions Sales race.”
Fitzsimmons said with Gin Spirit remaining in Melbourne for the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington potentially makes the race a little easier.
“Gin Spirit’s scratching, it opens the field right up,” Fitzsimmons said.
“Peter Moody’s (Ole Dancer) and Jason Warren’s (Celtic Thunder) look like they go alright.
“I just thought, being a $200,000 race, it was worth a crack.”
Fitzsimmons has booked Queensland-based Ryan Curatolo for the ride.
Curatolo and Fitzsimmons had considerable success together in Singapore before racing closed down last October.
“Ryan was pretty much my stable jockey for the last year I was there, so we had a lot of luck together,” Fitzsimmons said.
“With the Gold Coast off because of the storm, he was available.
“If he doesn’t get out because of the cyclone around Brisbane and with Gin Spirit scratched, then Jason Holder becomes available, and he would be a good get.”
