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A YEAR with 60-plus winners for Trillium Place was crowned by the success of Balios at Royal Ascot – trainer David Simcock’s first triumph at the Royal meeting.
Balios delivered on the potential that David knew was there when landing the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes in superb style. Owned by Al Asayl Bloodstock, the son of Shamardal stays in training at four.
David said: “Having a Royal Ascot winner was absolutely fantastic. Balios is a horse we’ve always liked and one who we think will go onto better things. For trainer, owner and yard, winning at Royal Ascot was very special.
“He’ll go to Dubai for two races – one on Super Saturday before hopefully taking in the Sheema Classic – and then we’ll bring him back accordingly. Being a Group 2 winner, there is not that much of a programme for him here until Ascot.”
A horse that in 2015 exemplified David’s patient approach to his work was Glass Office, who has not been straightforward to train. There have been many months on the sidelines but any frustrations that that might have existed were swept away by his stunning success in the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes at the Dante meeting.
David said: “He has had a lot of problems and unfortunately his season was curtailed but he’ll be back next year.”
The Corsican proved most progressive, claiming victory at Listed and Group 3 level. He is now rated 115 and the feeling is that there’s more to come from him.
His trainer said: “We certainly haven’t got to the bottom of him. He is just a very talented horse. Next year could be a big year for him...ten furlongs on fast ground, but he is adaptable.”
Assessing the year as a whole, David added: “We’ve had 60-odd winners and prize money has been excellent.”
The most frustrating aspect of 2015 was a barren patch in high-season when the horses were ‘below par’ according to the trainer.
“It was at a time of year when we are usually very pro-active. That has cost us to a certain extent but it happens and there’s nothing you can do about it except be patient. And we finished the season strongly - having a fantastic September and a good October.
“We’re already really looking forward to next year. We’ll be on the 100-horse mark and there are some nice, progressive horses among them.”
The envy of many of his fellow trainers will be the size and quality of David’s older-horse team. Numbering around 20, a good few of them will be capable of competing in stakes races – two or three at the very highest level.
More immediately, Trillium Place will be campaigning around 20 on the all-weather circuit over the winter months – and sending a group to the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the scene for plenty of Simcock-trained winners over the years. David expects to have his first runner of the 2016 Carnival in the first or second week of the year.
David said: “There’s a team of four to go out in January – Majeed, Glory Awaits, Calling Out and Horsted Keynes. Sheikhzayedroad, Balios and The Corsican will go out there later.
“Over here, we’ve a good all-weather team coming out – a string of 20 – in January, February and March. There are a few old soldiers and a few new faces among them. So, we’re very much a 365-day operation and it keeps everybody busy, everybody ticking along.”
And just to prove the point that the Trillium Place bandwagon barely ever stops, the trainer will have a bunch of horses at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day – and he plans to be there to saddle them. Now that’s dedication!