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EPTEMBER September has truly been a golden month for Newmarket trainer David Simcock and his Trillium Place team, after achieving an illustrious Grade 1 double at Woodbine with Sheikhzayedroad and Trade Storm. A fourth win this year under Martin Lane, Sheikhzayedroad made a successful North American debut in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, followed later that day by Trade Storm collecting his sixth win in thirty four starts in the Woodbine Mile. The well travelled bay now looks forward to a possible visit to Santa Anita the first week of November, before heading back to Dubai next year, where the plan will be to repeat his Group 2 Zabeel Mile victory. In the ten years since David and his wife Jennie set up on their own with a handful of horses, things have gone from strength-tostrength for the duo. Their first runner, Cut And Dried, won the day the two got engaged on February 14th 2004, a portentous sign. Now with a string of over 100, Simcock began his career as pupil assistant to Ian
Balding, moving to Lambourn for an enjoyable stint in the employment of legend Major Dick Hern. His learning curve then took in a spell with William Muir at Linkslade culminating in assistant trainer to Luca Cumani at Newmarket. Early success came with Classic Encounter, Listed winner Desert Phantom and Handicapper of the Year 2009, Darley Sun, with fillies Spirit of Dubai and Ahla Wasahl both winning Listed races in the same September weekend at Ascot. The tough but consistent Bushman became their first Group winner, when taking the Diomed Stakes at Epsom. The arrival of Trillium Place at racing’s top table was signalled by the brilliant Dream Ahead in 2010-11. Winner that season of both the Group 1 Prix Morny and the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, the speedster colt ended his ‘classic’ year as champion sprinter in Europe with a thrilling victory in the Darley July Cup and an impressive conquest of star mare Goldikova in the Prix de la Foret – both performances were as good as any seen by a European sprinter in recent times.
Following the retirement of Dream Ahead in autumn 2011, the stable made its presence felt in North America when I’m A Dreamer won the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park. David and his team enjoyed another fine season in 2013, notching up 89 winners – their best tally yet – in Britain alone. Moment In Time provided the year’s domestic highpoint, winning the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock, later sold for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls December Sale, but the new Trillium Place flag bearer was Trade Storm, who netted nearly £100,000 when taking the Group 2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan. With both Trade Storm and Moment In Time subsequently being placed in Grade 1 events in Canada, Simcock’s ability to campaign his horses successfully all over the globe increased. This season, high profile domestic victories have continued with stand out horses like the three-year-old filly Madame Chiang who won the Musidora Stakes this May and Breton Rock, who after wins at Haydock and Newbury, looks set to head to contest key European contests this autumn. n
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