Tim Fitzsimmons continued his strong start in Victorian racing, quite literally striking gold in Ballarat, as Strike Gold dug deep to prevail in a tight photo finish on Thursday afternoon.

The aptly named Iffraaj gelding took out the BM64 1200m Handicap on the synthetic track, delivering a determined performance under jockey Harry Coffey, who notched his first winner for the stable.

Sent out a commanding $1.65 favourite, Strike Gold settled just behind the speed and was presented with clear running at the top of the straight. He surged to the front with 200 metres to go, but the challenge came late — and the verdict came even later — with the margin just 0.02 lengths.

“It was great to get a winner with Harry,” said Fitzsimmons. “He’s supported me since I’ve been back and we hadn’t had much luck, so it was nice to get the bob in. Harry’s a champion bloke. It was great to get a winner with him.”

Fitzsimmons also noted the gelding’s continued improvement in his behaviour and racing manners.

“I think he’s a horse we’ll look to remove the earmuffs from soon — he’s behaving a lot better now. He’ll drop in weight as we progress towards some better races with him, and I think he’ll handle himself well.”

The win was equally meaningful for Coffey, whose family link to Fitzsimmons adds an extra layer to the partnership.

“Tim bought the stables off my uncle and aunty, and we’ve got a nice little association going at the moment,” Coffey said.

“My big fella got his big head down at the right time. He got to the front with a lot of ease, but the big spacious room of Ballarat saw him have a bit of a look around. Late, I felt like he was peaking — maybe that was the big weight in the saddle — so he did a good job to win.”

Strike Gold’s victory was his first on Australian soil after a successful stint in Singapore, and he now looks well placed to build on that form in Victoria.

The win also capped off a golden fortnight for Fitzsimmons Racing, following three winners in four days last week, and now bringing the stable’s record to five wins from its first 22 starters — a 22% win strike rate, with 63% finishing in the top three.

In a city famous for its gold rush history, it was only fitting that Strike Gold lived up to his name. With the team in strong form and more promising types coming through, Fitzsimmons Racing is proving there’s still gold to be found — you just have to know where to dig.