Tom Kitten primed for Doncaster Mile challenge

James Cummings was adamant two months ago that Tom Kitten was gearing up for the best preparation of his career.

Although a G1 winner of the 2023 Spring Champion Stakes, the giant Godolphin galloper hadn’t really fulfilled his potential and the decision was made to geld the son of Harry Angel after a win-less autumn campaign 12 months ago.

Since then, Tom Kitten has blossomed into one of the best sprinter-milers in the country and heads into Saturday’s G1 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick in top form.

A narrow and unlucky second to Mr Brightside in the G1 Futurity Stakes 1,400m at Caulfield on 22 February, Tom Kitten atoned when he ran down the Victorian champion to win the All-Star Mile at Flemington on 8 March.

Dropping to 1,500m, Tom Kitten was wide and back in the field from an outside barrier in the G1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens two weeks ago before running home strongly to be beaten just 1.45 lengths behind Gringotts.

Returning to the bigger track at Randwick and 1,600m, Tom Kitten has drawn the inside barrier this time for jockey Ben Melham and his trainer couldn’t be happier.
“He’s in great order for the Doncaster this year,” Cummings said on Thursday.

“I believe the horse’s effort in the George Ryder was excellent to finish as close as he did off the wide run, following a horse as sharp as Fangirl was brave.
“In my mind we have him absolutely perfect to be rock-hard fit and peaking for the 1,600m at Randwick in much the same vein, maybe even better, than we had him going into the Epsom late last year.”

Tom Kitten was beaten only by Ceolwulf after jumping from barrier 19 in the big spring G1 mile.
All the four-year-old’s six wins have come from barriers inside six and Cummings has no concerns with the big horse being blocked for a run on the fence in the 20-horse field.

“Tom KItten’s record from inside barriers is very, very good,” he said.
“Nothing looked better when he was in full flight in the Spring Champion Stakes defeating Cap Ferrat, who went on to win a Hong Kong Derby.

“From barrier two in the Golden Eagle he beat all the Australian horses, the only horses to beat him home were the international horses with the Northern Hemisphere weight allowances.
“I do recognise he was luckless in the Futurity, but that was Caulfield and it was different to a Doncaster which should be run genuinely under handicap conditions.

“Tom Kitten is airborne this preparation, I don’t think we could have him better for the Doncaster.”
Stablemate Pericles finished runner-up in the Doncaster last year and is back 12 months later, albeit in slightly inferior form.

Eighth in the Futurity Stakes first-up, the five-year-old was a little disappointing when only fourth in the G2 Ajax Stakes 1,500m at Rosehill three weeks ago and has a sticky gate in 16 for leading Melbourne rider Blake Shinn. 

“He’s here with 55kg, he’s a genuine top-eight chance and he’s had the preparation to be at his best third-up,” Cummings said.
“My perspective has not really changed with Pericles, he needs the right sort of G1 to be winning one.

“The mission is ahead of him, but he’s a strong horse who loves the Randwick mile and won’t be deterred if the track is a little softer.
“He ran so well in the race last year and when horses run well, they tend to run well again the next year.”

Shinn will also be aboard Traffic Warden for Cummings in the G1 T.J. Smith Stakes over 1,200m.
The three-year-old colt hasn’t started since his fifth in the G1 Lightning Stakes down the straight at Flemington on 15 February.

“In many ways he deserves his opportunity against the best sprinters around to prove himself.”
“I do feel like he’s training like a horse who is ready to run a race.”

“His challenge is this preparation is not ideal, but we see a horse who is capable of running well in a T.J. Smith.”

Cummings suggested the G1 All Aged Stakes 1,400m on the final day of the carnival could be a better target.

“Traffic Warden is a very capable colt, he training in very good fashion and he needed that lung-burner trial last week,” the trainer said.
“If he runs well, I’d be delighted from the perspective that there are one or two races ahead in the autumn.” 

Zeitung has also had a breather since her first-up third in the Listed Fireball Stakes 1,100m at Randwick on 8 March and lines up in the G3 P.J. Bell Stakes over 1,200m.
“That filly is going beautifully and I feel like the gap between runs is in her favour,” he said.

“The wide draw (11) could work out by that stage of the day.
“I like the way she finished off first-up in the Fireball.

“She’s a filly we had a bit of confidence about going into the first-up run, but the race didn’t quite unfold to her liking.
“The winner came up on the inside and we attempted to circle them.”

Mark Zahra reunites with Zeitung after the pair combined to win the G2 Vanity Stakes 1,400m at Flemington last November.

Cummings has decided to send comeback galloper Golden Mile (Billy Egan) and two-year-old Aleppo Pine (Jye McNeil) to Melbourne to run at Caulfield on Saturday.

Golden Mile returns to that track for the first time since his victory in the 2022 G1 Caulfield Guineas.

“I didn’t think he was too bad first-up (sixth) and we’ve been pretty patient since in waiting for the right race,” Cummings said.
“We gave him a little tick-over trial after the Liverpool City Cup, where he was just out the placings and just knocked up late.

“It would be good to see Golden Mile strike a bit of form and interesting to see what level he’s capable of returning to now he’s back in the swing of things.”

Cummings scratched dual acceptor Aleppo Pine from the G3 Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick and hopes the youngster can rediscover his pre-Christmas form in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes over 1,100m.

“At the end of the day, he just needed the softer draw out for the two races,” Cummings said.
“This is quite a strong little race and not much easier than the Kindergarten, but he’s got the softer draw (2) and he might just act a little better on his Melbourne leg at this stage of his career.

“He’s had a soft trial since his somewhat luckless effort (seventh) in the Todman, getting his momentum impeded was not ideal.
“He’s a quick colt and, from the soft draw, I’d like to see him show the foot he showed first-up last year.”