Australia: Tom Kitten runs away to win Spring Champion Stakes

Tom Kitten made a one-act affair of the Group 1, US$1.26 million Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday at Royal Randwick, but fast-forward 12 months, and James Cummings won’t be surprised to see him line up in a Cox Plate (G1).

The Godolphin trainer has a high opinion of the 3-year-old, who gave sire Harry Angel his first Group 1 win in Australia with his demolition job in Sydney’s final major of 2023.

Australia: Romantic Warrior wins Cox Plate thriller.

“He’s proved to be one of the best middle-distance horses in the country today, and a nomination in the Cox Plate wouldn’t have been out of place,” Cummings said. “If we can keep getting him better and better, in twelve months’ time he might be racing on the same day down in Melbourne.”

Luckless in his final lead-up run two weeks ago in the 1 1/8-mile Gloaming Stakes (G3), Tom Kitten enjoyed a much cozier run from an inside draw in the Spring Champion covering 2,000 meters, 13 yards short of 1 1/4 miles.

Adam Hyeronimus picked up the winning ride and made the most of his opportunity, getting favored Tom Kitten (3-2) into space at the top of the stretch before the colt exploded clear to score by 3 3/4 lengths over Cap Ferrat (11-1) with Ganbare (14-1) another length back in third in the field of 12 3-year-olds.

“He’s a gentle giant, but he’s got so much ability,” said Hyeronimus, who earned his third career Group 1 win aboard the colt. “I don’t think they’ve got to the bottom of him. I think he’ll be better next preparation.”

Cummings became the third generation of his family to win a Spring Champion after his grandfather Bart and father Anthony. He confirmed the Godolphin team would consider running Tom Kitten back in next Saturday’s 1 9/16-mile Victoria Derby (G1) at Flemington, depending on how the horse does during the week.

“He’s a very interesting horse. He’s from a quick family, but he is inbred to Machiavellian, the sire of Street Cry, and the horse has a classic style about him,” Cummings said. “He looks like he will eat up (the distance), and the VRC Derby is a time-honored race. It’s certainly worthwhile thinking about, but whatever we do will revolve around how well Tom Kitten is, and that’s the bottom line.”

The winning time was 2:01.28 without a run-up on the right-handed turf course rated soft.

Kerrin McEvoy was pleased with the effort of runner-up Cap Ferrat, and Brett Prebble said Ganbare gave him the feel of a Derby horse.

“He hit a flat patch on the turn in, but he was really game and ran through the line,” Prebble said. “I think he could run a Derby trip.”

Coverage of Royal Randwick for Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by Sky Racing World.