Godolphin Australia boss Vin Cox is hopeful that Tom Kitten can make the first group 1 statement for Harry Angel as a stallion in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Godolphin raced Harry Angel in England, where he won the July Cup and the Haylock Sprint Cup for the global breeding giant. In his first season as a stallion, Harry Angel has produced a couple of black type winners. That would be capped if Tom Kitten can add the Champagne Stakes to his Fernhill Handicap success of last week.
Nash Rawiller comes with a late charge on Tom Kitten to win the Fernhill Handicap at Randwick last week,Credit: Getty
“Harry Angel hasn’t had a group 1 winner yet. He has had a few stakes winners, but it would be big for our operation down here if we could provide him with a two-year-old group 1 winner in his first crop and launch him,” Cox said.
“We are a worldwide operation and to get a mile group 1 with a horse that was a sprinter over there would be great for the Australian part of the operation.
“Harry Angel might have been a sprinter but to get one like Tom Kitten early on, which has always looked to be a colt that would stretch out to this trip of 1600m, is important for any stallion.”
Cox credited Godolphin trainer James Cummings for targeting the Champagne Stakes with Tom Kitten.
“I remember when we were planning, James said this would be an ideal race for Tom Kitten, so we decided to take him on the low path to get him there,” Cox said.
“We had our Golden Slipper horses, and Tom we looked on as one we could get to peak on Champagne day.
“He has got here with a very good win in the Fernhill Handicap, which gives him the advantage of having the mile run under his belt going into this week.
“His dam [Transfers] traces her line back to the Redoute’s Choice family, so it shows what the stallions we have from Europe can do with our Australian families.”
Cummings has trained Tom Kitten to be strong at the mile and, even after a month off leading into the Fernhill, he still proved the strongest late.
There is a confidence that comes from such a success leading into the grand final.
“I was able to get him ready at home without racing him against the best until now, and there is no doubt he will be improved by that win last week,” Cummings said.
“I thought he was excellent when he got clear with less than 200m to go last weekend. He savaged the line.
“He’s the only proven miler in the race, and he’s a chance to really mix it with those horses like Militarize and Don Corleone.
“He’s got that slightly fresh formline coming into it, and he’s the type of horse who will relish getting to a mile. He has got there off a good experience, which is what we want to do.”
“There’ll be a lot more pressure in this race, as you’d expect going from a listed to a group 1 level, but if there’s a two-year-old I’ve got in training who will cope with that pressure over a mile it would be Tom Kitten.”
Cox said the final group 1 day of the carnival offers an insight into the Godolphin operation with a dozen runners from 12 different sires.
There are horses that started their careers in Europe, others that were bred to Australian time over there, and a couple that were bought at Australian yearling sales to give a great spread of bloodstock.
“A horse like Cascadian is a great example of the Godolphin team working together,” Cox said. “He has come out here as a good horse and won a Doncaster, an All Aged Stakes and the Australian Cup.
“He is still at the peak of his powers and could give another special moment on Saturday.
“We bred from Golden Horn and got Tamerlane, which has proven a handy type.”
Cummings isn’t worried about the drop in distance from 2000m to 1400m for Cascadian as he attempts to defend his All Aged crown.
“He is ready to go and there won’t be a stronger horse at the end of 1400m than Cascadian.” Cummings said. “We gave him a couple of days to freshen up, and his work has been extremely sharp this week.”
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