Godolphin’s Tom Kitten shines at Group 1 All-Star Mile at Flemington

Tom Kitten may have struggled so far in his three-year-old season, but he delivered at Flemington on Saturday in the Group 1 All-Star Mile. The James Cumming-trained gelding finished first in the $3,650,000 race.

Tom Kitten narrowly beat out Lindsay Park’s nine-time Group 1-winner Mr Brightside by a nose, while Ciaron Maher’s Light Infantry Man finished third, 1.3 lengths behind the winner.

Futurity Stakes prep essential

Tom Kitten and Mr Brightside finished first and second in a race just three weeks ago in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on February 22. However, the order was flipped in that race.

Mr Brightside finished first, just a short head in front of this Saturday’s winner Tom Kitten.

Despite the runner-up finish, Cummings and his team felt strong coming out of the Futurity Stakes.

“He has come back really good, this horse,” jockey Ben Melham said after the All-Star Mile on Saturday.

“His second prep as a gelding and James Cummings and Godolphin, they’re such good conditioners of this calibre of horse heading to these big races.

“He was obviously very unlucky the other day (at the Futurity Stakes). In another hop, he probably beats Mr Brightside. He had the cheaper run, and he has probably bounced out of it better.

“I was confident he could come here and beat Brightside today, but he just has a few antics in the barriers and stepped a bit ordinary, but it worked out really well for us.”

Betting sites upset

While Ben Melham, James Cummings, and Godolphin Racing were confident about Tom Kitten’s chances on Saturday, the betting sites were not as convinced.

The gelding’s odds heading into the race were just $6. These are respectable chances, but far off the top two favourites.

The betting apps gave Ciaron Maher’s Another Wil top chances with $2.50 odds to win. Mr Brightside was second-best in the odds list with $2.70 chances.

Light Infantry Man, the eventual third-placed horse, was listed at just $17.

Luck to turn around

Multiple people in Tom Kitten’s circle said after his big win on Saturday that they felt a lot of his poor form this season came down to luck. They felt he is a better horse than his record this season shows.

“He’s really genuine now. I know he’s got a bit of a bad rap, but he’s run a lot of good races, and he’s run into stiff competition, so for him to put another big one on the mantelpiece is a great effort by the horse and the stable,” Melham said.

“He’s got a lot of ability, but a lot of things never went to plan with him,” said Godolphin representative Nacim Dilmi.

“He’s had many luckless races and this prep, the guys at Osborne Park said earlier, the way he has been going we knew he was in for a good prep, and he sure has.

“Now it is onwards to the Australian Cup at 2000 metres, and he’ll put in another good fight,” Dilmi added.