Having not won since defeating Mr Brightside in the G1 All-Star Mile in March last year, a drop in class has seen a return to form for Harry Angel (IRE) gelding Tom Kitten, winning the G3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
With Craig Williams in the saddle for the first time, the pair jumped away from the outside barrier in the field of eight, going back to settle with just two behind as last start Listed Carrington Stakes winner Sandpaper went forward to lead for trainer Bjorn Baker.
As second favourite Zou Sensation travelled forward to settle in second with Jennilala and Veight tracking the leading duo, the leader ensured the race was being run at a solid tempo which ultimately suited the race favourite Tom Kitten.
With Sandpaper being ridden along before the home turn, the runs were starting to come from back in the field with last season’s G1 Australian Guineas winner Feroce coming off the heels of Veight, extending down the outside to make his run.
Hitting the lead with about 150m to run, it looked as if Super Seth’s Feroce was going to record his first win since his Guineas victory, but it was not to be as Williams urged Tom Kitten a long with the gelding responding strongly to chase down the leader to score by a narrow margin.
Dual G1 winner Veight battled on strongly to finish third, just ahead of Ben Will and JD Hayes’ Plymouth who came home very well late.
“Craig and I had a chat before the event, and I really wanted to see him not have a gut buster and not have to circle the whole field and make a long run,” Sam Freedman said.
“You see when they got going, he kept him back, he made his run at the perfect time and it's great to get the horse back in the winners' stall.
“When you take on a horse like this that has been to the top of the mountain, there's always a bit of pressure.
“Ultimately, we felt that he'd been running well in the spring but didn't get the rub of the green.
“We're not getting carried away as it is a fair step down from the level that he has been to, but on his times at home and the way he is carrying condition, he can hopefully get to the level he has been at again."
Freedman indicated that the dual G1 winner had been trained differently leading into his current campaign where he was carrying more condition.
“We were a victim last prep of missing a run when he was scratched at the gates,” Freedman said.
“We were chasing our tail going to the mile first-up and we were concerned that he was racing too keenly and we had to work to make him settle, which didn't work.
“He pulled his head off in a sedate tempo in the Makybe Diva and then he gradually got better. He had a fitness run at The Valley, and then he was back on track in Sydney.”
One of two stakes winners at Caulfield on Saturday for Godolphin after the G2 Autumn Stakes win of Observer, Tom Kitten took his overall record to seven wins and eight placed efforts from 30 starts with $6,375,650 in earnings.
Bred by Godolphin Australia, Tom Kitten is the best of four winners, and one of three stakes winners out of the Street Cry mare Transfers, a sister to the dam of G3 winner Idle Flyer.
A half to stakes winners Va Via and Promotions, Tom Kitten is from the extended family of Redoute’s Choice and also, interestingly Oak Hill, a winner of the G2 Rubiton Stakes on the same Caulfield card on Saturday.
Tom Kitten is one of three G1 winners for Darley’s Harry Angel who has been represented by 32 individual stakes performers worldwide.
Harry Angel will be represented by 10 lots at the Inglis Classic yearling sale which commences on Sunday, including Kirk Bridge Farm’s Lot 462, a full to the G2-winning, G1 placed Stretan Angel, while Riversdale Farm’s Lot 517 is a colt out of a half-sister to Stretan Angel.
