Tom Kitten etched his name in the record books as the first to defend the All-Star Mile title successfully with a nail-biting win at Flemington.
Last year’s Group 1 renewal went to the Godolphin horse under James Cummings’ preparation, but this Saturday’s result stemmed from a new training arrangement at season’s outset with Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Staying in touch with $2.35 favourite Pride Of Jenni throughout, the $3.90 chance Tom Kitten produced a supreme effort ridden by Craig Williams to hold off Evaporate ($12) by a short-neck, the market elect beaten a further head for third.
The gelding holds a flawless record in two autumn runs, kicking off with victory in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield February 7.
The Freedmans shunned the Group 1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m there a couple of weeks back, instead targeting Saturday fresh off a trial at Caulfield Heath in the past month.
After a spring that unravelled with a late barrier scratch in the Memsie Stakes, Sam Freedman hailed Tom Kitten as an extraordinary galloper.
“He’s been to the top for a long time, and we’ve been blessed to get him into the stable in the last eight or nine months,” Freedman said.
“We were disappointed with the spring we had with him. We felt he was going well, but we were chasing our tail, but this prep, I don’t know what it is.
“I rang Dad this morning and said he’s a different horse. He looks amazing, he’s holding more condition, he’s racing heavier than he was in the spring.
“Sometimes you are a victim when horses change yards. They go onto a different feed, a few changes can happen pretty quickly.
“He’s now in a nice routine at Pinecliff, gets out into a paddock during the day.
“He’s a remarkable horse and turns up every time.
The Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 28 presents a straightforward next assignment for Tom Kitten, yet Freedman suggested the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Randwick April 4 as potentially ideal.
“I feel he’s best fresh at a mile,” Freedman said.
“We might see him in the Doncaster more likely than the Australian Cup.
“He might grind away late like he wants the 2000 metres, but he likes a strong tempo where he can sit back and stalk them.
“We’ll have a chat as he’s also entered in Dubai and Hong Kong, so there’s plenty of options for him.
“The beauty of him is he’s an easy horse to work with.”
This was Williams’ maiden All-Star Mile win since its 2019 inception.
He’d been runner-up the preceding pair on Mr Brightside, losing to Tom Kitten last year and Pride Of Jenni in 2024.
He sat out 2023 injured during Mr Brightside’s success.
“This horse beat me last year in this race on Brightside and because we haven’t got Brightside now, if you can’t beat them, join them, I thought,” Williams said.
“He’s just a big, strong individual and he knows it. He’s content and we saw it today under race pressure.”
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