Tom Kitten repeats All-Star Mile glory at Flemington
Tom Kitten is the pioneer horse to claim successive All-Star Mile crowns, delivering a pulsating victory at Flemington.
The Godolphin charge captured last year's Group 1 edition trained by James Cummings, but Saturday's win arrived post a stable transfer early in the campaign to Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Never allowing the $2.35 top pick Pride Of Jenni to escape, Tom Kitten ($3.90) summoned every effort under Craig Williams to edge out Evaporate ($12) by a short-neck, with the favourite another head adrift in third place.
Tom Kitten stays undefeated across two autumn appearances, resuming with success in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 7.
Bypassing the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at the same venue and trip two weeks ago, the Freedman pair decided on a fresh approach for Saturday's contest via a trial at Caulfield Heath recently.
Sam Freedman labelled Tom Kitten a standout galloper after a troubled spring where the gelding was withdrawn late from the Memsie Stakes barriers.
"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.
While the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) scheduled for March 28 looks like an obvious target for Tom Kitten, Freedman noted the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) in Randwick on April 4 might suit better.
"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."
Williams notched his debut All-Star Mile success, a feature since 2019.
The leading rider was second the last two years on Mr Brightside, trailing Tom Kitten in the most recent and Pride Of Jenni in 2024.
Injury sidelined him for Mr Brightside's 2023 triumph.
"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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