TOM Kitten is ready to give James Cummings his first win in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday and end a series of luckless runs according to the trainer.
Cummings is keen to land his first win in the event and follow in the footsteps of his father Anthony who has won it twice and his legendary grandfather Bart who won it four times.
Cummings said the Spring Champion Stakes was Tom Kitten’s target race for the spring.
Since winning the Up And Coming over 1300m first-up at Rosehill he has since finished third in the Ming Dynasty Stakes and the Dulcify Stakes before his last start second in the Gloaming Stakes.
“He should have finished closer in the Ming Dynasty after being three-wide out the back and covering all the ground,” Cummings said.
“He should have finished closer in the Dulcify, as he made a long run from a long way out.”
Cummings said Tom Kitten shouldn’t have finished as close as close as he did in the Gloaming Stakes as he had to endure a bumping duel with another runner and he had to make a long run from the 800 metres mark.
“Most horses give up the ghost chasing, but he was proving to be the unlucky runner of the race.”
“At the very least, he’s arriving here a very fit horse.”
Cummings said from barrier one the in-form Adam Hyeronimus should be able to give him a good run which should prove the difference.
“He looks a classic staying horse in the spring, but he’s got a lot of speed in his pedigree and I’d like to think that turn of foot can get him out of trouble.”
“I think he can be just behind the leading division from this draw.”
Tom Kitten is $2.40 favourite with PlayUp.
