The field size may be the same for Tom Kitten’s second run for the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable, but they are expecting an entirely differently run race.
Tom Kitten heads to the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley having finished fifth first-up in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13.
The Makybe Diva Stakes was run at a farcical pace and Tom Kitten did himself no favours by over-racing, leaving nothing for the dash home.
With the presence of Pride Of Jenni in Friday night’s six-horse field, the tempo is expected to be solid which, in theory, will suit Tom Kitten’s racing manners.
Sam Freedman said there was not a lot to take out of Tom Kitten’s first-up run, other than his barrier manners had improved.
Tom Kitten missed a start in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30 after playing up in the barriers and was withdrawn.
“He began really well out of the gates if you want to take something positive out of the experience first-up,” Freedman said.
“He was very fresh for the first half, and it probably told at the finish. He pulled too hard, but all the same he pulled up well and had a nice blow.
“Coming to the Feehan, it will be a different race shape to what he was coming out of, so we felt the need to step his training up and be quite hard on him between runs.
“It’s a tricky dynamic when you’re coming out of a slowly run race to one where they go flat out.
“Pride Of Jenni being in a race, you need to be rock hard fit, so he’s had a couple of searching gallops between runs and he’ll be in the firing line on Friday night.”
Tom Kitten had a look at Moonee Valley on Monday in preparation for Friday night’s race and Freedman said he handled the track well.
Freedman hopes to have the spring campaign back on track after Friday night with Tom Kitten remaining in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 after second declarations on Tuesday.
“That (race at Flemington) was our Memsie run, clearing the cobwebs, and hopefully now we can have a clear run through,” Freedman said.
“You chase your tail a little bit, but hopefully he’s on the right leg and he can make an impact.”
