The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable headed to the Group 1 Memsie Stakes with high expectations from their Godolphin acquisition Tom Kitten.
A good speed, a field that would break up, and a fit horse after three solid trials had the Freedman team looking forward to the contest.
But it all went pear-shaped in the barriers when a rival kicked out, Tom Kitten lunged forward and struck his head, and he was withdrawn from that Caulfield engagement on August 30.
After some barrier practise and a trial, Tom Kitten is back on Saturday in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), but the Freedman team is reserved in their hopes for the gelding.
Sam Freedman explained a 1000m trial at Mornington on September 3 did not go as planned as rider Ben Melham was not prepared when the starter let the field go.
“The horse went in and Ben wasn’t in the saddle,” Freedman said.
“It was a funny trial. It was on the inside grass as we couldn’t get a course proper trial. There was a sprinter in it that went really quick, and he was chasing.
“When he missed the start, he didn’t know what to do.”
Freedman said speaking with Melham about Tom Kitten, the gelding has always been on the edge when in the gates.
“They are acutely aware of him in Sydney, and I think they have a man up in the gates up there,” Freedman said.
“He’s always been busy in the gates and Ben has felt he was capable of going off at times.
“We did a bit of work with him for a couple of days (after the Memsie), and he responded really well, so hopefully it’s behind him.”
Tom Kitten had his final gallop with a stablemate at Mornington on Monday and Freedman said he would not have blown a candle post the work.
But Freedman is acutely aware that Monday’s gallop and the pressure of taking on some of the best gallopers in the land is a completely different scenario.
“I would say he’s going to need it, but I think he can run well,” Freedman said.
“He’s had a good body of work but is lacking match practise against those horses.
“Going into the Memsie we thought he would run well. His work had been good. There was going to be decent speed in that race and a bigger field.
“I’m still learning about him, but watching his replays and my feel with him is that a bigger field that is spread out and he can work through will suit him better.
“The flipside is that it’s a small field, he will be closer in the run than he otherwise would be.
“It’s a stepping stone and not his Grand Final.”
While not ideal to be missing the first-up run in the Memsie, Freedman does not see it as being detrimental to Tom Kitten’s overall spring campaign.
The next race on Tom Kitten’s agenda is likely to be the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4 or the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield a week later.
The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 is the ultimate goal, although the stable could pivot to the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) or the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“We’ll see how he runs on Saturday, but there’s still plenty of options,” Freedman said.
“The Cox Plate is the goal, but you’re only going there if you’re flying and in form. You’re not going there to make up the numbers.”
