‘He could be anything’: Tom Kitten worth the wait for Rawiller

Nash Rawiller has been waiting for Silver Slipper and Hobartville Stakes day for the past month knowing that it will be the test for how big his autumn carnival might be.

Breeders Plate winner Espionage has been slated for a Silver Slipper return, and the James Cummings-trained Tom Kitten will take the next step on his path to the Randwick Guineas.

Nash Rawiller fires Tom Kitten to victory in the Up And Coming Stakes last year.

“I have been pretty open in what I think of Tom Kitten – he could be anything,” Rawiller said. “I haven’t changed my thoughts.

“I haven’t been on him this time in at all, so I can’t wait to get on him on Saturday and feel the improvement. I thought his run in the Eskimo Prince Stakes first up showed he is in good shape.

“Looking at it, I thought his next hundred was going to be his best hundred, and as he steps up in trip he is only going to get better.

“It is a long way from his best trip, but on Saturday if he is close to them at the hundred mark I think he will pick them up because he is that type of horse.”

Rawiller missed Tom Kitten’s win in the Spring Champion Stakes because of suspension. Cummings regards that win as a bonus and believes the Harry Angel colt has come back better in 2024.

“He was still growing in the spring, and we always thought whatever he did he would be better now,” Cummings said. “He showed at Rosehill in the Up And Coming Stakes that he has the toe for this sort of trip.

“He will enjoy getting his toe into the ground a bit, so on Saturday, being back at set weights and up in trip, everything is in his favour.

“He is an exciting horse for Godolphin, and we are expecting him to keep improving and be a group 1 threat in the Guineas.”

Tom Kitten is a $3.20 Hobartville favourite and a $4.50 second pick behind Militarize for the Randwick Guineas in a couple of weeks.

Rawiller was always going to the first pick for Tom Kitten and was booked for Espionage more than a month ago.

“It has been a bit of a wait for this day to come around because I knew they would be both here,” Rawiller said. “It is sort of a D-day in some way because it tell us where they sit, but I’m confident they will more than measure up.”

Rawiller has been in the saddle for both of Espionage’s barrier trials, the most recent being a victory where he stayed on the bridle in running 34.25 seconds for his final 600m as those around him were under pressure.

“I have liked what I have felt in the barrier trials and at trackwork,” Rawiller said. “Every time you get on him he feels that little bit stronger.

“It has been a bit of a wait to get to Saturday, but I am sure he will be competitive in this race and on to the Golden Slipper. He has the feel of a top-class colt, but you find out a lot more about them on raceday.

“I was keen to stick with him and made the commitment to ride him a while ago.”

Rawiller has had a frustrating run of placings in February and sits one behind Jason Collett on the Sydney’s riders premiership, but he has book full of favourites at Rosehill, including Belvedere Boys in the Highway Handicap.

“Matt Dunn’s horses are flying, and Belvedere Boys and Derry Grove are good rides as well, it looks like it could be a big day,” Rawiller said.

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