28 October 2023

First G1 winner for Harry Angel and Tom Kitten

Three-year-old colt shows class with dominant Spring Champion Stakes victory

Tom Kitten became the first G1 winner for Harry Angel when he demolished his rivals at Randwick on Saturday, 28 October in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m).

A first-up winner of the G3 Up And Coming Stakes at Rosehill in August, Tom Kitten was unluckily beaten in the G3 Ming Dynasty Stakes, Listed Dulcify Stakes and G3 Gloaming Stakes in the lead-up to Saturday.

This time beautifully ridden by new jockey Adam Hyeronimus, Tom Kitten travelled midfield on the fence before swamping his rivals in the home straight.

The colt, out of the Street Cry mare Transfers, scored by a widening 3.7 lengths from Cape Ferrat with Ganbare just under a length further back in a sizzling 2 minutes 1.28 seconds  – only a second outside the track record.

Trained by James Cummings, Tom Kitten is now the winner of three Stakes races and could now progress to the G1 Victoria Derby (2,500m) at Flemington next Saturday.

Street Cry mare Transfers was also the dam of Listed Canberra Guineas winner Promotions as well as Va Via and Transformation.

The mare also has two-year-old colt by Brazen Beau and a foal colt by Palace Pier (GB).

Harry Angel was a leading first-season stallion by Stakes winners last season.

The former G1-winning sprinter now has 89 winners of 153 races, including nine Stakes winners of 13 Black-Type races.

Godolphin Australia bloodstock manager Jason Walsh wasn’t surprised Harry Angel was able to sire a middle-distance winner at the elite level.

“The good thing about our system is it allows horses to show their aptitude and James identified this race a long time ago, which is a great training effort in itself,” Walsh said.

“On paper, there’s little to suggest he’d be a mile-and-a-quarter winner at G1 level, but we just saw how dominant he was and it’s a great credit to James and his team.”

Walsh said the result was another boost for Harry Angel.

“Yes, a hugely important result for the whole organisation,” Walsh added.

“He’s a home-bred for Sheikh Mohammed, so to put him (Harry Angel) on the map with his first G1 winner is hugely exciting.

“The horse has been hugely popular at stud and if he can continue to produce horses of that quality he will be for years to come.”

Related stories

Fast and late

Classic trial winner for Harry Angel

War Machine destroys Listed Bendigo Guineas field

See more on Harry Angel
Contact Dalham Hall Stud
Copyright 2024 Darley