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By Ray Hickson

Trainer James Cummings says Saturday’s Group 1 $750,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) will give Godolphin colt Tom Kitten the first chance this preparation to be master of his own destiny.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The last time that advantage was afforded to him saw Tom Kitten run away with the Spring Champion Stakes back in October and after three runs back over shorter trips he says it’s now time for Tom to shine.

Tom Kitten appreciated the step up to the mile at his third run back in the Randwick Guineas two weeks ago, where he didn’t get all the favours in a messy run home, and finished within a length of Celestial Legend in fourth.

“It looks like working itself out perfectly for Tom in the Rosehill Guineas,’’ Cummings said.

“We are up to a mile-and-a-quarter, which is right in the wheelhouse for our colt.

“He can begin to make things happen, rather than force things to happen over shorter distances.”

Hugh Bowman returns from Hong Kong to ride on Golden Slipper Day and will partner the colt, replacing Nash Rawiller who rides Riff Rocket, for the first time in the Guineas.

Cummings said as confident as he is that Tom Kitten, $3.40 with TAB on Friday, is ready to rumble on Saturday it’s not shaping as a walk in the park like the Spring Champion.

“Hugh slides in as a beneficiary and it’s a real horse race,’’ Cummings said.

“There’s nine of them who finished within a length-and-a-half in the Randwick Guineas.

“And don’t forget the horse from Melbourne, Immediacy, he keeps improving that horse.

“To win a Rosehill Guineas you need a very good horse and Tom is going to need to be at his best to be winning this race.”

The Group 1 $1m Kia Ora Galaxy (1100m) is a race Cummings is yet to win but he’ll have a strong chance to correct that stat with Aft Cabin, Zapateo and Kallos lining up for Godolphin.

Aft Cabin put the writing on the wall for a big autumn preparation with a luckless third behind Passive Aggressive in the Challenge Stakes (1000m) two weeks ago and Cummings said it showed he’s in the right form.

“He’s really flying, he’s really responding to the abbreviated preparation we gave him last time,’’ he said.

“His effort first-up in the Challenge (Stakes) was outstanding.

“The fastest last 600m sectional of the day was awarded to Passive Aggressive, who had an uninterrupted run in her last three furlongs.

“Aft Cabin was climbing over heels, not James’ (McDonald) fault, you can blame the instructions.

“Nevertheless, Aft Cabin is bursting with energy now, he only needed to get a little crack ahead of him and he would have won the race and we don’t say that lightly.”

Cummings said it could be a plus that Aft Cabin didn’t have a very hard first-up run and he’s bounced through it well, suggesting an elusive Group 1 is within his reach.

Tom Kitten runs fourth in the Randwick Guineas

James Cummings on Kallos: “He’s equal in the weights with Aft Cabin, but he did produce a barnstorming win first-up (Rubiton Stakes). He had too much to do with top weight in the Oakleigh Plate, but this is The Galaxy and a much higher-rated race on paper – a 3kg better race, evidently. Kallos is just that little bit better in and gets that relief from the top. He can certainly run a race; I would not count that horse out one bit.”

On Zapateo: “She finished ahead of Aft Cabin in the Challenge Stakes in the lead-up to The Galaxy. She’s a G1-placed mare and a G2 winner who looks like she’s got one more thing to tick off on her CV before she can retire. She’s an outstanding sprinter in her own right and capable of taking up a really nice position in the run.”

On Traffic Warden (race 8): “We’re very pleased with the barrier Darren Beadman selected on Tuesday morning and that gives Craig Williams the opportunity this time after having to deal with a terribly awkward barrier in the Blue Diamond. Craig has got the option to put the colt into the race, he’s only been put into two races and he’s won both of them. A lot of the competitive chances have drawn good barriers. I feel like we’ve drawn close to the rail and close to the race to give Traffic Warden every opportunity to be making the elevation required to be a competitive chance.”

All the fields, form and replays for Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill