The rails-drawn Tom Kitten is the three-year-old to beat stepping-up to 2000m in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes 2023.

Tom Kitten is firm favourite to win the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Group 1 $2 million Spring Champion Stakes field features a line-up of progressive youngsters with many getting out over further than a mile for the first time.

Heading Spring Champion Stakes betting at Ladbrokes at a short quote of $2.35 is the James Cummings-trained Tom Kitten.

The consistent Harry Angel colt has won three of his nine starts to date and has been racing well this season.

He has form around Saturday’s Cox Plate contender Militarize from the autumn having run fourth to the subesequent Golden Rose champ in the Group 1 Chamapange Stakes (1600m) back in mid-Apri.

Tom Kitten’s latest win saw him carry 59kg to victory first-up in the Group 1 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) in late August, and he has run top three in all three of his starts since.

Last time out he was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) here on October 14 when a neck beaten by all-the-way leader Raf Attack.

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Raf Attack pays $5.50 to win again on Saturday drawn wider out in gate 11.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart (2022) completed the Gloaming Stakes – Spring Champion Stakes double last spring when the former was run over 1600m at Warwick Farm.

Co-trainer Waterhouse has prepared two Spring Champion Stakes winners since 2001 with Platinum Scissors (2002) and Hampton Court (2014).

She chases her first in partership with Bott this weekend with Raf Attack and fellow single-figure fancy Ganbare ($9).

Brett Prebble comes aboard the Maurcie colt in place of the horse’s last start hoop, Adam Hyeronimus, who rides Tom Kitten in the Spring Champion.

Ganbare enjoyed back-to-back wins earlier this prep including the Listed Dulcify Quality (1600m) before his eighth in the Gloaming that he is out to improve on here.

Bott said the Spring Champion Stakes barriers looked ideal for both Tulloch Lodge runners.

“It probably suits them both better in fairness,” he told Just Horse Racing.

“Raf Attack has got natural tactical speed and is that go-forward type of horse, so he will be able to roll forward from that outside draw which is what he likes to do.

“The softer draw helps Ganbare’s chances as well.

“He was caught wide throughout last start and that made it difficult for him, but I thought he stuck on well considering. Go back the start before and it was a very strong win over the mile.”

The other best in betting at current Spring Champion Stakes odds of $7.50 is the Chris Waller-trained filly Tutta La Vita taking on the boys from a favourable barrier five draw with Jason Collett aboard.

A nicely-bred daughter of The Autumn Sun, Tutta La Vita hasn’t won since breaking her maiden status in a two-year-old handicap at Rosehill in June.

She has had three runs this time in with her latest seeing her finish only two lengths back third to Tropical Squall in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).

Waller has opted to give her space between runs with Tutta La Vita unraced since the Flight Stakes on September 30 but he has kept her ticking over with a Rosehill trial on October 13 where she posted a 1030m winning hitout.

The Annabel Neasham-trained Port Lockroy ($12) is also being kept safe in the markets with the Better Than Ready colt coming off a last start win over 1800m at the Kensington track.

The Moët & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes is scheduled to run as Randwick Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s nine-race program in Sydney.

Melbourne meanwhile hosts the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley with a jump time of 5:10pm (AEDT).

2023 Spring Champion Stakes Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.