Rosehill meeting set to shape autumn carnivals of Nash Rawiller mounts Tom Kitten and Espionage

Nash Rawiller admits Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill is shaping as an important day for the autumn carnival aspirations of Tom Kitten and Espionage.

Nash Rawiller will reunite with Tom Kitten in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Champion jockey Nash Rawiller can test the Group 1 credentials of two leading Sydney autumn carnival contenders when he partners crack colts Tom Kitten and Espionage at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Godolphin’s talented three-year-old Tom Kitten is the $3 TAB favourite to bounce back to winning form in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

Rawiller is also looking forward to his first race ride on the unbeaten Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained juvenile Espionage ($2.30 favourite) in the Group 2 $300,000 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m).

“It’s an important day for both horses,’’ Rawiller said.

“I’m confident they will be competitive and that should set them up for the autumn.’’

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Tom Kitten is being aimed at the three-year-old Group 1 classics this autumn including the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) en route to the $2m ATC Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 where he is $6 equal favourite with Riff Rocket in early betting.

Rawiller has a huge opinion of Tom Kitten after partnering the James Cummings-trained colt for most of his spring campaign including a win in the Up And Coming Stakes before a series of fast-finishing, luckless minor placings.

“The day he won at Rosehill, it was a freakish effort,’’ Rawiller said.

“He’s a very exciting three-year-old.

“As he gets out over further in his preparation, the better he will be but I’m sure he will run well over the shorter trip on Saturday.’’

Rawiller has picked up the ride on unbeaten colt Espionage in the Silver Slipper Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Rawiller was suspended when Tom Kitten scored a barnstorming win in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes to close out his spring campaign and the jockey was also unavailable when the Godolphin colt resumed with his sixth behind Caballus in the Eskimo Prince Stakes two weeks ago.

“Watching Tom Kitten first-up, he was carrying 60kg and I got the impression he will be so much better with that run,’’ Rawiller said.

“He was finishing his race off strongly late.’’

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Espionage hasn’t appeared since winning on debut in the Breeders’ Plate from Straight Charge, Prost and Fearless back in September, a race that has turned out to be an outstanding form reference this season.

All four colts out of the Breeders Plate are prominent in early betting for the $5m TAB Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 23 with Espionage at $13 behind Storm Boy, the $2.80 favourite.

Rawiller has given his imprimatur for Espionage after riding the colt in two barrier trials, most recently to a Rosehill heat win earlier this month.

“Espionage has given me the feel of a top class colt,’’ Rawiller said.

“I know they (Waterhouse and Bott) are really happy with him and I think he’s going to be hard to beat in the Silver Slipper and then hopefully in the Golden Slipper.’’

Rawiller’s other big race rides at the Rosehill meeting include Madame Pommery in the Group 2 $300,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1200m) and Kalapour in the Listed $200,000 Parramatta Cup (1900m).