Godolphin likens Attica to Tom Kitten as gelding and blinkers set Epsom bid

Godolphin is taking a deliberate approach with Attica ahead of the Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. The stable's racing and bloodstock manager, Jason Walsh, described Attica as a "carbon copy" of Tom Kitten — a colt-turned-gelding who went on to win top-level races. That prior experience shaped Godolphin's decision to geld Attica after he failed to reproduce his Spring Champion Stakes form in the autumn.

Blinkers are back on for raceday. Pride wanted Attica trialled in them to give McEvoy a feel for how the horse responds under race-like conditions. The intention is tactical: Attica can need assistance to find top gear when pressure comes in a race, and blinkers have helped him before. Godolphin has prepared the gelding with the Epsom specifically in mind.

Attica has credible form at Randwick over the Epsom distance. He finished third in the Randwick Guineas over 1600m — the same course and distance — behind Sheza Alibi and Autumn Boy. More recently he ran third in the Tramway Stakes (1400m), which Walsh described as an eye-catching effort. Crucially for handicap racing, Attica will carry 51.5kg in the Epsom, a weight Walsh called "perfect" for his profile and race ambitions.

Comparisons with Tom Kitten and broader context

Tom Kitten was a key reference point. Godolphin gelded Tom Kitten when he was already a Group 1 winner and the horse went on to win more at weight-for-age level, demonstrating the potential upside of the decision for some colts. Godolphin believes Attica can follow a similar trajectory but acknowledges the horse still has to produce Group 1 results to match that template.

Tom Kitten and Attica are both targeted at the same Epsom Handicap. Walsh mentioned Tom Kitten had genuine excuses for two unplaced Melbourne runs leading into the race, while Attica's recent runs and weight give cause for optimism. Godolphin's history in the Epsom includes two winners in the past decade: Hartnell (2018) and Hauraki (2016).