The first official Group 1 running of The All-Star Mile in 2025 has been won in a stunning upset by the Godolphin raced Tom Kitten who beat home the equal favourite Mr Brightside at Flemington on Saturday.

Jockey Ben Melham gave the James Cummings trained Harry Angel four-year-old Tom Kitten a peach of a ride settled fifth on the home turn before charging home the closing stages to secure victory in this year’s Group 1 $2.5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m) in the Royal Blue silks.

The win was Tom Kitten’s second at elite level following his 2023 success as a three-year-old in the Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m but his first turf triumph since August last year.

He had been competitive in plenty since including his first-up second when beaten in a photo-finish thriller by Mr B in Caulfield’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) last month.

That form held with the same quinella but in reverse order resulting in another exciting edition of the All-Star Mile at Headquarters.

“He pulled up so well from the Futurity,” Cummings’ stable rep Nacim Dilmi told Racing.com after the win.

“We were very confident coming into this race. Never underestimate Mr Brightside. He’s the best miler in the world and, gee, at the top of the straight the way he was travelling, we knew he’d put up a good fight and he sure did all the way to the end.”

Mr Brightside ($2.70EF), who won the race in 2023 edition of The All-Star Mile at The Valley, looked like becoming the event’s first two-time champion when levelling with the front running Rise At Dawn 300m out.

With a furlong to go however the challengers came with Tom Kitten ($4.60) and the Ciaron Maher trained Light Infantry Man ($26) both unleashing late.

In the end it was a stride-for-stride battle between Mr Brightside and Tom Kitten with the younger horse fighting hard to claw away and finally get a nose in front on the line to turn the tables on his last start conqueror.

“He’s got a lot of ability. A lot of things never went to plan with him,” Dilmi added of this year’s All-Star Mile winner.

“He’s had many luckless races and this prep, the guys at Osborne Park said earlier, the way he has been going we knew he was in for a good prep, and he sure has.”

Light Infantryman ran third at a price with the fellow Maher trained, CF Orr winner Another Wil, luckless when chopped out late to place fourth as the beaten equal favourite.

Incredibly after seven runnings of The All-Star Mile, no horse, jockey or trainer has been successful on more than one occasion.

“He came back really good, this horse. His second prep as a gelding and James Cummings and Godolphin, they’re such good conditioners of this calibre of horse heading to these big races,” Melham said after riding Tom Kitten to the narrow victory.

“He was obviously very unlucky the other day. In another hop he probably (would have) beats Mr Brightside. He had the cheaper run and he has probably bounced out of it better.

“I was confident he could come here and beat Brightside today but he just has a few antics on the barriers and stepped a bit ordinary but it worked out really well for us.

“I was able to suck up for a little bit straightening and when I let him down I knew he’d be there for me.

“He’s really genuine now. I know he’s got a bit of a bad rap but he’s run a lot of good races. He’s run into stiff competition.

“For him to put another big one on the mantlepiece is a great effort by the horse and the stable.

“We know how much the Sheikh contributes to the industry, and I love riding for them. They’re professional and very astute. They get their horses right on the big days.”

Tom Kitten is now set to return to Flemington on March 29 for a shot at the Group 1 $2.5 million Australian Cup (2000m).

“Now it is onwards to the Australian Cup. 2000-metres and he’ll put in another good fight,” Dilmi confirmed.

Updated 2025 Australian Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on Tom Kitten are into $5 with Chris Waller‘s mighty mare Via Sistina the favourite.

2025 The All-Star Mile Results

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