In the Australian Cup of 2018, Harlem jumped from the gates showing a starting price of $61, and after finding a lovely position just behind the speed, he had to wait for the run to appear in the straight. When it did, he burst through the gap to better his new rivals and claimed his first Group 1 success. The win was full of merit, beating Group 1 winners Gailo Chop, Hartnell, Single Gaze, Homesman, Ventura Storm and Devise, as well as 2017 Melbourne Cup winner, Almandin.
After a trip to Sydney to compete in more Group 1 races and a modest 2018 spring campaign, Harlem would return in the autumn of 2019 to follow the same path to the Australian Cup that had worked just 12 months earlier. Again, his first-up run behind Avilius was encouraging, and then followed the same horse to the line in the Peter Young Stakes second-up, he would start his title defence of the Australian Cup at a modest $31.
This time however he would team up with up-and-coming jockey, Jamie Kah. She was positive on Harlem, settling just behind the speed over the Flemington 2000 metres. Peeling out at the 400m mark, he travelled well, with the runs for Ace High, Shillelagh and short-priced favourite, Avilius, all coming simultaneously.
He was headed by the Chris Waller-trained Shillelagh at the clock tower and fought his way back in front, showing that tenacity that he had shown in France and twelve months earlier at Flemington and in the process, handing Kah, the new superstar jockey of Victorian racing, her maiden Group 1 victory.
“It’s a big, big thrill. I loved the fight he showed.” - David Hayes
“I thought he was a really good chance and Ben (Hayes) said he was the toughest horse and he wouldn't give in and that's what he was out there,” Kah said of the gelding.
Trainer David Hayes was also ecstatic with the back-to-back victories in the race, exclaiming, “It’s a big, big thrill. I loved the fight he showed.” Hayes was also full of praise for his jockey. “Jamie gave him an 11 out 10 ride.”
Harlem became the seventh horse to have won the race for a second time, joining Northerly and Ming Dynasty. He was the first horse to win the race back-to-back since the mighty Vo Rogue achieved the feat in 1990.