TJ SMITH STAKES
1200m, $1.25 million Group One weight-for-age at Randwick
Prize money halved for this year because of coronavirus pandemic and reduced wagering income
HISTORY
- Named in honour of Randwick’s most famous trainer whose daughter Gai Waterhouse has won the race with Phoenix Park in 2002, Shamekha in 2005 and Bentley Biscuit in 2007
- First run in 1997 and won by Mahogany
- Elevated to Group One status in 2005
- Some outstanding sprinters have won the race including Apache Cat (2008), Takeover Target (2009), Black Caviar (2011, 2013) and Chautauqua (2015,16,17)
- Final race for Black Caviar before her retirement
- The champion mare also holds the race record of 1:08.71 set in 2011
- Chautauqua is the only horse to win three TJ Smiths
TALKING POINTS
- A field of 13 has been declared for Saturday’s race
- Six favourites have won the race since its inception
- Nature Strip is the favourite
- The race features nine Group One winners including defending title holder Santa Ana Lane
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
- “The best sprinters in the country are there. If he repeats his domination in the Darley Sprint up the straight during Cup week he’s certainly the one to beat. He showed last start he’s back to his best form” – Nature Strip’s trainer Chris Waller
- “Everything about him in his training between runs has me visualising another ripping performance at Randwick, which is nothing short of what he will need in this year’s TJ Smith. It is a real horse race” Bivouac’s trainer James Cummings
- “This race will be very different to the first-up assignment he was faced with last preparation, and the way things are looking I feel he can’t help but run well” – Cummings on Trekking
- “I know it’s an ask for him but he doesn’t know that. He’s still wanting to race and he’s racing well so we’ll go with him. A soft track won’t worry him at all” – Peter Snowden, co-trainer of Redzel