TJ Smith Stakes
The TJ Smith Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held each year in April at Randwick racecourse in Sydney, New South Wales. The race is run over a distance of 1200 metres and worth $2,500,000 in prize money. The 2020 TJ Smith Stakes was won by Nature Strip from Santa Ana Lane with Redzel third.
With the introduction of The Championships to the Sydney autumn racing carnival, the TJ Smith Stakes takes its place on the first day, alongside the feature race of the day, the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap.
TJ Smith Stakes info
| Date: | Saturday 3rd April 2021 |
| Track: | Randwick racecourse, Sydney |
| Distance: | 1200 metres |
| Race Type: | Weight-for-age |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $2,500,000 |
| 2020 Winner: | Nature Strip |
The TJ Smith Stakes is a good quality weight-for-age race over the sprint distance of 1200m and tends to attract the best sprinters going around at this time of year. It has grown to become a race for good horses and is named after legendary Sydney trainer, and father of Gai Waterhouse, Tommy Smith.
The level weight conditions favour the best horses in the race and more often than not, with any luck in running, the best horses will figure in the finish due to the weight advantage. A number of classy gallopers have won the TJ Smith Stakes over the years including champion mare Black Caviar (2013 & 2011), Takeover Target (2009) and Apache Cat (2008).
Races such as the Group 2 Canterbury Stakes and Group 1 George Ryder Stakes are typical lead up events, while the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap in Melbourne has provided multiple recent winners in Chautaqua (2015), Lankan Rupee (2014) and Black Caviar (2011).
The upcoming Group 1 All Aged Stakes on the final day of the Sydney autumn racing carnival may be on the cards for horses contesting this event. The most recent horse to win the TJ Smith Stakes & All Aged Stakes double is Trapeze Artist, with Bentley Biscuit (2007) and Shamekha (2005) prior to that.
Classy mare Melito (2010) travelled to Eagle Farm in Brisbane after winning this race and finished second in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap before winning the Group 1 Winter Stakes.
Santa Ana Lane (2019) ran fifth in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap over 1200m at Flemington in Melbourne before heading to Sydney to score an outstanding victory in this event for the Anthony Freedman stable.
Recent TJ Smith Stakes winners include Trapeze Artist (2018) and three-time champion Chautauqua (2015-2017) in successive years.
2020 TJ Smith Stakes result
1. $4.20 Nature Strip 58.5 James McDonald
2. $9.00 Santa Ana Lane 58.5 Tim Clark
3. $15.00 Redzel 58.5 Kerrin McEvoy
then followed
4. $5.50 Pierata 58.5 Tommy Berry
5. $26.00 Tofane 56.5 Opie Bosson
6. $4.80 Bivouac 56.5 Hugh Bowman
7. $31.00 Trekking 58.5 Joshua Parr
8. $71.00 In Her Time 56.5 Brenton Avdulla
9. $10.00 Exceedance 56.5 Sam Clipperton
10. $151.00 White Moss 56.5 Ms Kathy O'Hara
11. $7.00 Loving Gaby 54.5 Glen Boss
12. $71.00 Vegadaze 58.5 Adam Hyeronimus
Margins: 2 len, 0.2 len
Time: 1:11.18
Other group races on TJ Smith Stakes Day include the Group 2 Chairmans Handicap, Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes, Group 3 ATC Carbine Club Stakes, Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes and Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes.
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TJ Smith Stakes winners & placegetters
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
| 2020 | Nature Strip | Santa Ana Lane | Redzel | 1:11.1 |
| 2019 | Santa Ana Lane | Osborne Bulls | Sunlight | 1:10.6 |
| 2018 | Trapeze Artist | Redzel | In Her Time | 1:08.2 |
| 2017 | Chautauqua | English | Fell Swoop | 1:12.4 |
| 2016 | Chautauqua | Fell Swoop | English | 1:10.1 |
| 2015 | Chautauqua | Lord Of The Sky | Terravista | 1:11.0 |
| 2014 | Lankan Rupee | Rebel Dane | Buffering | 1:12.1 |
| 2013 | Black Caviar | Epaulette | Bel Sprinter | 1:09.6 |
| 2012 | Master Of Design | Rain Affair | Hallowell Belle | 1:08.8 |
| 2011 | Black Caviar | Hay List | Triple Honour | 1:08.7 |
| 2010 | Melito | Hot Danish | Mic Mac | 1:09.2 |
| 2009 | Takeover Target | Northern Meteor | Apache Cat | 1:09.0 |
| 2008 | Apache Cat | Reigning To Win | Takeover Target | 1:11.8 |
| 2007 | Bentley Biscuit | Black Ink | Virage De Fortune | 1:10.6 |
| 2006 | Red Oog | Glamour Puss | Snitzel | 1:09.8 |
| 2005 | Shamekha | Fastnet Rock | Only Words | 1:12.1 |
| 2004 | Dilly Dally | Legally Bay | Mistegic | 1:09.9 |
| 2003 | Spinning Hill | Yell | Bel Esprit | 1:10.7 |
| 2002 | Phoenix Park | Fair Embrace | Spinning Hill | 1:10.3 |
| 2001 | Century Kid | Spinning Hill | Falvelon | 1:09.8 |
| 2000 | Shy Hero | Easy Rocking | High Rolling | 1:39.3 |
| 1999 | Ab Initio | Padstow | Life Of Riley | 1:10.7 |
| 1998 | La Baraka | Masked Party | Coogee Walk | 1:11.6 |
| 1997 | Mahogany | Ruffles | Clang | 1:09.1 |
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