TJ SMITH STAKES
1200m, $2.5 million, Group One weight-for-age at Randwick
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 when 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 and 2013) and Chautauqua (2015-16)
* Final race for Black Caviar before her retirement.
* The champion mare also holds the race record of 1:08.71 set in 2011
TALKING POINTS
* Six favourites have won the race since its inception.
* Chautauqua chasing three consecutive TJ Smith wins.
* Tommy Berry will be the TJ Smith’s most successful jockey with three wins if he guides Chautauqua to victory. Nash Rawiller and and Luke Nolen have also won the race twice.
* Gai Waterhouse has one runner in this year’s race: English
WHAT CONNECTIONS ARE SAYING
“Even though he hasn’t won in five starts I think he is going to get a race that sets up with the right amount of speed to let him show his best on Saturday” – Chautauqua’s co-trainer Michael Hawkes.
“I think he is drawn to get a better run than last year, when he led three wide and got run down by Chautauqua,” Fell Swoop’s trainer Matt Dale.
“Eight day turnaround (from a 5th in the William Reid at Moonee Valley) but $2.5 million in prize money speaks volumes. He’s never far away. He gets on well with Glyn (Schofield).” – Chris Waller, trainer of Japonisme.
“You would have to be cautious about Saturday. It is a good TJ, it is a signature race and it attracts a good field and it is public knowledge that we’ve had complications with him this preparation,” – Godolphin’s Australian boss Henry Plumptre on Astern.
