TJ Smith Stakes 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: Last start winners have a top TJ Smith Stakes record in recent years.

The TJ Smith Stakes is one of four Group 1 races held at Royal Randwick Racecourse as part of Doncaster Mile Day on Day 1 of The Championships. A highlight of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival The Championships runs across two Saturdays in early April and features eight top level races.

2022 TJ Smith Stakes Winner Nature Strip

Three-time TJ Smith Stakes winner Nature Strip (pictured in 2022). Photo: Steve Hart.

Along with the sprinters facing off in the TJ Smith Stakes the other Group 1 races on the Randwick card for Doncaster Day are the Doncaster Mile, Australian Derby and ATC Inglis’ Sires Produce Stakes.

There are no age restrictions for the TJ Smith Stakes that is run over 1200m and offers a total of $3 million in prize money as of 2023. The event is run under weight-for-age conditions.

The prizemoney for the 2020 TJ Smith Stakes was reduced to $1.25 million with $725,000 reserved for the winner due to the growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian racing before being reinstated at $2.5 million for the 2021 edition and boosted to $3 million ahead of the 2023 edition.

Each autumn the winners of the Premiere Stakes, Roman Consul Stakes, Challenge Stakes, and The Galaxy are exempt from TJ Smith Stakes ballot.

Often sprinters come off Melbourne form in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight to tackle the TJ Smith Stakes and the double was last achieved by Lankan Rupee (2014).

In 2023 I Wish I Win improved on a third in the Newmarket Handicap to win the TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney.

The 2021 TJ Smith Stakes was won by the defending champion Nature Strip who went on to win that spring’s now $20 million The Everest race. Nature Strip returned in 2022 to emulate Chautauqua (2015-17) in winning a third straight edition of the TJ in Sydney.

Nature Strip started favourite in the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes, but could only manage to run fourth behind the Peter Moody-trained winner I Wish I Win.

Moody posted his fourth TJ Smith Stakes win in 2024 training upset winner Chain Of Lightning for her success in partnership with Katherine Coleman while his 2023 champ I Wish I Win ran third.

The latest edition of the $3 million TJ Smith Stakes ran on Saturday April 6, 2024 at Royal Randwick and was won in an upset by Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman’s progressive mare Chain Of Lightning ($21). 

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Results

The full TJ Smith Stakes 2024 results and finishing order will be known on Saturday April 6, 2024 and announced below.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning

2024 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning was enormous at 20/1 in the Group 1 Randwick sprint. Photo: Steve Hart.

  • 1st: #14 Chain Of Lightning
  • 2nd: #9 Bella Nipotina
  • 3rd: #1 I Wish I Win

Last start Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes winning mare Chain Of Lightning handled a big rise in grade at WFA to salute at 20/1 in an upset TJ Smith Stakes 2024 result off a good ride by Damian Lane for the race’s now four-time winning trainer Peter Moody.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Odds

Our all-in TJ Smith Stakes odds and futures betting on the possible sprinters heading towards the Randwick feature in April are listed below.

Early market betting odds on the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.

TJ Smith Stakes Race Info

  • Date: Saturday April 6, 2024
  • Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
  • Distance: 1200m
  • Conditions: Weight-for-age
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $3 million
  • First Run: 1997

TJ Smith Stakes Betting

TJ Smith Stakes betting favours the season’s top sprinters that have proven Group 1 form over the 1200m in either Sydney or Melbourne.

No TJ Smith Stakes winner had come off a run worse than fourth since Red Oog (2006) until Santa Ana Lane (2019) whose last start was a Newmarket Handicap fifth, and in that time five last start winners have taken it out.

Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes winners often top the TJ Smith Stakes odds and favourites have a gun record in the Sydney feature.

Seven of the TJ Smith Stakes favourites from 2008 – 2024 got the job done including three-time champion Nature Strip (2020-22) as well as Lankan Rupee (2014) and superstar mare Black Caviar who jumped odds-on in both 2011 and 2013.

There was an upset in 2023 with I Wish I Win saluting at TJ Smith Stakes odds of $9. He ran third when attempting back-to-back wins in 2024 behind his upset stablemate Chain Of Lightning ($21).

TJ Smith Stakes Field

The TJ Smith Stakes race field attracts various numbers each season with the largest in recent years being 15 starters in 2014 when Lankan Rupee saluted for the punters and 2016 when Chautauqua won his second on the trot. In 2017 Chautauqua made history with a third straight victory, again defeating 14 rivals in the TJ Smith Stakes field.

TJ Smith Stakes odds were short on the winner Chautauqua (2015 and 2016)

Chautauqua is a triple TJ Smith Stakes winner taking out the race three times from 2015-17. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

Horses come into the field via many different autumn sprint lead-ups including the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and Group 1 William Reid Stakes in Melbourne; those two races producing seven of the TJ Smith Stakes winners from 2011 – 2024.

In 2022 Nature Strip won his third consecutive TJ Smith Stakes on the back of a third in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, which was his first time finishing out of the top two since the 2020 The Everest.

In 2024 the upset TJ Smith Stakes winning mare Chain Of Lightning came via a lead-up run in Rosehill’s Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes.

TJ Smith Stakes nominations close in early to mid-February followed by first acceptances a month later.

Final TJ Smith Stakes acceptances attract a fee of $55,000 to connections and close on the Tuesday before the race when the field and barrier draw is released by Racing NSW.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Field

The TJ Smith Stakes 2024 field and barrier draw is released on Tuesday April 2, 2024 and will be provided below.

The Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz chasing her 11th Group 1 victory heads betting on the star-studded 2024 TJ Smith Stakes final field in Sydney this weekend.

  • Scratchings Update: #2 Private Eye (14) and #12 Cylinder (7) have been scratched due to the Heavy (10) track rating.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Nominations

Nominations for the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes close at midday on Tuesday the 13th of February, 2024.

The 2024 TJ Smith Stakes nominations attracted 62 sprinters including Mark Walker’s heroic mare Imperatriz who is an eight-time Group 1 winner at time of publish ahead of her Black Caviar Lightning bid first-up on February 17, the reigning champion I Wish I Win prepared by Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, and Joe Pride’s two-time The Everest placegetter Private Eye.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 21x154149x AFT CABIN H 4 James Cummings
2 5x11x3128x AIRMAN G 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
3 32x1165x ARCTIC GLAMOUR F 3 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou 77
4 236x33315x BELLA NIPOTINA M 6 Ciaron Maher
5 1113x1134x BENEDETTA M 4 Jason Warren 102
6 8x32132x1x BRAVE MEAD C 3 Ciaron Maher
7 3x57x1382x BUENOS NOCHES H 4 Matthew Smith 111
8 81395×11 CABALLUS C 3 Bjorn Baker 90
9 99464x370x CHAIN OF LIGHTNING M 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
10 3410x3441x COAL CRUSHER G 6 Joseph Pride 109
11 73x206924x CROSSHAVEN G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes
12 127x11350x CYLINDER C 3 James Cummings
13 116545x13x DASHING LEGEND M 4 Joseph Pride 90
14 426x78330x DON CORLEONE C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden
15 117x21714x ESPIONA M 5 Chris Waller
16 1226×1 ESTRIELLA F 3 Ciaron Maher
17 2x522x120x FACILE F 3 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou 80
18 0x8826x16x FRONT PAGE G 7 Matthew Dale
19 11x10x GRAND IMPACT (NZ) H 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
20 51x65111x7 GRIFF C 3 Ciaron Maher 106
21 2113x6265x HAWAII FIVE OH H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 110
22 117x16122x I AM ME M 5 Ciaron Maher
23 11x3222x I AM UNSTOPPABLE C 3 Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans
24 51x231x32x I WISH I WIN (NZ) G 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 117
25 1121x1111x IMPERATRIZ M 5 Mark Walker
26 9x1117x7x1 KALLOS G 5 James Cummings
27 1x233x31x KING’S GAMBIT C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden 92
28 21x08x4x KRISTILLI F 3 Annabel Neasham 84
29 111Lx LEARNING TO FLY F 3 Annabel Neasham 90
30 11x187x LIBERTAD C 3 Annabel Neasham
31 1x13x5131x MAGIC TIME M 4 Grahame Begg
32 5363x9054x MAZU G 5 Joseph Pride 110
33 0x926x202x MERITABLE H 5 Mark Minervini 85
34 12260×4 MORAVIA C 3 Michael Freedman 87
35 26x1306x NADAL C 3 Ciaron Maher
36 90x12x201x OVERPASS G 5 Bjorn Baker
37 11x131x OZZMOSIS C 3 Bjorn Baker
38 111x4x108x PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE M 5 Grahame Begg
39 x1616x999x PO KARE KARE (NZ) M 5 Bryce Heys 93
40 7x405x132x PRIVATE EYE G 6 Joseph Pride 116
41 28x27415x0 QUEEN OF THE BALL M 4 Michael Freedman
42 833x58126x QUICK TEMPO G 5 Mark Minervini 90
43 x21623123x RECOMMENDATION G 4 Ciaron Maher
44 112x RED RESISTANCE C 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 88
45 18x147x15x REMARQUE G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 108
46 2211x ROLL ON HIGH F 3 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
47 0150x7527x RUTHLESS DAME (NZ) M 4 Ciaron Maher 110
48 141x SCHWARZ C 3 John O’Shea
49 0412x7113x SHE DANCES M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
50 800x87077x SHELBY SIXTYSIX G 7 Danny Williams 82
51 3211x993x SHINZO C 3 Chris Waller
52 122x21615x SKEW WIFF (NZ) M 4 Mark Walker
53 x18111243x STRAIT ACER G 4 Edward Cummings 106
54 13121x1x SUNSHINE IN PARIS M 4 Annabel Neasham
55 062725x95x THE ASTROLOGIST G 7 Leon & Troy Corstens
56 1x111x113x THINK ABOUT IT G 5 Joseph Pride 118
57 42x11169x TIZ INVINCIBLE F 3 Ciaron Maher 92
58 14x1525x14 VEIGHT C 3 Tony & Calvin McEvoy
59 189x05121x WEST OF DALBY F 3 Benjamin Smith 79
60 1x11x WHAT YOU NEED H 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 89
61 5x5x46555x WILLINGA BEAST M 4 Kris Lees
62 133x3506x3 ZAPATEO M 5 James Cummings

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes First Acceptances

First Acceptances for the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes close at midday on Tuesday the 12th of March, 2024.

Thirty-nine autumn sprinters make up the official TJ Smith Stakes first acceptances with Imperatriz tipped to win despite a loss in the Newmarket Handicap.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 1x154149x3 AFT CABIN H 4 James Cummings 106
2 5x11x3128x AIRMAN G 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 103
3 6x33315x45 BELLA NIPOTINA M 6 Ciaron Maher 114
4 8x32132x12 BRAVE MEAD C 3 Ciaron Maher
5 57x1382x49 BUENOS NOCHES H 4 Matthew Smith 111
6 9464x370x0 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING M 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 100
7 0x3441x254 COAL CRUSHER G 6 Joseph Pride 109
8 7x11350x61 CYLINDER C 3 James Cummings
9 116545x13x DASHING LEGEND M 4 Joseph Pride 90
10 7x21714x33 ESPIONA M 5 Chris Waller 113
11 1226×11 ESTRIELLA F 3 Ciaron Maher
12 0x8826x16x FRONT PAGE G 7 Matthew Dale
13 11x10x GRAND IMPACT (NZ) H 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 86
14 2113x6265x HAWAII FIVE OH H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 110
15 117x16122x I AM ME M 5 Ciaron Maher
16 51x231x32x I WISH I WIN (NZ) G 5 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 117
17 21x1111x12 IMPERATRIZ M 5 Mark Walker 119
18 x1117x7x10 KALLOS G 5 James Cummings
19 1x233x31x8 KING’S GAMBIT C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden
20 111Lx24 LEARNING TO FLY F 3 Annabel Neasham 95
21 11x187x0 LIBERTAD C 3 Annabel Neasham 88
22 x13x5131x6 MAGIC TIME M 4 Grahame Begg
23 363x9054x5 MAZU G 5 Joseph Pride 110
24 0x926x2024 MERITABLE H 5 Mark Minervini 84
25 11x131x OZZMOSIS C 3 Bjorn Baker
26 11x4x108x1 PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE M 5 Grahame Begg 107
27 405x132x26 PRIVATE EYE G 6 Joseph Pride 116
28 8x27415x07 QUEEN OF THE BALL M 4 Michael Freedman 98
29 33x58126x6 QUICK TEMPO G 5 Mark Minervini 90
30 8x147x15x4 REMARQUE G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 108
31 150x7527x8 RUTHLESS DAME (NZ) M 4 Ciaron Maher 110
32 0412x7113x SHE DANCES M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
33 3211x993x SHINZO C 3 Chris Waller 105
34 8111243×56 STRAIT ACER G 4 Edward Cummings 103
35 13121x1x SUNSHINE IN PARIS M 4 Annabel Neasham 108
36 62725×9573 THE ASTROLOGIST G 7 Leon & Troy Corstens
37 2x11169x68 TIZ INVINCIBLE F 3 Ciaron Maher 92
38 5x5x46555x WILLINGA BEAST M 4 Kris Lees
39 33x3506x32 ZAPATEO M 5 James Cummings 108

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

TJ Smith Stakes Tips

TJ Smith Stakes tips include looking for last start winners in the Group 1 autumn lead-up sprints and locking in betting doubles like the Newmarket – TJ Smith Stakes double.

Last start winners dominate the TJ Smith Stakes tips as do the favourites who have a tidy record in the classic in recent years.

In-form fillies and mares proven at elite level are also a good TJ Smith Stakes betting tip with four beating home the boys from 2010 – 2024 most recently Chain Of Lightning (2024).

Of course, trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald have the dominant recent record in the TJ Smith Stakes results with three straight wins thanks to super sprinter Nature Strip.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive TJ Smith Stakes 2024 betting tips will be detailed below with the sprinters to back and sack for the season the week of the race.

  • To Win: #8 Imperatriz ($3.40 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Excellent edition of the TJ Smith Stakes and happy to stick with Imperatriz to post a potentially narrow win for the punters. Mark Walker’s 10-time Group 1 winning mare is a star and going too good to ignore. She does need to handle the Sydney way and this isn’t held at The Valley, but the last start William Reid champ is the one to beat on class alone with the fitness edge. Mid field draw, Opie Bosson knows her well, she’s flying and at WFA looks hard to beat. Handles the wet, has beaten plenty of these, and is a deserving favourite.

TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide

The TJ Smith Stakes form guide shows the saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys and trainers of all the runners in the field. Also doing the lead-up TJ Smith Stakes form can be helpful with last start Group 1 winners dominating the race in recent years.

There is a wide spread of winners across all the TJ Smith Stakes barriers however the standout gate producing six winners since 1998 is barrier five. Barrier 11 follows with five victories from 1998 – 2024, including Chautauqua (2016-17) and Nature Strip for his third in 2022. Barrier eight produced back-to-back TJ Smith Stakes winners in 2018 and 2019 with both Trapeze Artist and Santa Ana Lane saluting from the gate.

The 2022 TJ Smith Stakes form was franked with Nature Strip heading overseas to win England’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes by over four lengths at Royal Ascot next start.

The 2023 TJ Smith Stakes winner I Wish I Win franked the form that spring with a second in The Everest results. The TJ runner-up in 2023 was former The Everest champ Giga Kick who went on to win the 2023 All Aged Stakes at his next start followed by a Group 1 Doomben 10,000 victory in Brisbane.

TJ Smith Stakes Form Facts

  • Horses coming off a Group 1 Melbourne run have a dominant record in the TJ Smith Stakes results.
  • The best TJ Smith Stakes form line is to back a sprinter that ran top three in their lead-up start.
  • The Newmarket Handicap has produced more TJ Smith Stakes winners than any other race in the past decade.
  • Single-figure hopefuls in TJ Smith Stakes betting are the best bet to make looking at the form and history.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive TJ Smith Stakes 2024 Form Guide will be provided below the week of the race.

TJ Smith Stakes Results

Favourites may have a strong recent record in the race but upset TJ Smith Stakes race results have still occurred in recent years including the win by Master Of Design ($31 in 2012).

The other longest priced TJ Smith Stakes winners include Shy Hero ($31 in 2000), Phoenix Park ($61 in 2002), Shamekha ($26 in 2005), and Chain Of Lightning ($21 in 2024).

Other notable TJ Smith Stakes champions in that time include the brilliant speed horse Nature Strip (2020, 2021, 2022); the current race record holder Trapeze Artist (2018); historic three-time champion Chautauqua (2015, 2016, 2017); Black Caviar (2011 & 2013); Takeover Target (2009); and Apache Cat (2008).

Black Caviar (2013) and Chain Of Lightning (2024) arethe latest TJ Smith Stakes winning mares both prepared by Peter Moody.

Trapeze Artist (2018) was the last three-year-old TJ Smith Stakes winner.

Recent TJ Smith Stakes Winners

The TJ Smith Stakes winners and place-getters going back to 2001 are listed in the table below.

Year Winner 2nd 3rd Time
2024 Chain Of Lightning Bella Nipotina I Wish I Win 1:10.40
2023 I Wish I Win Giga Kick Mazu 1:11.7
2022 Nature Strip Eduardo Paulele 1:12.3
2021 Nature Strip Masked Crusader Eduardo 1:10.0
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