The $3 million TJ Smith Stakes is a Group 1 sprint run at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of The Championships during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Results
- 1st: TBD
- 2nd: TBD
- 3rd: TBD
TJ Smith Stakes News
The TJ Smith Stakes is a Group 1 race held towards the end of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick. A 1200m sprint, the TJ Smith Stakes is a weight-for-age event worth a lucrative $3 million in prize money.
TJ Smith Stakes 2025 Odds
TJ Smith Stakes 1200m (Pre-Noms)
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
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Ka Ying Rising
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Switzerland
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Giga Kick
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Sunshine In Paris
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Growing Empire
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Private Harry
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Traffic Warden
T:
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I Wish I Win
T:
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Joliestar
T:
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Overpass
T:
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Stefi Magnetica
T:
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Lady Of Camelot
T:
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Private Life
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I Am Me
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Jimmysstar
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Stretan Angel
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Baraqiel
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Briasa
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Espionage
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Nadal
T:
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Data retrieved: 25/01/2025 11:05:12 PM (Australia/Brisbane)
For the 2020 edition, the TJ Smith Stakes prizemoney was reduced to $1.25 million to help reduce the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but was back up to $2.5 million again in 2021 before being boosted to $3 million ahead of the 2023 edition.
This race should not be confused with former The TJ Smith, a Group 1 race run in June during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival for two-year-olds, now called the JJ Atkins.
The TJ Smith Stakes takes place on Doncaster Mile Day alongside three other Group 1 races with the running of the $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m), $2 million Australian Derby (2400m), and $1 million ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
The 2019/20 Australian Racehorse of the Year Nature Strip enjoyed back-to-back wins when successfully defending his title in the 2021 TJ Smith Stakes ahead of his The Everest win that spring in the world’s richest turf race.
In 2022 Nature Strip emulating Chautauqua (2015-17) becoming the second three-time TJ Smith Stakes winner with a runaway three and a half-length win.
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.
Nature Strip returned as favourite in the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes looking to make history, but only managed to run fourth behind Peter Moody’s last-to-first champion I Wish I Win.
I Wish I Win franked the TJ Smith Stakes 2023 form going on to enjoy a strong spring headlined by his second in the $20 million The Everest.
The 2023 TJ Smith runner-up Giga Kick meanwhile won the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at his next start that autumn as well as the winter’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in Brisbane.
I Wish I Win returned to defend his title in the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes but only managed to run third behind his 20/1 stablemate Chain Of Lightning.
The 2024 TJ Smith Stakes form was franked with the runner-up Bella Nipotina going on to win a host of subsequent Group 1 races including most famously that year’s $20 million The Everest in the spring in Sydney.
The $3 million 2025 TJ Smith Stakes runs on Saturday April 5, 2025 on Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
| TJ Smith Stakes 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday April 5, 2025 |
| Track: | Randwick Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Conditions: | Weight-for-age |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $3,000,000 |
| Inaugurated: | 1997 |
Because of the position of the TJ Smith Stakes towards the end of the autumn carnival, punters have a range of lead-up races to gauge the fitness and form of the runners before placing their TJ Smith bets.
Good preparation races include the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) run in Melbourne the month before as well as the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight earlier. The last horse to complete the Newmarket Handicap – TJ Smith Stakes interstate double was Lankan Rupee (2014).
The subsequent two TJ Smith Stakes winners following Lankan Rupee also came off a lead-up run in the Newmarket Handicap with back-to-back champion Chautauqua running 2nd in 2015 and 3rd in 2016. Chautauqua made TJ Smith Stakes history in 2017 when successfully defending his dual titles to become the first three-time winner of the sprint classic.
In 2023 I Wish I Win won the TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney off a lead-up third in the Newmarket Handicap results.
Horses may finish up their autumn campaign in Sydney by running in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) held two weeks after the TJ Smith Stakes is run and won.
Recent All Aged Stakes winners to come off a TJ Smith Stakes start include Giga Kick (2nd in 2023), English (3rd in 2016), Hay List (2nd in 2011), and Hot Danish (2nd in 2010).
The latest sprinters to complete the double are Bentley Biscuit (2007) and Shamekha (2005) both trained by Gai Waterhouse, and Trapeze Artist who won the TJ Smith Stakes – All Aged Stakes double in 2018.
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Results
- 1st: TBD
- 2nd: TBD
- 3rd: TBD
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Betting
Early all-in 2025 TJ Smith Stakes betting odds will be open at Ladbrokes.com.au on the hopeful sprinters heading towards the Group 1 classic sprint and also listed here at Races.com.au.
Nature Strip ($4.20 in 2020, $3.10 in 2021 and $2.30 in 2022) was the last favourite in TJ Smith Stakes betting to salute in his three consecutive victories.
Nature Strip started the $4.80 favourite in the 2023 race but only managed to run fourth to I Wish I Win who scored an upset at TJ Smith Stakes odds of $9.
There was a notable upset in 2024 with Chain Of Lightning winning at TJ Smith Stakes odds of $21.
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 TJ SMITH STAKES FORM GUIDE
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Tips
Stay tuned for our insider TJ Smith Stakes 2025 betting tips and best bets to be published below the week of the race.
- To Win: TBD
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Field
The TJ Smith Stakes field attracts the autumn’s best sprinters shooting for a share in the lucrative prize money on offer in the Group 1 feature on the opening day of April’s ‘The Championships’ and is released on the Tuesday before Doncaster Mile Day.
The official 2025 TJ Smith Stakes field and barriers are set to be released by Racing NSW on Tuesday April 1, 2025 and will be published in full below.
2025 TJ Smith Stakes First Acceptances
The TJ Smith Stakes first acceptances close in mid-March just under a month out from the event further narrowing down the list of potential sprinters.
The TJ Smith Stakes 2025 first acceptances close at midday on Tuesday the 11th of March 2025.
2025 TJ Smith Stakes Nominations
The TJ Smith Stakes nominations are taken two months out from the race in early February and attract around 100 hopefuls heading towards the autumn classic run over 1200m at Randwick Racecourse.
The TJ Smith Stakes 2025 nominations close at midday on Tuesday the 11th of February 2025.
TJ Smith Stakes History
The TJ Smith Stakes is one of the youngest Sydney races, first run in 1997. Mahogany won the inaugural race, which was then called the Endeavour Stakes and only held listed status. The following year in 1998, the race was renamed in honour of the renowned trainer Tommy Smith and also received Group 3 status. The event worked its way up quickly, elevated to Group 2 status in 2003 and only two years later in 2005 gained Group 1 status.
A host of champion sprinters have won the TJ Smith Stakes over the years including Black Caviar (2011 and 2013), triple hero Chautauqua (2015-17), and the Chris Waller-trained star Nature Strip (2020, 2021, 2022) who emulated the ‘Grey Flash’ as the event’s second three-time winner.
A new TJ Smith Stakes record was set in 2018 by the three-year-old winner Trapeze Artist who flew home in 1 minute 8.29 seconds, surpassing the previous best time in the event from Black Caviar in 2011.
Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody would return over a decade later and win the 2023 edition of the TJ Smith Stakes with I Wish I Win.
Moody was back in 2024 winning the TJ Smith Stakes in an upset with Chain Of Lightning who he trained in partnership with Katherine Coleman while I Wish I Win ran third after his victory the year prior.
See below for the full TJ Smith Stakes results dating back to 2000.
| TJ Smith Stakes Records | |
|---|---|
| Race Record: | 1:8.29 seconds – set by Trapeze Artist (2018) |
| Most Successful Jockey: | Tommy Berry – 3 wins on Chautauqua (2015-17) |
Recent TJ Smith Stakes Winners
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | ||
| 3rd | TBD | ||
| 2024 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Chain Of Lightning | 1 minute 10.40 seconds |
| 2nd | Bella Nipotina | ||
| 3rd | I Wish I Win | ||
| 2023 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | I Wish I Win | 1 minute 11.79 seconds |
| 2nd | Giga Kick | ||
| 3rd | Mazu | ||
| 2022 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Nature Strip | 1 minute 12.33 seconds |
| 2nd | Eduardo | ||
| 3rd | Paulele | ||
| 2021 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Nature Strip | 1 minute 10.09 seconds |
| 2nd | Masked Crusader | ||
| 3rd | Eduardo | ||
| 2020 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Nature Strip | 1 minute 11.18 seconds |
| 2nd | Santa Ana Lane | ||
| 3rd | Redzel | ||
| 2019 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Santa Ana Lane | 1 minute 10.65 seconds |
| 2nd | Osborne Bulls | ||
| 3rd | Sunlight | ||
| 2018 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Trapeze Artist | 1 minute 8.29 seconds |
| 2nd | Redzel | ||
| 3rd | In Her Time | ||
| 2017 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Chautauqua | 1 minute 12.44 seconds |
| 2nd | English | ||
| 3rd | Fell Swoop | ||
| 2016 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Chautauqua | 1 minute 10.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Fell Swoop | ||
| 3rd | Chautauqua | ||
| 2015 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Chautauqua | 1 minute 11.04 seconds |
| 2nd | Lord Of The Sky | ||
| 3rd | Terravista | ||
| 2014 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Lankan Rupee | 1 minute 12.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Rebel Dane | ||
| 3rd | Buffering | ||
| 2013 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Black Caviar | 1 minute 9.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Epaulette | ||
| 3rd | Bel Sprinter | ||
| 2012 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Master of Design | 1 minute 8.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Rain Affair | ||
| 3rd | Hallowell Belle | ||
| 2011 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Black Caviar | 1 minute 8.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Hay List | ||
| 3rd | Triple Honour | ||
| 2010 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Melito | 1 minute 9.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Hot Danish | ||
| 3rd | Mic Mac | ||
| 2009 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Takeover Target | 1 minute 9 seconds |
| 2nd | Northern Meteor | ||
| 3rd | Apache Cat | ||
| 2008 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Apache Cat | 1 minute 11.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Reigning To Win | ||
| 3rd | Takeover Target | ||
| 2007 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Bentley Biscuit | 1 minute 10.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Black Ink | ||
| 3rd | Virage De Fortune | ||
| 2006 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Red Oog | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Glamour Puss | ||
| 3rd | Snitzel | ||
| 2005 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Shamekha | 1 minute 12.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Fastnet Rock | ||
| 3rd | Only Words | ||
| 2004 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Dilly Dally | 1 minute 9.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Legally Bay | ||
| 3rd | Mistegic | ||
| 2003 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Spinning Hill | 1 minute 10.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Yell | ||
| 3rd | Bel Esprit | ||
| 2002 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Phoenix Park | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Fair Embrace | ||
| 3rd | Spinning Hill | ||
| 2001 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Century Kid | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Spinning Hill | ||
| 3rd | Flavelon | ||
| 2000 TJ Smith Stakes |
1st | Shy Hero | 1 minute 39.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Easy Rocking | ||
| 3rd | High Rolling | ||
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