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TJ Smith Stakes

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Overview

This page was last updated on February 14, 2026

The $3 million 2026 TJ Smith Stakes runs on Saturday April 4 on Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick as the feature sprint at the meeting.  

  • Race Date: 04/04/2026
  • Race Status: Group 1
  • Race Conditions: Weight-for-Age
  • Race Venue: Randwick, NSW
  • Prize Money: $3,000,000
  • Distance: 1200m

TJ Smith Stakes 2026 Odds

TJ Smith Stakes 1200m (All In)
Open Race time: 
1. Tentyris
T:
2. Jimmysstar
T:
3. Joliestar
T:
4. Tempted
T:
5. Giga Kick
T:
6. Briasa
T:
7. Lady Shenandoah
T:
8. Angel Capital
T:
9. Beiwacht
T:
10. Overpass
T:
11. Beadman
T:
12. Generosity
T:
13. Grafterburners
T:
14. Lady Of Camelot
T:
15. Magic Time
T:
16. Tropicus
T:
17. Baraqiel
T:
18. Skybird
T:
19. Ameena
T:
20. Benedetta
T:
Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 17/03/2026 04:21:42 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

2026 TJ Smith Stakes Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 TJ Smith Stakes results and finishing order at Randwick on Saturday April 4, 2026.

  • 1st: TBD
  • 2nd: TBD
  • 3rd: TBD

Winning Margin: TBD

Winning Time: TBD

TJ Smith Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider TJ Smith Stakes 2026 betting tips and best bets to be published below the week of the race.

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.

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.

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.

In 2025, Newmarket Handicap runner-up Headwall ran third in the TJ Smith Stakes trifecta at 30/1!

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.

2026 TJ Smith Stakes Betting

Early all-in 2026 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.

TJ Smith Stakes Field

2026 TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 TJ SMITH STAKES FORM GUIDE

2026 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 2026 nominations close at midday on Tuesday the 10th of February 2026. 

The 2026 TJ Smith Stakes nominations attracted 75 sprinters led in all-in betting by the spring’s Group 1 CF Orr champ Jimmysstar, Ciaron Maher’s talented The Everest second placed filly Tempted and Coolmore Stud Stakes winning colt Tentyris.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 x50x57409x AIRMAN G 6 Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes 103
2 4111×1 ALPHA SOFIE F 3 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
3 7x24x5580x AMEENA M 4 Anthony & Sam Freedman
4 16x1x1462x ANGEL CAPITAL H 4 Chris Waller 111
5 2x1112x APOCALYPTIC F 3 Michael Freedman 105
6 113x ARRIVING HOME M 4 Bjorn Baker
7 11x1x1111x AUTUMN GLOW M 4 Chris Waller 116
8 9x141x131x AXIUS G 4 Ciaron Maher 98
9 x727904644 BANDI’S BOY G 6 Danny Williams 90
10 31163x112x BARAQIEL G 7 Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin
11 10x552052x BAUHINIA M 4 Lee & Cherie Curtis 95
12 211x320x BEADMAN C 3 Peter Snowden
13 2190x3214x BEIWACHT C 3 Chris Waller 106
14 02547x758x BENEDETTA M 6 Ciaron Maher
15 x414x2189x BRIASA G 5 Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes 116
16 913311x23x BRIDAL WALTZ M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
17 87x1x5181x CABALLUS G 5 Bjorn Baker 109
18 7x82312x1x CATCH THE GLORY M 4 Jason Coyle 97
19 6974x137x1 CELUI G 5 Richard & Will Freedman 90
20 8x2x10x16x CHARM STONE M 5 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
21 11x125x14x CLEAR THINKING (GB) M 6 Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich 100
22 215x564x DEVIL NIGHT C 3 Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes
23 631958x16x DISNECK G 5 Bjorn Baker 99
24 30x3121x7x ENRICHED H 4 Michael Freedman 98
25 0x3224x11x GALLANT SON H 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman
26 x113x2313x GANGSTA GRANNY M 4 Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes 107
27 21335x937x GENEROSITY M 5 Chris Waller 107
28 223x44292x GERRINGONG M 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 106
29 427x36x11x GIGA KICK G 6 Clayton Douglas
30 x366x1111x GRAFTERBURNERS C 3 Kelly Schweida
31 5×26271013 HEDGED G 5 Gavin Bedggood
32 4x2211164x IN FLIGHT M 5 Joseph Pride 107
33 135x3721x INKARUNA F 3 Anthony & Sam Freedman
34 9028x8409x JEDIBEEL (NZ) G 6 Brad Widdup 104
35 60x4111x1x JIGSAW G 7 Cindy Alderson
36 341x52311x JIMMYSSTAR (NZ) G 6 Ciaron Maher 120
37 31921x153x JOLIESTAR M 5 Chris Waller 117
38 x5x0060x2x KATSU G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 90
39 21511x311x KING’S SECRET G 4 Joseph Pride 95
40 426x11114x LA FRACAS (IRE) G 5 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
41 3743x2223x LADY OF CAMELOT M 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 108
42 x111x2472x LADY SHENANDOAH M 4 Chris Waller 116
43 1x53431x8x LILAC M 4 Annabel & Rob Archibald 90
44 1367x1302x MAGIC TIME M 6 Grahame Begg
45 45x212111x MAL COUPE G 4 Stephen O’Halloran 72
46 x955x8114x MANAAL M 4 Michael Freedman 109
47 121x13x MARHOONA F 3 Michael Freedman 100
48 516x54393x MAZU G 7 Joseph Pride
49 x311x2287x MISS ROUMBINI M 5 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 102
50 720x11120x MONTE SUPREME M 5 Bjorn Baker 96
51 128x21223x MY GLADIOLA F 3 John McArdle
52 62x1141x2 NAPOLEONIC C 3 John O’Shea & Tom Charlton 92
53 107384x7x9 NERVOUS WITNESS G 8 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 90
54 311x312x NINJA G 3 Michael Freedman 88
55 21x1502x21 OAK HILL (NZ) G 5 Ben, Will & JD Hayes
56 3664x3680x OSTRAKA G 5 Annabel & Rob Archibald 102
57 1x259x423x OVERPASS G 7 Bjorn Baker
58 40x35621x4 PALLATON C 3 Michael Freedman 86
59 3x11311x POINT BARROW F 3 Anthony & Sam Freedman
60 6x1111720x RAGING FORCE G 3 Peter Snowden
61 56222x REGAL GENT G 3 Liam Howley
62 125x66111x RESERVE BANK H 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
63 19x ROSBERG C 3 Clinton McDonald
64 2x21131x91 SIGNOR TORTONI G 4 Ron Quinton 77
65 2370x1x69x SKYBIRD M 5 Mitchell Freedman
66 3217x1345x SKYHOOK C 3 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
67 x8612x413x STEFI MAGNETICA M 5 Bjorn Baker 116
68 7131x132x1 TEMPTED F 3 Ciaron Maher 109
69 5121x311x TENTYRIS C 3 Anthony & Sam Freedman
70 11316x272x THE INSTRUCTOR G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 106
71 x21x7x126x TROPICUS H 4 Anthony & Sam Freedman
72 111x100x3x WAR MACHINE (NZ) G 5 Ben, Will & JD Hayes
73 971x87x21x WAY TO THE STARS G 7 Matthew Smith
74 771736132x WHO BUT ROO G 8 Geoffrey Crothers 70
75 224x2420x3 WODETON C 3 Chris Waller 100

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2026 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 2026 first acceptances close at midday on Tuesday the 10th of March 2026. 

2026 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 2026 TJ Smith Stakes field and barriers are set to be released by Racing NSW on Tuesday March 31, 2026, and will be published in full below.

 

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)

TJ Smith Stakes Previous Race Winners

 

Year Place Horse Time
2026
TJ Smith Stakes
1st TBD TBD
2nd TBD
3rd TBD
2025
TJ Smith Stakes
1st Briasa 1 minute 8.57 seconds
2nd Overpass
3rd Headwall
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
TJ Smith Stakes 2026
Date: Saturday April 4, 2026
Track: Randwick Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Conditions: Weight-for-age
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $3,000,000
Inaugurated: 1997

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