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Having firmed into favouritism pre-race, the talented Chris Waller-trained Joliestar rewarded the late money posting her fifth career Group 1 success and third straight turf triumph this prep with another impressive Royal Randwick performance in the TJ Smith Stakes 2026 results.

Waller, who famously won the Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) three times running with triple hero Nature Strip (2020-22), added a fourth to his trophy collection thanks to his ultra-consistent Zoustar mare Joliestar ($3.90F).

Handing James McDonald and Waller a Group 1 double on Day 1 of The Championships following on from Campione D’italia in the Inglis Sires’, Joliestar continued her outstanding string of autumn wins coming via a lead-up victory in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) on March 7 to handle a drop back slightly in trip and improve on her ninth to Briasa in last year’s TJ Smith.

“That is the difference between her this year compared to last year,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the race.

“Last year she could pull out a belter but wide draws and luck in running could get her beaten, too, but she is a more complete racehorse now.”

With an overseas campaign at Royal Ascot pending, Joliestar put the writing on the wall for a hopefully successful international bid when denying her toughest line-up of sprint rivals to date.

“I would go to Royal Ascot and bring her back for The Everest – she has just started to mature as a racehorse,” Waller added.

“I think we will probably go for the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. We had the trip planned well before today, but we wanted to see her run well in the TJ to cement her place for England.

“As a three-year-old she won the (2023 Thousand) Guineas and has been a model of consistency since.’’

Fourth on the turn for home as Overpass led this year’s TJ Smith Stakes field around, Joliestar and J-Mac began their run in earnest on the inside at the top of the straight.

They hit the lead with 400m left to travel and the mighty mare showed plenty of grit to hold on and deny former The Everest champ Giga Kick, who was brave in defeat having been caught up at a crucial stage, victory.

“She has had her doubters before, but they have no leg to stand on now, she is a Grand Final winner,” McDonald said.

“I just let her gallop, I learnt not to organise her too much, even though I would have preferred to be on the outside, I wasn’t too deterrent by the inside because I had room, she was organised and as it happens so often, us jockeys overplay the bias a little bit.

“When I walked the track I didn’t think it was that bad, where I was.”

Adding value to the TJ Smith trifecta at 40/1 was the Mitchell Freedman-trained 2025 Black Caviar Lightning winning mare Skybird in a terrific performance second-up performance just peaking on her run at the 50m.

“She’ll have a little bit of down time now and then work our way back from Royal Ascot,” Waller confirmed for Joliestar.

“We’ll do our usual jump-outs and trials and get her on the plane.

“She goes so well fresh and no doubt will represent Australia very well on the grand stage.”

McDonald is also excited about Joliestar’s highly anticipated trip to the UK where the master hoop believes she will equip herself well.

 “It’s very exciting and no doubt she’ll be a force to be reckoned with,” he said.

2026 TJ Smith Stakes Results

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