2024 TJ Smith Stakes Results: Chain Of Lightning Strikes An Upset

April 6, 2024

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Results: Chain Of Lightning Strikes An Upset

Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman celebrated their first Group 1 victory as a partnership with their striking grey mare, Chain Of Lightning, so good up in grade at weight-for-age to take out the time-honoured 2024 TJ Smith Stakes in an upset.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning

2024 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning was brave taking out the Group 1 in an upset at 20/1. Photo: Steve Hart.

The bonny daughter of Fighting Sun was a forgotten runner in a terrific Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) field at Randwick despite her lead-up Rosehill win a fortnight back in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m).

She brought the confidence of that victory to Randwick and was given a peach of a ride in the Group 1 by Damian Lane who got the mare settled in a lovely position fourth early on.

From there she was able to capitalise on her good run and fight off the challengers in a blanket finish to become an elite level winner on Day 1 of The Championships.

On the line Chain Of Lightning at $21 held a narrow margin over the brave and always-honest Ciaron Maher-trained Group 1 winning mare Bella Nipotina who ran out of her skin for second after a pre-race delay having to be reshod after losing a shoe just before they loaded in.

She’s rock-hard and fit and we wanted to take advantage of that and Damian Lane, what a gun ride. Beautiful,” winning trainer Moody said of Chain Of Lightning. 

Moody & Coleman’s better fancied runner, last year’s winner I Wish I Win, ran a solid first-up third to complete the TJ Smith Stakes trifecta after being ridden wide out of his comfort zone throughout.

He ran superb. He was there to win and probably just peaked on the run the last little bit,” Moody added of I Wish I Win. 

Mark Walker’s 10-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz meanwhile ran fourth as the beaten favourite in a bunched finish after sweating up notably pre-race.

The TJ Smith Stakes 2024 result saw Moody celebrate his 58th Group 1 victory, while for Coleman it was her first time in the winners’ stall at the top level as a trainer.

“Thanks to Kat Coleman, my training partner, her first Group 1. Well done Katherine, well deserved,” Moody said giving credit to his co-trainer.

It was also his fourth win overall in the event named in honour of his former boss, the late, great Tommy Smith.

“Fourth time now winning the race named after ‘The Little Master’, my first boss TJ Smith, which makes me very proud,” Moody said.

2024 TJ Smith Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 14 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Damian Lane 2 56.5kg $21
2 9 BELLA NIPOTINA Ciaron Maher Craig Williams 0.31L 10 56.5kg $11
3 1 I WISH I WIN (NZ) Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman James McDonald 0.34L 4 58.5kg $4.20
4 8 IMPERATRIZ Mark Walker Opie Bosson 0.56L 6 56.5kg $3.50F
5 11 SUNSHINE IN PARIS Annabel Neasham Jason Collett 0.7L 8 56.5kg $6.50
6 10 ESPIONA Chris Waller Nash Rawiller 0.8L 12 56.5kg $17
7 13 MAGIC TIME Grahame Begg Michael Dee 1.11L 1 56.5kg $10
8 7 JOHNNY ROCKER Nick Ryan Mark Zahra 2.01L 3 58.5kg $31
9 6 BUENOS NOCHES Matthew Smith Ben Melham 2.23L 13 58.5kg $31
10 15 WILLINGA BEAST Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons (a) 2.55L 5 56.5kg $201
11 3 MAZU Joseph Pride Tim Clark 6.96L 11 58.5kg $21
12 5 AFT CABIN James Cummings Zac Purton 8.05L 7 58.5kg $16
13 4 COAL CRUSHER Joseph Pride Tyler Schiller 9.29L 9 58.5kg $31
12 CYLINDER James Cummings Ms Jamie Kah 0
2 PRIVATE EYE Joseph Pride Blake Shinn 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.


THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

Stradbroke Calls For 2024 The ...

Numerian Wins Hollindale Stake...

Numerian Wins Hollindale Stakes 2024 First-Up, Firms in Doomben Cup Betting

Trainer Annabel Neasham made it four straight wins in the A.D. Hollindale...

2024 SA Derby Winner Coco Sun ...

2024 SA Derby Winner Coco Sun Aims at Queensland Oaks

Brisbane’s Queensland Oaks is a likely winter target for the talented Tony...

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikel...

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Connections of the high-flying Kintyre are unlikely to press onto the...

Victory Stakes Winner Antino R...

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism

Antino finally lived up to the hype of trainer Tony Gollan who had been...

Race Results

Stradbroke Calls For 2024 The Goodwood Winner Benedetta

Numerian Wins Hollindale Stakes 2024 First-Up, Firms in Doomben Cup Betting

2024 SA Derby Winner Coco Sun Aims at Queensland Oaks

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism

Race Previews

I Wish I Win Heads 2024 Doomben 10,000 Field & Betting

Huetor Heads 2024 AD Hollindale Stakes Field & Odds

2024 The Goodwood Race Field & Betting Update: Amelia’s Jewel Favourite, Learning To Fly Scratched

2024 South Australian Derby Field & Betting Update: Coco Sun Set to Shine

Fawkner Park Heads Wagga Wagga Gold Cup 2024 Field & Odds

Fields & Form

I Wish I Win Heads 2024 Doomben 10,000 Field & Betting

Huetor Heads 2024 AD Hollindale Stakes Field & Odds

2024 The Goodwood Race Field & Betting Update: Amelia’s Jewel Favourite, Learning To Fly Scratched

Guineas Winner Kintyre Unlikely for 2024 Queensland Derby

Victory Stakes Winner Antino Rockets into Stradbroke 2024 Favouritism