TJ Smith Stakes

Looking for this year’s TJ Smith Stakes betting odds, tips and race field? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know on the race.

The TJ Smith Stakes is one of the premier sprint races of the autumn held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’. Run alongside the likes of the Doncaster Mile and Australian Derby, the 1200m event offers $3 million in prize money.

A weight-for-age clash run and won since 1997, it is one of the younger features of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival but attracts a class line-up of short distance horses each season.

Holding its Group 1 status since 2005, the TJ Smith Stakes has been won by the likes of Takeover Target (2009); the undefeated champion mare Black Caviar (2011, 2013); the ‘Grey Flash’ Chautauqua (2015, 2016, 2017) who made history with his trio of victories; and Nature Strip (2020, 2021, 2022) who repeated the three-peat.

The winner of the previous year’s Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) in the spring are exempt from TJ Smith Stakes ballot. The other races offer a TJ Smith Stakes ballot exemption held earlier in the same year are the: Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m).

In 2021 Nature Strip successfully defended his TJ Smith Stakes title, the 2019/20 Australian Racehorse of the Year going on to take out that spring’s now $20 million The Everest race. Nature Strip returned to post his record-equalling third TJ Smith Stakes victory in 2022 with a runaway success for the Waller stable.

Nature Strip went on to frank the 2022 TJ Smith Stakes form with a barnstorming win by over four lengths in England’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot next start.

Nature Strip attempted to make history with a fourth TJ Smith Stakes win in 2023 but could only manage to run fourth behind the Peter Moody-trained winner I Wish I Win.

I Wish I Win would return in the spring of 2023 to run second in that year’s The Everest results, while he placed third to stablemate Chain Of Lightning in the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes results.

The TJ Smith Stakes 2023 form was further franked by the runner-up Giga Kick who won the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000 at his next two starts.

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.

TJ Smith Stakes 2025 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Saturday April 5, 2025
• Track Location: Randwick Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Right-handed
• Race Distance: 1,200 metres
• Weight Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Qualification: No restrictions
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 1
• Operator: Australian Turf Club
• Prize Purse: $3,000,000
• Inaugural Race: 1997
• 2025 TJ Smith Stakes Winner: TBD

TJ Smith Stakes 2025 RESULTS

The official 2025 TJ Smith Stakes results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday April 5, 2025.  

1. TBD
2. TBD
3. TBD

TJ Smith Stakes Betting 2025

There are many different ways to bet on the TJ Smith Stakes, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

How To Bet On The TJ Smith Stakes in 2025

1. Login at neds.com.au
2. Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
3. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
4. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on TJ Smith Stakes Betting above).
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win The TJ Smith Stakes?

The best way to pick which horse will win the TJ Smith Stakes in 2025 is to take into account their lead-up autumn racing form, assess the barriers, consider the weight the horse will carry and back the proven Group 1 sprinters in the mix. 

Additional factors to consider when picking the TJ Smith Stakes winner include: 

• Interstate Invasion – Horses coming off a lead-up Group 1 race in Melbourne have a good record in the TJ Smith Stakes.
• Single-Figure Fancies – Sprinters under $10 in betting have dominated the recent TJ Smith Stakes results.

TJ Smith Stakes Favourites 2025

Early favourites in 2025 TJ Smith Stakes betting include 2024 runner-up Bella Nipotina who is the reigning The Everest winner, Chris Waller’s Coolmore Stud Stakes winning colt Switzerland, and Scissor Kick gelding Giga Kick who won the 2022 The Everest as a then three-year-old. 

From 2008-24 seven TJ Smith Stakes favourites won including most recently Nature Strip ($4.20 in 2020, $3.10 in 2021 and $2.30 in 2022) for his trio of victories.

Nature Strip jumped the $4.80 favourite in 2023 TJ Smith Stakes betting, but only ran fourth to the $9 winner I Wish I Win.

There was a notable upset in 2024 with Chain Of Lightning winning at TJ Smith Stakes odds of $21.

TJ Smith Stakes 2025 Field

The official 2025 TJ Smith Stakes field of final acceptances is announced on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in full below. 

TJ Smith Stakes 2025 Tips

Favourite: TBD

Best Bet: TBD

Best Roughie: TBD

Our insider 2025 TJ Smith Stakes tips will be detailed above the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2025 TJ SMITH STAKES PREVIEW &TIPS

TJ Smith Stakes Race Day 2025

The 2025 TJ Smith Stakes takes place on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday the 5th of April 2025. There are four Group 1 races in total held that day at the track with the TJ Smith Stakes run alongside the:

• Group 1 $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m),
• Group 1 $2 million Australian Derby (2400m), and the
• Group 1 $1 million Inglis Sires’ (1400m).

TJ Smith Stakes Barrier Draw 2025

The 2025 TJ Smith Stakes barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above TJ Smith Stakes Field section. 

TJ Smith Stakes Nominations 2025

2025 TJ Smith Stakes Nominations close at midday on a Tuesday in mid-February. 

TJ Smith Stakes first acceptances 2025

2025 TJ Smith Stakes First Acceptances close at midday on a Tuesday in mid-March. 

TJ Smith Stakes Weights 2025

The TJ Smith Stakes is a weight-for-age event. 2025 TJ Smith Stakes Weights must be declared by 4:00pm (AEST) on the Tuesday of race week with weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above TJ Smith Stakes Field section. 

TJ Smith Stakes Acceptances 2025

2025 TJ Smith Stakes Final Acceptances must be declared before 8 AM on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in our above TJ Smith Stakes Field section. 

TJ Smith Stakes Jockeys 2025

The final riders announcement is at 12 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the 2025 TJ Smith Stakes jockeys to be published in our above TJ Smith Stakes Field section. 

TJ Smith Stakes Scratchings 2025

2025 TJ Smith Stakes scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday the 5th of April 2025. 

TJ Smith Stakes Prize Money 2025

The 2025 TJ Smith Stakes prize purse is worth $3,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.

TJ Smith Stakes Race Number 2025

The 2025 TJ Smith Stakes race number is TBC for Saturday the 5th of April 2025. There are ten races in total that day at Randwick Racecourse.

TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide 2025

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2025 TJ Smith Stakes Form Guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 TJ SMITH STAKES FORM GUIDE

TJ Smith Stakes Live 2025

You can watch or listen to the 2025 TJ Smith Stakes live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Free-to-air television: Seven Network

Streaming: Racing NSW

TJ Smith Stakes Winners

Winners of the TJ Smith Stakes going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below. For a full list of winners going back to 1997, please check our TJ Smith Stakes winners’ page.