Some of the country’s best sprinters will step out in Saturday’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick and for the first time since 2014, champion grey Chautauqua will not be the race winner.
The veteran failed to jump from the stalls in several barrier trials leading into a hopeful fourth defence of his TJ Smith Stakes crown and Autumn Carnival plans were subsequently shelved. Instead, the country’s current sprint champion Redzel is set jump a clear favourite in our market and is currently the $2.30 favourite.
Redzel has been a notable performer throughout his entire racing career so far, but returned to racing in 2017 in outstanding form and quickly rose to the top of pecking order in Australia’s impressive sprint ranks.
The son of Snitzel ended his autumn and winter preparation with a maiden win at the highest level in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m), and resumed in spring for a dominant win in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m).
Progressing to another easy victory in the Group 2 The Shorts (1200m), Redzel was allowed to take up the running in the inaugural edition of the $10 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14th and never appeared in doubt; mustering an outstanding turn of foot to win the race by a length from Vega Magic.
Having ended his year with another strong win in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m), Redzel was pipped on the line by straight track specialist Redkirk Warrior in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) first-up this time, but returned to winning form in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) last time out.
Kerrin McEvoy will lead the horse to the lead from barrier 6 and he will be extremely difficult to get past.
In Her Time will carry winning form at Group 1 level into the TJ Smith Stakes and is the sole occupant of the second line of betting at $4.20 odds.
The Time Thief mare was another horse that went to a new level in 2017 and she was unlucky not to break through for her first win at the highest level; having placed in each of the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) and Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) most notably.
Having trialled extremely well in the lead-up to her 2018 campaign, In Her Time produced another outstanding performance to easily win the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) first-up this time and she will only improve into the TJ Smith Stakes for the experience.
Japanese import Brave Smash ($7) has been outstanding this year and is the only other horse currently available at TJ Smith Stakes odds of less-than $10.
The son of Tosen Phantom made an immediate impact upon debuting in spring and failed to finish outside of the places through four starts; highlighted by a credible third in The Everest.
Clearly requiring a run when he tailed off to finish fifth in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) first-up in January, Brave Smash has since finished third in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m), won the Group 2 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and finished an agonizingly-close second in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).