The TJ Smith Stakes 2018 nominations are a star-studded affair this autumn with early entries for the April 7 classic at Royal Randwick dominated by Redzel and the race’s three-time defending champion Chautauqua.
Champion sprinter Redzel is the standout 2017 TJ Smith Stakes nomination for the $2.5 million classic this autumn. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
All of the nominations for the major ‘The Championships’ races closed on Monday, including those for the Group 1 $2.5 million Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) held on Day 1.
The official TJ Smith Stakes nominations attracted 82 entries including the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Redzel who dominates early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.
During the spring the gun son of Snitzel made history winning the inaugural edition of the $10 million The Everest (1200m) at the TJ Smith Stakes track and distance.
He then took his record to six wins on the trot dominating proceedings down the Flemington straight to take out the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m).
Two brilliant trials since have the five-year-old right on track for a massive autumn that kicks off this weekend back at Flemington in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
Along with the hot $4.60 favourite in pre-field TJ Smith Stakes odds, Team Snowden have three other hopefuls in the mix including last autumn’s The Galaxy winning four-year-old Russian Revolution.
The other major nominee and the $9 second favourite in futures TJ Smith Stakes betting is the Hawkes Racing-trained seven-year-old Chautauqua.
The ‘Grey Flash’ made history last year saluting in his third straight TJ Smith Stakes, but he has been winless since.
Still, the $8.8 million earner was right in the mix over the spring including back-to-back fourths behind Redzel in The Everest and Darley Classic.
Chautauqua is joined in the TJ Smith Stakes nominations by two of his stablemates with up-and-coming Glenall and three-year-old Showtime in the mix.
Snitzel colt Showtime is a Group 2 winner and resumed on February 3 at Rosehill when second to Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m).
If accepted into the TJ Smith Stakes field he will be looking to break a drought by the three-year-olds with the last of the age to salute being the Gerald Ryan-trained filly Melito (2010).
A total of 24 three-year-olds feature in the TJ Smith Stakes entries this year including the Godolphin-raced Flight Stakes winning Sepoy filly Alizee, her Eskimo Price Stakes winning stablemate Kementari, last weekend’s Kevin Hayes Stakes winner Booker, Coolmore Stud Stakes champ Merchant Navy and Golden Rose third placegetter Menari.
The three-year-olds could prove a force to be reckoned with in the race going by early betting, with other young standouts being kept safe in early markets including the Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign and Golden Rose champ Trapeze Artist.
The TJ Smith Stakes first acceptances close on March 13, 2018.
See below for the full TJ Smith Stakes 2018 nominations before checking out the latest odds on Redzel and co at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2018 TJ Smith Stakes Nominations
Royal Randwick Racecourse – 07/04/2018
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1213x3x | ADDICTIVE NATURE | C | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 88 |
| 2 | 25x124113x | ALIZEE | F | 3 | James Cummings | 102 |
| 3 | 11×7 | ARDROSSAN | C | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 4 | 39x93730x8 | ARTLEE | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 95 |
| 5 | 3394x2531x | BALL OF MUSCLE | G | 7 | Joseph Pride | – |
| 6 | 130x1569x6 | BONNY O’REILLY (NZ) | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 102 |
| 7 | x32111140x | BONS AWAY | G | 4 | Aaron Purcell | – |
| 8 | 12x2316x1 | BOOKER | F | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | – |
| 9 | 16111250×6 | CANNYESCENT | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 10 | 110x21330x | CATCHY | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 11 | 3231x7644x | CHAUTAUQUA | G | 7 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 12 | x9113x385x | CLEARLY INNOCENT | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 111 |
| 13 | 00x21172xN | DAL CIELO (NZ) | G | 5 | Kris Lees | 95 |
| 14 | 11x214119x | DEPLOY | G | 5 | Gerald Ryan | 109 |
| 15 | 81368x008x | DERRYN | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 16 | 2x5278x132 | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 103 |
| 17 | 7266x4269x | ENGLISH | M | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 18 | 311900821x | FASTNET TEMPEST (IRE) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 19 | x6639x680x | FELL SWOOP | G | 6 | Matthew Dale | 106 |
| 20 | 98x4408x42 | FLAMBERGE | G | 8 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | – |
| 21 | 302x11013x | FORMALITY | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 22 | x21x78192x | FUHRYK | M | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 23 | 1x2247x12x | GLENALL | H | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 93 |
| 24 | 302x19x64x | GLOBAL GLAMOUR | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 107 |
| 25 | 4×81108326 | GOODFELLA | C | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 85 |
| 26 | 910x56685x | HEAVENS ABOVE | M | 6 | Tim Martin | – |
| 27 | 4423x654x5 | HELLBENT | H | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 28 | 1196x1401x | HEY DOC | G | 4 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 29 | 1115x3179x | HOUTZEN | F | 3 | Toby Edmonds | – |
| 30 | 5x523x112x | IN HER TIME | M | 5 | Benjamin Smith | – |
| 31 | 541112x13x | INVINCIBLE GEM | M | 4 | Kris Lees | 108 |
| 32 | P13x1711x6 | INVINCIBLE QUEST | G | 5 | Brett Partelle | 77 |
| 33 | 4x1211x70x | ITTETSU (IRE) | H | 6 | Darren Weir | – |
| 34 | 1x38361x | JORDA | F | 3 | James Cummings | – |
| 35 | 076875113x | JUNGLE EDGE | G | 7 | Mick Bell | – |
| 36 | 21x4320x1 | KEMENTARI | C | 3 | James Cummings | 98 |
| 37 | 75537x514x | KEN’S DREAM | G | 4 | Darren Weir | – |
| 38 | 11202x250x | LE ROMAIN | G | 5 | Kris Lees | 116 |
| 39 | 2x | LIBRISA BREEZE (GB) | G | 6 | Dean Ivory | – |
| 40 | 15×3 | LIMBO SOUL | F | 3 | Tim Martin | 71 |
| 41 | 3112x4F54x | LIMESTONE | F | 3 | Darren Weir | – |
| 42 | 415x66x165 | LORD OF THE SKY | H | 7 | Robbie Laing | – |
| 43 | 1351x30x3x | LUCKY LIBERTY | G | 6 | Henry Dwyer | – |
| 44 | 12540x113x | MENARI | C | 3 | Gerald Ryan | 94 |
| 45 | 111x101x3 | MERCHANT NAVY | C | 3 | Aaron Purcell | – |
| 46 | 660x64314x | MISHANI HONCHO | G | 5 | Shane Edmonds | 70 |
| 47 | 10210x430x | MISS GUNPOWDER | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 94 |
| 48 | 2x1449729x | MISSROCK | M | 4 | Robbie Laing | – |
| 49 | 11x1220x28 | MR SNEAKY | G | 4 | Anthony Freedman | – |
| 50 | x14x33934x | NIETA | M | 5 | John P Thompson | – |
| 51 | – | OYSTER BAY | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 52 | 2630x3735x | PALAZZO PUBBLICO | M | 6 | Matthew Smith | 96 |
| 53 | 1220x129x | PARIAH | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 91 |
| 54 | 1x105x100x | REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 55 | 2211x1111x | REDZEL | G | 5 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 56 | 14x164x10x | RUSSIAN REVOLUTION | H | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 57 | 155x341x6x | SANTA ANA LANE | G | 5 | Anthony Freedman | – |
| 58 | x167x5114x | SECRET AGENDA | M | 5 | Mick Price | – |
| 59 | 1x121x10x1 | SHE WILL REIGN | F | 3 | Gary Portelli | 112 |
| 60 | 1460x4359x | SHEIDEL | M | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 61 | 28x13x0x3x | SHEIKHA | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 71 |
| 62 | 111x1221x8 | SHOALS | F | 3 | Anthony Freedman | – |
| 63 | 2x21510x2x | SHOWTIME | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 64 | 12x | SHUMOOKH | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 70 |
| 65 | 2121x11x2x | SNITTY KITTY | M | 4 | Henry Dwyer | – |
| 66 | x22833005x | SO SI BON | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 67 | x290x2860x | SPIETH (NZ) | H | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 68 | – | SPIRIT OF VALOR (USA) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
| 69 | 0208x6132x | STELLAR COLLISION | G | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 70 | 117x111x | SUGAR BELLA | M | 4 | Kris Lees | 79 |
| 71 | 13x930x15x | SUPIDO | H | 6 | Michael Kent | – |
| 72 | x4810x950x | SWEET SHERRY | M | 4 | Brent Stanley | – |
| 73 | 13812x326x | TACTICAL ADVANTAGE | G | 4 | Joseph Pride | 87 |
| 74 | x847x5400x | TAKEDOWN | G | 5 | Gary Moore | – |
| 75 | 20x100x02x | TERRAVISTA | G | 8 | Joseph Pride | – |
| 76 | 161x70600x | THE MISSION | C | 3 | Paul Perry | – |
| 77 | 1306x13x14 | THRONUM | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 78 | 63x6410x1x | TRAPEZE ARTIST | C | 3 | Gerald Ryan | 106 |
| 79 | 135x2450x4 | TULIP | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 80 | 1x1x11257x | VEGA MAGIC | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 81 | 11x115x | VIRIDINE | C | 3 | James Cummings | – |
| 82 | – | WASHINGTON DC (IRE) | H | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | – |
