TJ Smith Stakes Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2025

When it’s TJ Smith Stakes race day, you know you’re in the thick of things during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival! The TJ Smith Stakes is a weight-for-race race open to all horses and is run over a distance of 1,200m. It is one of the most important Group One races during the Autumn Racing Carnival.

The race is run on a day with several other Group 1s including; the Australian Derby,, the Doncaster Mile and the Sires Produce Stakes, all taking part at Randwick Racecourse. On top of this, another key race, the Country Championships Final, is also run on the race day at the same track. The Country Championships Final is not classified as a Group 1, but there is a whopping $1 million up for grabs!

If you add up all the prize money that is to be given away from the races listed above, you’re looking at a total of $11 million! Ca-ching! The TJ Smith is held on what we refer to as Day One of The Championships with Day Two run on the following Saturday and features five key races at Randwick Racecourse, with four of them being Group 1s.

With the $3 million that’s on offer in terms of prize money, it’s no surprise that each year we see some of the best sprinters competing in the race. Speaking of prize money, the TJ Smith Stakes recently saw a bump in prize money from $2.5 million to $3 million, which took place in 2022 as a part of Racing NSW’s $30 million prize money announcement.

Runners that win the Premiere Stakes, the Roman Consul Stakes, the Challenge Stakes or The Galaxy are all exempt from the ballot. You’ll find that several horses that run in the TJ Smith Stakes will then go on to contest the All Aged Stakes, which is held two weeks later at the same track. With all the Group 1 racing that takes place at Randwick Racecourse over the Sydney Autumn Carnival, there’s no doubt it is one of the top tracks in the country.

This TJ Smith Stakes page here at OnlyRacing.com.au will provide you with all the information you could ever need about the race, including the all-important TJ Smith Stakes tips and betting information! Be sure to check back with us on race week as our tips will be coming in hot.

Everyone loves talking about the mammoth amount of prize money that is offered during The Championships, so check out the breakdown of prize money that is offered up for the top finishers in the TJ Smith Stakes below:

Hello, TJ Smith Stakes tips! We just love providing free horse racing tips to the readers here at OnlyRacing. We provide daily horse racing tips as well as tips for all the major races that take place throughout the year. Our experts take their job very seriously and would never tip something they wouldn’t bet on themselves.

We are just waiting for more information about which runners will make an appearance in the 2025 TJ Smith Stakes. Once we have this information, our experts will put together their TJ Smith Stakes tips. Make sure you check back here on race week!

We know you came here for tips so we’ve kept up our tips from the 2024 race. You can use the benefit of hindsight to judge how our expert performed. Check out our expert’s best bet, next best and best roughie for the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes below:

TJ Smith Stakes Best Bet - Giga Kick

There are a lot of hot chances in the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes with several runners listed in single-figure odds (at the time of writing). It took me a while to nail down my best bet and next best in particular, but in the end I’m siding with Giga Kick as my pick to take out the Group 1. He has been doing everything but winning lately and I just think his luck turns around on Saturday.

His run last time out in the Challenge Stakes was eye-catching, but again he didn’t actually win the race. He finished in third place, just 1L off Passive Aggressive (who also lines up here). Giga Kick doesn’t have to carry as much weight and I think it will be a battle between himself and Nature Strip in the closing stages.

TJ Smith Stakes Next Best - Nature Strip

My next best tip for the TJ Smith Stakes is with Nature Strip. Nature Strip is attempting a four-peat (yes, four!) in the race. While his latest run leaves a little something to be desired - a sixth place in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes, a race he was expected to win, I think a bounce-back performance here is certainly on the cards.

You can never wright Nature Strip off and he is one of the best fighters I’ve seen in a long while. He is the world’s best sprinter! He loves Randwick Racecourse and has already won this race three times, that’s got to count for something. I’m expecting that trainer Chris Waller will make sure Nature Strip is completely prepared and ready to challenge for the four-peat.

TJ Smith Stakes Best Roughie - Lost And Running

Unlike tipping the best bet and next best, I had no difficulty landing on my best roughie, which is Lost And Running. Currently listed at $34, I’m shocked by that price and there is simply so much value I’m getting butterflies! I think it’s an excellent call from John O’Shea to run Lost And Running fresh.

Lost And Running does his best work earlier in his campaigns and while the barrier is a little sticky for me, he just needs a little luck and he will be fighting it out with the major players in this race at massive odds. He is certainly capable of running in the top three.

So, there you have it! Our tips for the race in 2023, but don’t forget to check back on race week for our 2024 TJ Smith Stakes tips.

It’s TJ Smith Stakes betting time! But wait. How do you bet on the TJ Smith Stakes and who should you bet with? These are all common questions newbies have when it comes to TJ Smith Stakes betting. The good news is that we will answer all your questions in this section so you can place your bets with supreme confidence.

If you’ve had a quick look around the different betting apps available you’ll know just how many options there are. We believe the best option is to shop around for the best odds and deals. This means you could be opening a couple of different betting accounts. 

There are heaps of markets for you to bet on through different horse racing betting sites. When it comes to the different betting markets, you should stick with what you are comfortable with and fully understand. As your knowledge grows, you can change things up and try more complex bets.

We’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting for you and provided in-depth reviews on all the top Australian betting sites going around. So make sure you check out our comprehensive reviews before you decide which bookie you want to sign up with! 

You’ll find that different bookies will likely offer varying odds and there are a lot of different betting sites bonuses out there, so keep your eyes peeled for something new that can give you more bang for your buck. You don’t want to leave any value on the table, now do you?

So, which bookies in particular should you bet with come this TJ Smith Stakes? There are a few we like, but if you haven’t already, you should check out PlayUp,  Dabble and PuntCity. They are among the best betting apps going around and offer some awesome betting promotions that you just can’t turn down.

Those are just three of the bookies we like for the TJ Smith Stakes betting and there is plenty more where they came from. If you’re looking for more, then scroll up to our “Betting Sites” section to see the full range of bookies on offer.

The TJ Smith Stakes field for the race in 2025 is yet to be determined. While we don’t know the runners who will grace the field, if history is anything to go by, it’s going to be filled with quality runners. Check back here during race week as we will bring all the TJ Smith Stakes field information then!

Before the final field is announced, it is a good idea to check out the odds for the race, if available. Checking out the odds will give you an indication of which runners are currently favoured in the market. Things can change pretty quickly in horse racing, so you’ll have to keep regular tabs on this.

You’ll find pretty significant fluctuations in the odds in the lead-up to the race, especially considering the field is not confirmed. Many factors influence changes in the odds, so if you see a price you like, it’s best to jump on while you still can!

While we wait for the 2025 field to be finalised, check out the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes field below:

Like in 2023, we saw 15 runners line up for the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes. However, there ended up being two pre-race scratchings, which knocked the field down to 13 runners. Private Eye and Cylinder were both scratched before the race was due to jump.

If you’re new to the world of horse racing, you’re probably wondering what a scratching is. A scratching is where a runner is pulled from the race and will no longer take part in it. There are many reasons a horse is scratched from a race and it is a fairly common occurrence, even in races like the TJ Smith Stakes where there is a cool $3 million up for grabs.

Along with checking out any potential scratchings in the race, you should take a further look into the barrier draw before the race starts. The barrier draw can have a major impact on race strategy for each runner and the style of a particular runner may dictate whether they prefer an inside or outside barrier.

Studying the TJ Smith Stakes form guide isn’t everyone’s favourite thing to do, but we can tell you that the team at OnlyRacing love it! We’ve been doing it for years and know what to look for so we can help point you in the direction of the likely winner.

When it comes to the key form indicators, many patterns have emerged over the years for the TJ Smith Stakes. While it isn’t a guarantee you’ll find the winner, this is all about betting with your head and not your heart. So, let’s check out some of the key indicators that you should be aware of!

As the TJ Smith Stakes is held towards the end of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, you’ll find many different lead-up races are important to check out. Look for similar distance races like the Newmarket Handicap or the William Reid Stakes.  In the last 13 years, 12 TJ Smith Stakes winners have come from one of these races.

Some of the other races you should check out include The Galaxy or the Challenge Stakes. If a runner can win either of these races, they are exempt from the ballot for the TJ Smith Stakes. So, as you can see there are a lot of options and different form lines to attempt to line up.

You should be looking for runners who are coming into the TJ Smith Stakes in some form. There has only been one winner since 2007 that has finished worse than fourth in their lead-up run, which was Santa Ana Lane in 2019.

Favourites also tend to perform reasonably well in the TJ Smith Stakes. There have, however, been a couple of upsets since 2005, including Shamekha in 2005 ($26) and Master of Design in 2012 ($31). In fact, 2024 was the last time we saw a winner that jumped with double-digit odds!

While the TJ Smith Stakes hasn’t been running for as long as some of the other Group 1 races on the calendar, there have still been many quality horses that have taken part and won this great race. We’ve undertaken the difficult job of finding just a handful of TJ Smith Stakes horses to feature in this section.

You’ll learn more about each horse listed below, what they achieved in their career and the other types of races they won. Did the horse you were thinking of make our list? Keep reading to find out!

Mahogany - 1997

Mahogany was the inaugural winner of the TJ Smith Stakes. Throughout his career, he won eight Group 1 events and it could have been nine if it wasn’t for a close photo-finish second place to Octagonal in the 1995 Cox Plate! He had a very impressive career record of 43:19-7-5 which resulted in him earning almost $4 million.

Apache Cat - 2008

Like Mahogany, Apache Cat also won eight Group 1s throughout his career. Some of the other Group 1 races he managed to win included; the Doomben 10,000, the Australian Guineas, the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and the Kingsford Smith Cup, just to name a few.

Black Caviar - 2011 & 2013

Is there anything Black Caviar didn’t do? Apparently not! Her forever unblemished record stands at 25:25–0–0 and helped her gain almost $8 million in prize money. She even has a Group 1 race named after her, the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. She was awarded the Australian Racehorse of the Year three years in a row from 2011 to 2013.

Chautauqua - 2015-2017

Chautauqua won the TJ Smith Stakes three years in a row, a massive feat that many thought wouldn’t be accomplished for many years to come (oh, how wrong we were). Also known as “The Grey Flash”, the gelding was named the Australian Champion Sprinter in 2016. Some of the other races Chautauqua included; the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and the Manikato Stakes.

Nature Strip - 2020-2022

Yep, that’s right. Just two years after Chautauqua’s three-peat, Nature Strip accomplished the exact same feat! The 2022 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, Nature Strip amassed over $20 million in prize money and was a nine-time Group 1 winner. On top of this, he also won The Everest, which would have greatly improved his prize money!

When you are about to place a bet on the TJ Smith Stakes, you’ll need to see what the odds are. The higher the odds, the more unlikely that outcome will take place. But also remember that just because a runner is listed with short odds of say $1.85, it doesn’t guarantee that runner will win the race.

Before the race, all the best horse racing betting apps will open up TJ Smith Stakes odds markets. This means that you’ll have plenty of time to place your bets. As race day gets closer, you’ll usually find that more horse racing markets will open up, so you’ll have more options available to you other than just the Win/ Place Bets.

As of right now, our favourite bookie, PlayUp, has not released their odds for the TJ Smith Stakes. As soon as the 2025 TJ Smith Stakes odds become available, we will bring you all the information you’ve been looking for like who is the favourite and if there is any value to be found.

When the odds are released, you’ll notice that there are a lot of fluctuations. Many factors influence a change in the odds, so make sure you keep tabs on what is happening. We also recommend betting when the market is listed at “Before Noms” because if the horse you have chosen doesn’t make the final field, you’ll get your stake back! This is not the case if you’re betting when the market is “All-In”.

We have left up the odds from the TJ Smith Stakes in 2024, so you can see where each runner stood in the market just a couple of days before the race:

*Odds correct as of 04/04/2024.

The TJ Smith Stakes doesn’t have as long of a history as some other Group 1 races, but it is still a race that has seen a lot of action! Each year, the TJ Smith Stakes takes place during Sydney’s Autumn Racing Carnival, which happens to be one of the biggest horse racing carnivals on the calendar, which includes other major races like the Golden Slipper, the Doncaster Mile as well as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The first ever TJ Smith Stakes was run back in 1997 and runner Mahogany was victorious. During this time, the TJ Smith Stakes held Listed status and was known as the Endeavor Stakes. Oh, how things have changed!

It only took a couple of years for the race to be renamed in honour of horse trainer Thomas John Smith and ever since then we’ve all known the race as the TJ Smith Stakes. Thomas John Smith won 33 successive Sydney training premierships, so there’s no doubt he deserves a Group 1 race named after him! On top of this, he has also been inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

It didn’t take long for the TJ Smith Stakes to start attracting some of the best sprinters going around. This meant that in 2005, due to the quality of sprinters competing in the race, racing administrators upgraded the race status to a Group 1. The TJ Smith Stakes made its way through the ranks before finally achieving Group 1 status and you can check out all the details below:

• 1997 - Listed Race
• 1998-2001 - Group 3
• 2002-2003 - Group 2
• 2005-Present - Group 1

As you have probably already come to realise, the TJ Smith Stakes is just one of the many, many other Group 1 and key races that we are lucky enough to see racing each year in Australia. So, if you want to learn more about some (or all!) of these other races, then be sure to check out our Group One races list!!

So, you’ve come to find out who won the TJ Smith Stakes in 2025? Well, we do have some bad news, we don’t know the TJ Smith Stakes results just yet because the race hasn’t been run! However, we will be sure to bring you all the results of the race as soon as we can.

Meanwhile, let’s take a look back at what went down in the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes. In 2024, the TJ Smith Stakes was taken out by first-time Group 1 winning and massive roughie, Chain Of Lightning. Chain Of Lightning was 0.31L in front of Bella Nipotina, who finished in second place.

The 2023 TJ Smith Stakes winner, I Wish I Win, finished in third place, just 0.34L off the leader. It was a hotly contested race with just 9.29L    separating the first and last-placed runners. The race was run in a time of 1:10.40.

Want to know the finishing order of all the runners in the TJ Smith Stakes? Check out the table below:

Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is watch a video! So, check out the full race replay of the 2024 TJ Smith Stakes below:

Want to know who all the recent winners of the TJ Smith Stakes are? Well, do we have a table for you! Check out all the recent winners, up until 2010, below:

If you have any last-minute questions about the TJ Smith Stakes, we’ve put this section together just for you! We’ve answered some of the most common TJ Smith Stakes FAQs below: