RANDWICK PREVIEW April 10, 2010 T J SMITH STAKES (WFA 1200M) The TJ Smith Stakes (wfa 1200m) at Randwick is Australia’s youngest Group 1 sprint. It was first run in 1997, when the champion Mahogany beat Ruffles and Clang, as the Listed class race, the Endeavour Stakes. In recent years, the TJ Smith has taken over from The Galaxy (1100m) as Sydney’s premier autumn sprint – the past three editions have been won by the outstanding sprinters Takeover Target (2009), Apache Cat (2008) and Bentley Biscuit (2007). This year’s race has attracted a small field, but one dominated by three main chances – the 4YO sprinter M ic Mac, the mare Hot Dan ish and the brilliant colt Wan ted . It is shaping as a very intriguing race, and it could be won or lost in the first 100 metres. As there is no proven front-runner in the field, I believe that one of these three stars will try to dictate the tempo from the front – and I think it will be Hot Danish who will get there first. The big mare has drawn ideally in barrier 3, with Wanted (4) and Mic Mac (5) on her immediate outside. Jockey Tim Clark will do well not to give up that advantage. Last year, this race was won in sensational style by Takeover Target, whose popularity extended beyond racing. Hot Danish is loved by racing fans, especially in Sydney, and she deserves to go out of racing at the end of this season with a Group 1 race on her CV – this is a her chance. Wanted led the pack to win the G1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at
Flemington. It was his first Group 1 win after a string of placings this season in the premier sprints. Trainer Peter Moody believes that holding Wanted up in his races may have been the reason for some of those defeats, which is why he instructed jockey Luke Nolen to give the colt his head at Flemington. Everything fell into place – the rain and storm arrived to make it almost impossible for horses to make ground from the back. Wanted will be a lot fresher resuming in the TJ Smith, and to push him hard early just might backfire if he takes charge. Mic Mac is usually ridden behind the speed with cover, and new jockey Hugh Bowman will be able to drop him into the perfect trail. Mic Mac has a wonderful record fresh (unbeaten in two), on dead ground (unbeaten in four) and at this distance (four wins from seven starts), so he ticks a lot of boxes. Trainer Greg Eurell used a soft Cranbourne trial win on March 30 to have this horse primed for his first-up assignment. Mic Mac also proved last autumn that he handles right-handed racing by winning the G2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill. New Zealand’s Lord Tav istoc k, who is headed for duty at the famous Cambridge Stud later this year, has been freshened from his G2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) win at Flemington. His 1200m record isn’t up to scratch to expect him to win at Group 1 level against some of Australia’s best sprinters, but he will be hitting the line hard in the last 200m. The tips: Hot Danish to beat Mic Mac and Wanted.
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Predicted positions on settling
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Race 4, 1.45pm (Sydney time)
AND ALSO It would be too much to ask – of the apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins and of you, dear reader – to do it all again after L-W’s sensational debut at Caulfield last week that brought two wins and two placings from four Melbourne rides. Or would it? Peter Moody has provided more ammunition for Flemington (Ano ther Sunday, R1; Carl ton Forwar d, R2; Jewel T hief, R4; and Za beleo, R6) and two other trainers have taken advantage of L-W’s 3kg claim – Byron Cozamanis with Grand Duel s in R7 and Brett Cavanough with Hel ideck in R8. If you want to send your winnings around again, try Carlton Forward and/or Jewel Thief each-way from Moody’s mob. And toss any winnings on to Grand Duels, who likes the Flemington straight and is down in class and weight. If you think it’s time to cut and run on Lovelock-Wiggins, And Also’s recommendation is to go with the tried and true, Steven Arnold, who seems to have become David Hayes’ stable rider by attrition or absence ... and not forgetting ability and ’ard work. The polished Arnold has five rides for Hayes and one for Mark Kavanagh, Dr Doute’ s, in the last. Ale ssandro Volta (R5) falls into the “who knows” category, but the rest are in the market. The other Hayes horses are Meezaah (R1), Alkhaf if (R2), Az wa (R4) and Char treux (R6). The first three are all Shadwell runners, and are worth at least a place parlay. Stephen Howell