TJ Smith Stakes 2023 Barrier Draw & Final Field

Bets.com.au Staff

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Last updated: Tue 28 Mar 2023 12:47

Bets.com.au Staff 28 Mar 2023

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The barrier draw has been conducted for the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes
This Group 1 will be contested on Saturday, April 1 at Randwick
Full field available below

Nature Strip has drawn barrier seven in the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes. (Getty)

Giga Kick (barrier 9) can go a long way to confirming his title as Australia's best sprinter in the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes.

After winning The Everest over this track/trip at just start five last spring, the Clayton Douglas-trained gelding was unlucky not to remain unbeaten via the VRC Sprint Classic in November.

Champion jockey Zac Purton now takes the reins on the three-year-old, who is set to relish the extra 200m second-up following an eye-catching return in the Challenge Stakes on March 4.

With her last four wins coming over 1200m (two of them at Group 1 level), In Secret (barrier 12) is clearly more suited to the sprinting caper, having missed in her last two 1400m outings.

The Godolphin filly was back to her brilliant best in the Newmarket Handicap, recording a one-length triumph up the Flemington straight on March 11.

Champion sprinter Nature Strip (barrier 7) is looking to create history by becoming the first horse to win a fourth TJ Smith Stakes.

The Chris Waller-trained eight-year-old has been freshened-up after a disappointing return in the Lightning Stakes.

I Wish I Win (barrier 14) is better suited under WFA conditions, with the beaten Newmarket favourite receiving a 2kg weight swing in his favour on Lofty Strike (barrier 10) from that Flemington feature.

Private Eye (barrier 2) and Mazu (barrier 1) also arrive from the Newmarket Handicap, with both sprinters having opened their campaigns via that Melbourne Group 1.

15 runners make up the final field for the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes.

TJ Smith Stakes 2023 Barriers & Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Odds
1	Nature Strip	Chris Waller	James McDonald	7	58.5kg	$4.80
2	Lost And Running (NZ)	John O'Shea	Hugh Bowman	15	58.5kg	$31
3	Private Eye	Joseph Pride	Brenton Avdulla	2	58.5kg	$7
4	Mazu	Peter & Paul Snowden	Sam Clipperton	1	58.5kg	$13
5	Paulele	James Cummings	Joao Moreira	3	58.5kg	$51
6	I Wish I Win (NZ)	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	14	58.5kg	$9
7	Overpass	Bjorn Baker	Joshua Parr	4	58.5kg	$41
8	Rocketing By	David Pfieffer	Kerrin McEvoy	8	58.5kg	$101
9	Shelby Sixtysix	Danny Williams	Tim Clark	5	58.5kg	$201
10	Giga Kick	Clayton Douglas	Zac Purton	9	56.5kg	$3.70
11	Lofty Strike	Julius Sandhu	Craig Newitt	10	56.5kg	$21
12	Mariamia	Joseph Pride	Tyler Schiller (a)	13	56.5kg	$26
13	Passive Aggressive	Grahame Begg	Jordan Childs	6	56.5kg	$15
14	Shades Of Rose	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	11	56.5kg	$101
15	In Secret	James Cummings	Ben Melham	12	54.5kg	$6

Odds courtesy of Neds & correct at 10.45pm on 28/03/2023.

TJ Smith Stakes Winners

First run and won in 1997 by Mahogany, a number of the finest sprinters in Australia have taken out the TJ Smith Stakes - including Chautauqua, Black Caviar, Nature Strip and the unforgettable Takeover Target.

The TJ Smith Stakes gained Group 1 status in 2005 and today it's worth $3 million, with this 1200m feature one of four Group 1's contested on the opening day of The Championships from Royal Randwick.

Following up from the The Galaxy, which is run two weeks prior on Golden Slipper Day, the TJ Smith Stakes is the main sprint of the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Nature Strip has won the last three editions of the TJ Smith Stakes.