TJ Smith Stakes facts and figures

TJ SMITH STAKES

1200m, $2.5 million, Group One weight-for-age at Randwick

HISTORY

* Named in honour of Randwick’s most famous trainer whose daughter Gai Waterhouse has won the race with Phoenix Park in 2002, Shamekha in 2005 and Bentley Biscuit in 2007

* First run in 1997 when won by Mahogany

* Elevated to Group One status in 2005

* Some outstanding sprinters have won the race including Apache Cat (2008), Takeover Target (2009), Black Caviar (2011 and 2013) and Chautauqua (2015,16,17)

* Final race for Black Caviar before her retirement.

* The champion mare also holds the race record of 1:08.71 set in 2011

* Chautauqua is the only horse to win three TJ Smiths

TALKING POINTS

* Six favourites have won the race since its inception.

* Favourite Redzel will be aiming to win for the sixth time in a row at Randwick, with his victories including last year’s inaugural The Everest and the Group Two Challenge Stakes in March.

* The race will be run without Chautauqua who has missed the chance for a fourth consecutive win after failing to jump from the gates in four barrier trials.

* Gai Waterhouse has two runners in this year’s race in partnership with Adrian Bott, English and Global Glamour .

WHAT CONNECTIONS ARE SAYING

“He’s always a good worker and really applies himself. He has an economic action and is so light across the ground I have to make sure he isn’t going too quick,” – Redzel’s jockey Kerrin McEvoy

“We’ve drawn well and we’re going to get a good surface so it’s going to be a genuinely run race,” – In Her Time’s trainer Ben Smith

“It isn’t going to be an easy task by any means but I still felt there is improvement to come from her Galaxy run” – Adrian Bott, the co-trainer of English