The T J Smith Stakes - 26 April 2008

The $500,000 Group 1 T J Smith Stakes over 1200 metres has a field of 8 runners but is being generally regarded as a two horse race between Takeover Target and Apache Cat.

Considering the race is named for legendary Sydney trainer Tommy Smith it would be appropriate to see one of these two great horses win as they are both incredibly popular with punters. The sprint will be Takeover Target’s first and only appearance in Sydney this autumn with an overseas campaign taking him to Singapore and England. The eight year old has won over $4.5 million, and last Wednesday won a trial at Canberra by 12 lengths in the fastest trial ever recorded on the track.

Apache Cat is the better horse in the wet and will go to Brisbane for the BTC Cup and the Doomben 10,000 after Saturday. The five year old has won $2.3 million and returns from a seventy day break after winning the Lightening and the Australian Stakes in February. May the best horse win.

These type of races always makes me a little nervous as I remember making a special trip to Melbourne about 20 years ago to watch a match race between Bonecrusher and Vo Rogue only to see 125/1 outsider Dandy Andy sail past the post first. That’s racing!

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