Japanese import Brave Smash will be a late entry for the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on day one of The Championships on April 7.
Brave Smash, above, will be a late entry for the T J Smith Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.aash
Trainer Darren Weir said that Brave Smash’s connections will pay the $55,000 late entry fee for the T J Smith Stakes and the Group 1 winning sprinter would head to Sydney with stablemates Humidor and Tosen Stardom after galloping at Ballarat on Tuesday morning.
“Humidor and Tosen Stardom are going to go up for the Doncaster and with Brave Smash, we’re going to pay the late entry for the T J Smith Stakes (1200m),” Weir told RSN’s Correct Weight on Sunday.
“They had gallops at Ballarat last week and all of them went good, they’ll have another gallop on Tuesday morning and then head up to Sydney.”
Humidor and Tosen Stardom are both being aimed towards the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on the same day as the T J Smith Stakes.
Brave Smash wrapped up his 2017 Spring Carnival campaign with a flashing third behind Redzel and Vega Magic in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, over the same course and distance as the T J Smith Stakes.
The five year old stallion then continued on with his good Spring form into the 2018 Autumn Carnival with a third to Hartnell in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, a win in the Group 1 $500,000 italktravel Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Brave Smash then continued his outstanding Autumn form when he made up plenty of ground in the run to the line for a slashing second, beaten a nose by Redkirk Warrior, in the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10.
Brave Smash has been marked as a $8 chance for the T J Smith Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au who have the Team Snowden trained Redzel as the $2.40 favourite ahead of last Saturday’s Group 1 Galaxy winner In Her Time at $6.50.
Early betting for the T J Smith Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.40 Redzel, $6.50 In Her Time, $8 Brave Smash, $10 English, $14 Vega Magic, $15 Viridine, $$21 Hellbent, $26 Jungle Edge, Trapeze Artist, $34 Clearly Innocent, Global Glamour, Supido, $41 Le Romain, Secret Agenda, Snitty Kitty, Sugar Bella, Tulip, $51 or better the rest.
