Chautauqua is currently available at 2015 T.J. Smith Stakes odds of $2.70 and is a clear favourite in early betting for the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Chautauqua is currently on top of 2015 T.J. Smith Stakes betting markets. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Chautauqua is yet to record a win at the highest level of racing and there is a question mark over his wet track form, but that has not stopped punters throwing their support behind the son of Encosta De Lago and he was quickly backed from $2.80 into $2.70.
The four-year-old started his autumn campaign with a fast-finishing win in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14 and he moved into T.J. Smith Stakes favouritism when he finished an unlucky second behind Brazen Beau in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 14.
Terravista beat Chautauqua to take out the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but the Captain Rio has been an early drifter in T.J. Smith Stakes betting market and is out to $3.20 to record a second win at the highest level of racing.
The Captain Rio gelding returned to racing in the Newmarket Handicap and he tired late to finish third, but he was found to have suffered from mild heat stress at the conclusion of the race.
Terravista does not have a great deal of experience on a wet track, but he won the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival on a heavy track and his half-brother Tiger Tees is a wet track specialist.
Lankan Rupee failed to fire in the Newmarket Handicap and he is now available at a quote of $5.50 to become the first horse in history to win the T.J. Smith Stakes in back-to-back years.
The Redoute’s Choice gelding was found with an inflamed pectoral muscle following the Newmarket Handicap and that may explain the drop in performance following his dominant victory in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 21.
The only other horse that is available at single figure 2015 T.J. Smith Stakes odds is Gai Waterhouse-trained Sweet Idea, who has been backed from $7 into $6.50 in the past 24 hours.
Sweet Idea stormed home from the tail of the field to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and has the chance to become the first horse since La Bakara in 1998 to complete The Galaxy/T.J. Smith Stakes betting market.
There has been a sprinkling of support in T.J. Smith Stakes betting markets for Tiger Tees ($31 into $26) and Fast ‘N’ Rocking ($31 into $26), while Famous Seamus ($41 out to $51) and Press Report ($101 out to $126) have been early drifters.
