Reigning number one sprinter Redzel heads up the list of nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 7, day one of The Championships.

Redzel, above, is among the niminations for the 2018 T J Smith Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Redzel is one of four horses from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable among the eighty-two nominations for The Championships’ premier sprint race.

Redzel was crowned the nation’s top sprinter following his scintillating 2017 Spring Carnival form that saw him win the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick and the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington.

The Snitzel five year old is scheduled to return to the race track this Saturday at Flemington and a win in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) would take his winning sequence to seven in a row.

Redzel has completed two barrier trials at Rosehill for his return to the race track for a seventh over 900m on January 22 and a win over 1000m on February 5.

“His first trial was a soft trial two weeks ago,” said co-trainer Peter Snowden.

“He’s only got to hold his form from last preparation but to my eye he’s a touch better, maybe that’s positive thinking.”

Team Snowden has also nominated the Group 1 Galaxy winner Russian Revolution, smart three year old Pariah and the unraced Oyster Bay.

Trainer Gerald Ryan has only three horses nominated for the T J Smith Stakes, but Trapeze Artist, Menari and Deploy will be among the main chances if they go on to make the final field.

Three year old Trapeze Artist was the winner of the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival and resumed for the Autumn with a win against the older horses in the Group 2 $200,000 Sydney Markets Limited Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 3.

As usual the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have strength in numbers and have nominated fourteen horses for the T J Smith Stakes.

Last season’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner Catchy, 2017 Newmarket Handicap winner Redkirk Warrior and Oakleigh Plate winner Sheidel are among Lindsay Park’s strong contingent of sprinters.

Randwick 1200m specialist Chautauqua is the winner of the last three runnings of the T J Smith Stakes and is one of three form the Hawkes Racing Team among the 2018 nominations.

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have entered last year’s runner up English along with dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour, Sheikha and Shumookhi while last year season’s Golden Slipper Stakes winner She Will Reign is the only nomination from the Gar Portelli stable.

The first acceptances for the T J Smith Stakes are due on Tuesday March 13 with the final field being declared on Tuesday April 3, 2018.

Nominations for the 2018 T J Smith Stakes (1200m)