Breeding & Racing Magazine

Takeover Target Wins Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes

Former Collingrove shuttler Celtic Swing (Damister-Celtic Ring, by Welsh Pageant) celebrated a Gr1 triumph when multiple Gr1-winning evergreen 9YO gelding & 2006 Global Sprint Challenge champion Takeover Target (Celtic Swing-Shady Stream, by Archregent) blitzed his rivals in the $500,000 weight-for-age Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. Takeover Target (ridden by Nash Rawiller for trainer Joe Janiak) defeated 3YO colt Northern Meteor (Encosta de Lago-Explosive, by Fappiano) & favoured 6YO gelding Apache Cat (Lion Cavern-Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road). Takeover Target (a $1,250 bargain buy at the 2003 Inglis Winter Thoroughbred Sale) took his record to 20 wins (also including the weight-for-age Gr3 A.J.Scahill Stakes over 1400m at Ascot in Perth, Gr2 Winterbottom Stakes over 1200m at Ascot on November 29 & May's Singapore Gr1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m at Kranji, plus 2007's Gr1 Doomben 10,000 over 1350m & Listed Razor Sharp Quality over 1200m, as well as 2006's Gr1 Lightning Stakes over 1000m, Gr1 Newmarket Handicap over 1200m, Japan's Gr1 Sprinters Stakes over 1200m & UK Gr2 King's Stand Stakes over 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot, following 2005's Gr1 Salinger Stakes & Gr3 Summer Stakes over 1200m) & 10 placings (including June's UK Gr1 King's Stand Stakes over 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot, April's Gr1 T.J.Smith Stakes over 1200m & January's Gr2 Villiers Stakes over 1400m, plus 2007's UK Gr1 Golden Jubilee Stakes over 6 furlongs at Royal Ascot & Gr1 BTC Cup over 1200m, as well as 2006's Gr1 Oakleigh Plate over 1100m, UK Gr1 Golden Jubilee Stakes over 6 furlongs & Japan's Gr2 Centaur Stakes over 1200m) from 38 starts for $5,828,050. (Click on the link for full race details from Group Race Results at AAP Racing.)