Chain Of Lightning causes huge upset in TJ Smith Stakes
Chain Of Lightning is now a G1 winner
Chain Of Lightning out toughed Australasia's best sprinters to give trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman a Group 1 victory that many were expecting at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Moody and Coleman saddled up defending champion I Wish I Win in the Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes but it was his underrated stablemate that stole the show in a thrilling edition of the Sydney sprint.
Less than a length covered the first six horses across the line as Chain Of Lightning held off Group 1 winners Bella Nipotina, I Wish I Win, Imperatriz, Sunshine In Paris and Espiona to score in a blanket finish.
CHAIN OF LIGHTNING UPSETS THEM ALL IN THE TJ SMITH! š¡¸ÂÂ
PETER MOODY GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN THE RACE AND KATHERINE COLEMAN WINS HER FIRST GROUP 1! @moodyracingpgm@kscoleman@LaneDamianpic.twitter.com/tXWaZ4OnXI
- 7HorseRacing ðŸÂÂÂŽ (@7horseracing) April 6, 2024
It continued Moody's love affair with the TJ Smith Stakes and provided Coleman with her maiden major victory since joining forces with Moody at the beginning of the season
Moody had started his career in racing as a 15-year-old working for T.J. Smith and has now won the race named in honour of his former mentor on four occasions.
He won it twice with Black Caviar in 2011 and 2013 before capturing the premier Sydney sprint again last year with I Wish I Win.
"That's the fourth time now winning the race named after ‘The Little Master', my first boss TJ Smith, which makes me very proud," Moody said.
"Thanks to Kat Coleman, my training partner, her first Group 1. Well done Katherine, well deserved.
"It wasn't quite the one I thought (would win), I was looking at Wish (I Wish I Win) steaming down the outside."
It was an equally special win for owner-breeder John Ramsey, who was one of Moody's earliest supporters during his training career.
MORE: What the jockeys said after Chain Of Lightning's TJ Smith Stakes 2024 win
"This is a beautiful moment," Moody said.
"Stuey and Trish Ramsey, they've been my foundation clients, we go back 30-odd years, so to win that for him that's unbelievably special."
Chain Of Lightning has gone to a new level in Sydney this preparation and earned her shot at the TJ Smith Stakes following a strong win in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight ago.
The five-year-old had twice finished fourth in Group 1s in the Sangster Stakes and Tatt's Tiara last year but went to a new level to win Sydney's premier autumn sprint.
Damian Lane had Chain Of Lightning poised to strike behind the leaders and was able to save ground closest to the fence.
The daughter of Fighting Sun had to be brave in the run to the line after hitting at the 300m mark.
Chain Of Lightning ($21) was up for the fight as she battled on strongly to edge out the Ciaron Maher-trained Bella Nipotina ($11) by a short neck with I Wish I Win ($4.20) a short half head away in third.
"She was super," Lane said.
"I was able to hold a handy spot from a good draw and just travelled into the race so well.
"Moods said to me before the race, ‘if you're going well on straightening, try and pinch a break up the rise'.
"I did and then I went, ‘I might have gone too early'. (That will teach me for) listening to trainers again, but in the end it came off and she was so tough."
Bella Nipotina's jockey Craig Williams thought the mare was ‘amazing' in defeat while James McDonald thought I Wish I Win's first-up run was ‘massive'.
Moody agreed with McDonald's assessment.
"He ran superb. He was there to win and probably just peaked on the run the last little bit," he said.
Kiwi superstar Imperatriz ($3.50 fav) didn't have the clearest passage but failed to replicate the form she's shown over the past 12 months in Melbourne.
The Te Akau Racing galloper is yet to win in Sydney.
"She got held up momentarily for a few strides but she ran through the line well," jockey Opie Bosson said.
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