The Sydney racing carnival comes to an end with the Gr1 All Aged Stakes, where leading sprinters such as Santa Ana Lane and Pierata try to stretch their speed over 1400 metres.
Juvenile King’s Legacy, who struck victory in the TJ Stakes last weekend, runs in the Gr1 Champagne Stakes on the same programme, with the prospect of becoming champion two-year old a possibility if victorious.
PIERATA (Pierro x November Flight) wins the 2019 G1 All Aged Stakes. Ridden by Tommy Berry. Photo by Bronwen Healy. The Image is Everything – Bronwen Healy Photography.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, a raft of races restricted to Victorian-breds is headed by The Showdown, worth some A$850,000.
The Gr1 All Aged Stakes has found a home at the end of the Sydney autumn carnival, gaining prominence as a high-rating finale for the sprinter-milers.
Because of its placement, the weight-for-age race over 1400m often attracts contrasting formlines.
Sprinters who contested the TJ Smith Stakes over 1200m during The Championships will be asked to extend their speed over another furlong.
At the same time it’s not uncommon for horses who ran in the Doncaster Mile on the same day to drop back in distance.
It makes for an intriguing contest in a race that has been won by some all-time greats.
None have been better than Sunline (Desert Sun), the mighty New Zealand-trained mare who captured the 2000 and 2002 editions.
The TJ Smith has been the best guide with eight winners since the All Aged was reduced in distance in 2004.
Taking that strike-rate into consideration, three of this year’s TJ Smith runners are vying for favouritism.
The trio includes last year’s winner Pierata (Pierro) who is set to farewell racing to join the Aquis Farm roster.
In spite of a solitary Gr1 win, Pierata has been among the leading sprinters of his generation, banking A$5.7 million along the way.
The five-year-old ran with his usual honesty when just behind the placegetters in the TJ Smith and he profiles in much the same way as he did before winning the 2019 All Aged.
TJ Smith runner-up Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega) will race at seven furlongs for the first time in more than two years.
But he is a Gr1 winner at the distance, having started a climb to the top of the sprinting ranks with his victory in the 2017 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
Godolphin sprinter Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) also steps up in trip for the first time this autumn.
The three-year-old’s only start at 1400m resulted in a Gr1 win against his own age at the start of last year’s Sydney spring carnival.
