Racing
Joliestar wins Group 1 Asahi Super Dry TJ Smith Stakes: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes after Joliestar claims the Group 1 Asahi Super Dry TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Joliestar (C Waller/J McDonald) - $3.90F2nd: Giga Kick (C Douglas/Z Purton) - $4.60
3rd: Skybird (M Freedman/J Allen) - $41
Winning Time: 1:09.58 Last 600m: 34.26
Margins: ½L x Neck
Joliestar does it again!
She wins the G1 T J Smith Stakes before she heads off to take on the world! And that's a G1 double to @cwallerracing - @mcacajamez pic.twitter.com/0I5ZfESZQb
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 4, 2026
Winning Trainer: Chris Waller
On the mare: "That is the difference between her this year compared to last year."
"Last year she could pull out a belter but wide draws and luck in running could get her beaten, too, but she is a more complete racehorse now.
"I would go to Royal Ascot and bring her back for The Everest – she has just started to mature as a racehorse."
"I think we will probably go for the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. We had the trip planned well before today but we wanted to see her run well in the TJ to cement her place for England."
"As a three-year-old she won the Guineas and has been a model of consistency since.''
On heading to Royal Ascot: "She'll have a little bit of down time now and then work our way back from Royal Ascot. We'll do our usual jump-outs and trials and get her on the plane. She goes so well fresh and no doubt will represent Australia very well on the grand stage."
Winning Jockey: James McDonald
On the win: "She has had her doubters before, but they have no leg to stand on now, she is a Grand Final winner."
On the run: "I just let her gallop, I learnt not to organise her too much, even though I would have preferred to be on the outside, I wasn't too deterrent by the inside because I had room, she was organised and as it happens so often, us jockeys overplay the bias a little bit. When I walked the track I didn't think it was that bad, where I was."
On Royal Ascot: "It's very exciting and no doubt she'll be a force to be reckoned with."
Beaten Jockeys:
Ethan Brown (Jimmysstar): "He is back on track. Will be peaking third up."
Tyler Schiller (Briasa): "He tried hard. Got into an OK spot early. Just doesn't seem to love the soft ground as much as he does good. Doesn't let down late."
Zac Purton (Giga Kick): "Great run. Really good effort. I thought he had it at the 150m but he sort of peaked on his run."
Josh Parr (Overpass): "What a warrior. He hated that ground but found a way to perform for us. An amazing horse and he's not done yet."
Rachel King (Mazu): "Super run again. Up against the best and keeps running really well."
Mark Zahra (Tentyris): "He began well but never really travelled for me. Had a chance to get off the fence but I was up at him most of the way just to get on the bridle. Travelled just before the bend when they sprinted. Didn't get through it but he didn't help me much through the run."
Michael Dee (Magic Time): "She stuck on well. Tracking along nicely for the 1400m."
John Allen (Skybird): "She went super. Thought we had a nice enough run. Probably peaked on the run with 50m to go."
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