The Championships Day 1: Briasa shows shades of Chautauqua in TJ Smith Stakes triumph at Randwick

Team Hawkes won the TJ Smith Stakes for the fourth time with another brilliant grey as Briasa stamped himself as racing’s new sprint star.

Briasa (right) runs down Overpass to take out the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes on Day 1 of The Championships at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Exciting grey Briasa stamped himself as Australia’s latest sprinting superstar and virtually assured a $20m TAB Everest berth this year with his maiden Group 1 triumph at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Briasa launched from just off the speed and overpowered the brave Overpass to score a sensational win in the $2.5m TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

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It was sweet vindication for trainers Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, who have always been adamant the gelding was destined for big things.

“I’ve just loved him from day one,” an emotional Michael Hawkes said.

“I’m just lost for words.

“This is the moment that we dream of, with a horse like this. We’ve had our ups and downs, we’re not big anymore but we’ve got quality.”

Jockey Tyler Schiller was able to make the most of a favourable draw to have Briasa perfectly poised in behind the leaders.

He peeled off into clear air at the top of the straight but was set a task to gun down first-up flyer Overpass ($5).

Briasa is brilliant in the G1 T J Smith Stakes! He makes it 7 wins from just 9 starts as he races away for @HawkesRacing and @G1TySchil! 💨@aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/ee1N0fCLm4

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025

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Briasa ($6.50) got level at the 50m mark and edged clear late to prevail by a head with Headwall ($31) rocketing home from the back to finish 1¼ lengths away in third.

“It makes a difference when you draw a barrier,” Schiller said.

“He’s probably one missing first-up but second-up it’s great to get a barrier, Randwick is more forgiving, and he’s just a very good horse.

“The Hawkes team have maintained him perfectly, they know how to win this race, especially with a grey, I still don’t know his ceiling but he’s got oodles of talent.”

It was the Hawkes fourth victory together in the TJ Smith Stakes after brilliant grey Chautauqua won three straight between 2015 and 2017.

“He has got something in common, he’s grey,” Hawkes said.

“But as I said to someone, if he is an eighth as good or a quarter as good, we will be happy because they are star horses and this bloke is a young star on the rise.

“He is phenomenal.”

Briasa arrived in the Hawkes yard via a connection between one of the stable’s staff and the owners, the Johnson family.

The Hawkes have had him pegged as a top-level sprinter even before he had his first race start but have patiently brought the talented gelding through his grades over the past 12 months.

Briasa highlighted his significant potential by winning the Group 2 The Hunter last spring and was unlucky not to finish closer first-up this preparation when fourth in The Galaxy before delivering on his talent in the TJ.

Tyler Schiller brings Briasa back to scale after winning the TJ Smith Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

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“I’ve got to give my foreman Steve Thompson, his wife Tara, if it wasn’t for Tara I wouldn’t have (owners) the Johnson family. And I’ll tell you what, he’s a star. An absolute star,” Hawkes said.

“Anthony and Ian Johnson came to the stables. I spoke to Mr Johnson this morning and wished him well.

“But I tell you what, he came down to the stables and he said to me, ‘is this the horse that I’ve dreamt of?’ He hadn’t even had a race start, I said ‘Sir, this will be the horse of your life’. That’s just how much he showed from day one.”

A slot in this year’s $20m TAB Everest now seems a formality with emerging colt Private Harry the only runner locked in for the sprint feature.

Briasa now shares the second line of betting at $6 for the feature event.

“We have been thinking that (Everest) all the way along,” Michael Hawkes said.

“You have to have dreams and aspirations.”

“We are not a stable that gets carried away with our horses but what this horse, does (is special).

“I can’t explain it.”

Overpass’s jockey Josh Parr thought he was “gallant in defeat” while Zac Lloyd thought Headwall “went enormous”.

Joliestar, the $3.30 favourite, ended up in a midfield position but never looked likely of winning despite making up some ground closest to the fence.

Originally published as The Championships Day 1: Briasa shows shades of Chautauqua in TJ Smith Stakes triumph at Randwick