By any measure, Takeover Target's win in yesterday's Gr 1 T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick (1200m) was simply amazing. He is an absolute freak and the rising 10 year old belied his age when he blew away his five rivals - all Gr 1 winners which included his arch rival and seven time Gr 1 winner Apache Cat.

Having his first start since winning a Gr 1 and Gr 3 in Perth over Christmas/New Year - the old marvel cruised along in the lead and never looked likely to be run down with Nash Rawiller having his first ride on the champion. Jay Ford has ridden Takeover Target in all bar two of his starts prior to yesterday and has won all of his 19 races on him before Rawiller replaced him yesterday in dramatic and controversial circumstances.

Ford had been wasting to ride Chinchilla Rose at 51 kgs in the Doncaster Hcp and owner-trainer Joe Janiak decided that Ford's shedding the excess kilos for the Doncaster would mean that Takeover Target would carry too much dead weight at 58kgs so he engaged the heavyweight jockey Rawiller for the ride.