Takeover Target's farewell to Sydney racing has been overshadowed by the shock riding engagement of Nash Rawiller but bookmakers believe there will be no fairytale ending anyway with Apache Cat favourite in the TJ Smith.Heavyweight rider Rawiller replaces Jay Ford who has only missed one other race in Takeover Target's stellar career.Trainer Joe Janiak said he booked Rawiller to save the nine-year-old from carrying too much dead weight on a rain-affected track after an interrupted preparation."H

Takeover Target's farewell to Sydney racing has been overshadowed by the shock riding engagement of Nash Rawiller but bookmakers believe there will be no fairytale ending anyway with Apache Cat favourite in the TJ Smith.

Heavyweight rider Rawiller replaces Jay Ford who has only missed one other race in Takeover Target's stellar career.

Trainer Joe Janiak said he booked Rawiller to save the nine-year-old from carrying too much dead weight on a rain-affected track after an interrupted preparation.

"He's got the horse's best interests at heart," Ford said.

"Joe's said that with a rain-affected track and with me being a lightweight rider he wanted to minimise the dead weight on the horse."

Apache Cat was at $2.60 with TAB Sportsbet on Thursday to repeat his 2008 win in the TJ Smith (1200m) at Randwick with Takeover Target at $3.30 and Galaxy winner Nicconi at $4.40.

Corporate bookmaker Centrebet was bracing for another Nicconi onslaught after being caught when the three-year-old was backed in from $10 to $6 to win the Galaxy.

Media director Neil Evans said almost $10,000 had been placed on Nicconi by Thursday morning and there was little interest in the others apart from a smattering for Apache Cat,

He said one bet of $5,000 at $4.80 came from the same source as last week and after another $3,000 bet Nicconi was at $4.60.

Trained by David Hayes, three-year-old Nicconi carried 51 kilograms in the Galaxy (1100m) but has 56.5 under the weight-for-age conditions of the TJ Smith.

The TJ Smith is also the likely finale for three-year-old Northern Meteor whose short but brilliant career has prompted owner Eduardo Cojuangco to send him to stud this spring.

Northern Meteor will be having just his ninth race start in the TJ Smith. His three wins include the Group One Coolmore Stakes at Flemington last spring.

Ford is expected to be back aboard Takeover Target in the The Goodwood in Adelaide on May 2 for which he is the $2.70 favourite.

After the Goodwood, Takeover Target will defend his title in Singapore's KrisFlyer Sprint before heading back to the Royal Ascot meeting in June.

"I think this will be the end of his international travels," Janiak said.

"But I said that last year and he keeps making a liar out of me.

"While he is enjoying his racing he will keep going but it has to come to an end some time."