On a day when All Silent raised the bar for Australian sprinters at Flemington, a huge crowd turned out at Randwick to farewell a true champion in Takeover Target.

Caps, buttons and doughnuts in his red, white and black colours were everywhere as trainer Joe Janiak greeted the fans and paraded the 10-year-old at the raceday stalls.

Shortly after the Patinack Classic had been run and won in devastating style by All Silent, Takeover Target made his way to the Randwick enclosure, walking down in front of a packed public stand.

Such was his charisma, almost 12,000 people came to Randwick, double what the Australian Jockey Club had counted on.

Famously bought by Janiak as an unraced horse for just $1,375 because of some injury issues, Takeover Target amassed more than $6 million from Group One wins in Australia and overseas.

His career ended when he injured himself in England earlier this year, requiring surgery and a long rehabilitation before being transported home.

Jay Ford rode Takeover Target in all but two of his 41 starts and was legged aboard on Saturday for one last time at Randwick.

Takeover Target trotted up to the 200m mark and stopped to have a good look before coming back down the straight in front of his fans.

"He's always been the sort of horse who likes the spotlight," Ford said.

"At the top of the straight he stopped and had a good look around.

"He knew where he was.

"It's great to see him happy and well and he felt real good."

Janiak said the gelding was in fine condition ahead of a trip across the country to give his Perth fans the chance to say goodbye.

"A lot of people want to see him and he will lead the field out in the Winterbottom next week," he said.

"He won two races over there last summer so it will be good to go back.

"A lot of clubs have expressed interest in seeing him and he has been asked to lead the field out for the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington next autumn.

"It's been a fantastic journey, he's given a lot of people a lot of pleasure.

"Physically he's fine and could probably race again but we won't be doing that."

Courtesy of Takeover Target, Janiak was able to move from Queanbeyan to new stables at Coffs Harbour where Takeover Target will reside.

"He will stay in the stables in light work to keep him fit," Janiak said.

"He would probably do damage to himself in the paddock because he is such an active horse so we will take him to the beach up at Coffs.

"He enjoys it there."

Takeover Target won his first two starts at Queanbeyan and Wagga before making his first Sydney appearance at Randwick in May 2004.

He remained unbeaten that year, claiming the Group One Salinger Stakes at Flemington in October.

He didn't win another race until December 2005 when he took two legs of the Summer Series in Brisbane.

That prepared him for further Group One glory the following autumn when he won the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

Later that year he won in England and Japan to stamp himself as an international star.

Perhaps one of his best wins came as a nine-year-old earlier this year when he thrilled the crowd with a dominant performance in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick.

In all, Takeover Target won 21 of his 41 starts, testament to Janiak's patience and skill as the trainer of a horse who is also his best mate.