New South Wales-based trainers Matthew Smith and Matthew Dale have shown interest in bringing their last start Group 1 placegetters to Perth for next month’s Kia-Quokka (1200m).
The Dale-trained Front Page finished second to Private Harry in last Saturday’s Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill, while Smith had Headwall finish second to Joliestar in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on March 8.
Dale said Front Page’s performance on the weekend had put the Quokka on the radar.
“There was a little bit of interest last year and we just decided to keep him over this way,” Dale told TABradio.
“As of today, there’s been a couple of people start to talk about it again.
“We will see how he comes through the next few days.
“We will consider all options and then make a call on whether we would look further into it.”
Front Page won the 2022 and 2023 Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick, before falling just short of a third consecutive win in the race last year.
Headwall scored the biggest win of his career in last year’s Group 3 Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange and performed admirably in the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket in his only two runs since.
Smith said he would entertain bringing Headwall to Perth, should he perform well in Saturday week’s Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m).
“He will trial on Friday at Randwick and then he will head to the T J,” Smith told TABradio.
“We’d be keen to get over there.
“We’ve had a few phone calls.
“We haven’t locked anything in yet but we’d definitely be keen to bring him.”
Overpass is the $2.75 TABtouch favourite for the Quokka.
Tim Walker
WATCH - Front Page's Galaxy performance on Saturday.