Matthew Smith focused on Everest slot with improving sprinter Headwall
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Trainer Matthew Smith is prepared to bypass the feature Brisbane sprints to give Headwall every chance to qualify for the $20m The TAB Everest later this year.
Headwall has emerged as a genuine Everest contender despite a winless, albeit luckless, autumn campaign.
He has taken on the best sprinters in training in four successive starts and could easily have won at least two Group 1 races.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Headwall was hopelessly held up in the straight before finishing fourth to Jimmysstar in the Oakleigh Plate then he ran a close second to Joliestar in the Newmarket Handicap.
Smith's underrated sprinter again had an interrupted run before his third to Briasa in the TJ Smith Stakes then he was beaten narrowly by Jokers Grin in The Quokka last Saturday.
Headwall is on the way back from Perth via a stopover in Melbourne on Thursday but Smith said he wants to check on the five-year-old's condition when he is back at the trainer's Warwick Farm stables before confirming plans for the gelding.
'I reckon Headwall will have a break now,'' Smith said.
'He's done a bit of travelling with a couple of trips away and there is Brisbane to consider.
'But I think when all said and done he should go for a break and then we can target The Everest in the spring.''
Improving sprinter Headwall had a luckless autumn campaign. Picture:Despite Headwall's consistent big-race form this autumn, Smith hasn't fielded any approaches from slot-holders and TAB has the sprinter at $34 in early Everest betting behind Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising at $2.
Some of Headwall's adversaries this autumn, Briasa ($8), Jimmysstar ($11) and Joliestar ($11) are among the early favourites for The Everest.
• Smith's 'unbelievable' win on game-changing day for NSW racing
'We haven't had any contact from slot-holders yet but the plan is to get him to The Everest,'' Smith said.
'So, by giving Headwall a break now, we can have him ready to go early in the spring.
'If he can win one of those early lead-up races to The Everest like the Concorde Stakes then surely he would get a start.''
Unbeaten Private Harry ($6) remains the only confirmed starter for The Everest after racing and breeding giant Yulong – which owns a slot in the world's richest turf race – secured a half-share in the sprinter after his win in the Group 1 The Galaxy during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Originally published as Matthew Smith focused on Everest slot with improving sprinter Headwall
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
2 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Supercars results: Broc Feeney wins the Perth Super 440 to extend his championship lead
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia's Broc Feeney turned the tables on his young New Zealand title rival Matt Payne to win Sunday's feature race at the Perth Super 440 and extend his lead in the 2025 Supercars championship. Four weeks after Payne held off Feeney in a drag finish to the chequered flag to win at Symmons Plains in Tasmania, the pair traded places after an incredible finish to the 200km main race at Wanneroo Raceway. This time, the 22-year-old Feeney got his Chevrolet Camaro across the line first by half a second to remain on track to become the second youngest driver to win the Supercars title. There's still a long way to go, of course, and with a new format in place this season, no-one is taking anything for granted but so far, Feeney has established himself as the one to beat. 'I just executed the start and just sort of managed the race in those first two stints,' Feeney told Fox Sports. Broc Feeney has turned the tables on his Supercars rivals to win the Perth Super 440. Picture: Getty 'It was probably going to be pretty smooth sailing home (but) with the pit stops and the safety car and Matt was super quick at the end there. 'I was a bit worried in the sprint shoot out at the end. He got one off on me last one so it's good to get one back on him this time.' Following on from his victory in Saturday's second 120km sprint, Feeney has already won five races this season to stretch his lead in the championship standings to 72 points over his Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Will Brown. Payne, a 22-year-old rising Kiwi star, is currently in third spot, 123 behind Feeney. Starting from pole position, Feeney made a brilliant launch when the lights went out to take immediate control of the 16th race of the season. The only times he relinquished the lead in the 83-lap event was when he made his two mandatory pit stops but the introduction of a safety car, when Cooper Murray came to a halt because of a mechanical problem, set the stage for a nail biting 14-lap sprint to the end. Will Brown (L) chats with race winner Broc Feeney. Picture: Getty The lead that Feeney had built up was instantly wiped away as the field came together for the hectic dash to the finish, but he held his nerve to seal the win and celebrate in style. 'I didn't have much left in the end. My rears were pretty cooked,' Feeney said. 'I finally did a good burnout, so hopefully it was all right for the crowd. I was practising with the (NRL) Bulldogs earlier this week, doing burnouts on grass, so it was good to finally let one rip.' Payne got a lucky break when the race was yellow flagged because it enabled him to make a cheap pit stop and jump to second spot. 'I'd never given up, absolutely not. When I saw the car that was stopped down at turn six, I thought, oh my God, we've actually got a real chance. And then I came out and I was behind Broc and I thought no way we're in second,' Payne said. Feeney extended his championship lead with the win. Picture: Getty 'I had already accepted 11th or 12th place was going to be where we were going to finish so it's tricky, very tricky but very, very lucky. 'I just wanted to keep pounding Broc there at the end. I was trying everything I could. but we just didn't quite have the car underneath us. 'We stayed close, but we fought right to the end, but I'm just really happy to be standing on the podium.' A tearful James Courtney also benefited from the safety car to finish third and secure his first podium in two years. 'I'm not going to lie, I did cry on the in-lap,' Courtney said. 'It's been a tough 18 months for these guys putting in so much work and to be able to finally repay them with the results has been amazing.' Originally published as Broc Feeney turns the table on rivals to win the Perth Super 440 to extend his championship lead
Mercury
2 hours ago
- Mercury
Catani Gardens primed for King's Birthday at Mornington
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Lightly-raced import Catani Gardens is well-positioned to build on his Australian profile at Mornington on King's Birthday Monday. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained five-year-old, $5.50 favourite in the 2000m Benchmark 74 Handicap, led all the way to win at Ballarat last start. The Irish-bred Catani Gardens, owned by Lloyd Williams and James Packer, won a Mornington maiden by three lengths last year in his first Australian start. The Camelot gelding then failed at The Valley when fading out of contention before being spelled. Sam Freedman said Catani Gardens 'should be really competitive' on Monday with apprentice jockey Tom Prebble again in the saddle. 'He was good last time (Ballarat) and 2000m seems like his wheelhouse at the moment,' Freedman said. 'He's been working well and it looks like a suitable race. 'He's a strong worker and seems to like to get on the speed … he should be really competitive.' Freedman is happy for Catani Gardens to dictate future race plans based on performance and merit. 'We're just taking him through his grades and seeing where he gets to,' Freedman said. 'We'll raise the bar and hopefully he continues to step up.' Freedman has six runners at Mornington including Everain and Winter Hail in a 1200m maiden. Blue Hawaiian, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, is a $2.70 favourite for the race from Freedman pair Everain ($3.10) and Winter Hail ($4.20). Other Freedman runners are Transactions (Race 4), Second Fix and Kira (Race 6). Originally published as Catani Gardens primed for King's Birthday success at Mornington
Herald Sun
3 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Supercars results: Broc Feeney wins the Perth Super 440 to extend his championship lead
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia's Broc Feeney turned the tables on his young New Zealand title rival Matt Payne to win Sunday's feature race at the Perth Super 440 and extend his lead in the 2025 Supercars championship. Four weeks after Payne held off Feeney in a drag finish to the chequered flag to win at Symmons Plains in Tasmania, the pair traded places after an incredible finish to the 200km main race at Wanneroo Raceway. This time, the 22-year-old Feeney got his Chevrolet Camaro across the line first by half a second to remain on track to become the second youngest driver to win the Supercars title. There's still a long way to go, of course, and with a new format in place this season, no-one is taking anything for granted but so far, Feeney has established himself as the one to beat. 'I just executed the start and just sort of managed the race in those first two stints,' Feeney told Fox Sports. Broc Feeney has turned the tables on his Supercars rivals to win the Perth Super 440. Picture: Getty 'It was probably going to be pretty smooth sailing home (but) with the pit stops and the safety car and Matt was super quick at the end there. 'I was a bit worried in the sprint shoot out at the end. He got one off on me last one so it's good to get one back on him this time.' Following on from his victory in Saturday's second 120km sprint, Feeney has already won five races this season to stretch his lead in the championship standings to 72 points over his Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Will Brown. Payne, a 22-year-old rising Kiwi star, is currently in third spot, 123 behind Feeney. Starting from pole position, Feeney made a brilliant launch when the lights went out to take immediate control of the 16th race of the season. The only times he relinquished the lead in the 83-lap event was when he made his two mandatory pit stops but the introduction of a safety car, when Cooper Murray came to a halt because of a mechanical problem, set the stage for a nail biting 14-lap sprint to the end. Will Brown (L) chats with race winner Broc Feeney. Picture: Getty The lead that Feeney had built up was instantly wiped away as the field came together for the hectic dash to the finish, but he held his nerve to seal the win and celebrate in style. 'I didn't have much left in the end. My rears were pretty cooked,' Feeney said. 'I finally did a good burnout, so hopefully it was all right for the crowd. I was practising with the (NRL) Bulldogs earlier this week, doing burnouts on grass, so it was good to finally let one rip.' Payne got a lucky break when the race was yellow flagged because it enabled him to make a cheap pit stop and jump to second spot. 'I'd never given up, absolutely not. When I saw the car that was stopped down at turn six, I thought, oh my God, we've actually got a real chance. And then I came out and I was behind Broc and I thought no way we're in second,' Payne said. Feeney extended his championship lead with the win. Picture: Getty 'I had already accepted 11th or 12th place was going to be where we were going to finish so it's tricky, very tricky but very, very lucky. 'I just wanted to keep pounding Broc there at the end. I was trying everything I could. but we just didn't quite have the car underneath us. 'We stayed close, but we fought right to the end, but I'm just really happy to be standing on the podium.' A tearful James Courtney also benefited from the safety car to finish third and secure his first podium in two years. 'I'm not going to lie, I did cry on the in-lap,' Courtney said. 'It's been a tough 18 months for these guys putting in so much work and to be able to finally repay them with the results has been amazing.' Originally published as Broc Feeney turns the table on rivals to win the Perth Super 440 to extend his championship lead
