Latest news with #MoretonCup
The Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Matt Dale will weigh up Stradbroke Handicap tilt with Front Page after Moreton Cup win
It would be uncharted territory but trainer Matt Dale indicated 'the discussion will be had' about giving evergreen sprint warrior Front Page a crack at next Saturday's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. Rising nine-year-old Front Page has never won over 1400m – and indeed only raced over that trip once before – but on Saturday at Eagle Farm won the Group 2 Moreton Cup over 1200m which gives him a golden ticket into the Stradbroke (1400m). Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! Connections would need to pay a hefty late-entry fee and they and Goulburn trainer Dale must decide whether it is worthwhile given Front Page is primarily known for his deeds over nippier sprint trips. But after scoring the Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm, Dale certainly wasn't ruling out a Stradbroke tilt. 'The (Stradbroke) discussion will be had,' Dale said. 'We will certainly give some thought to it. 'A decision will be made on Tuesday, he will either be racing in the Stradbroke or going out for a month in the paddock here in Queensland. 'It's a good problem to have. 'He is a tough old horse who is rock solid fit and he ran right through the line today. 'We will enjoy this win and then dissect everything.' Adding to the complexity of Dale's decision is that it looks, at least on paper, to be shaping up to be one of the weakest Stradbrokes in recent times. Progressive Lindsay Park sprinter War Machine tops the Stradbroke betting market but there are few in the likely Stradbroke field who are standing out on stalks seven days out from the great race. Even if he doesn't contest the Stradbroke, Front Page won more fans on Saturday with his first win since scoring the $2m The Kosciuszko in 2023, his second triumph in that rich race after also scoring it the previous year. Front Page ($4.40) settled down to fight the Moreton Cup out with Tony Gollan's galloper Hidden Wealth and was stronger in the final stages. 'He's just an absolute beauty,' Dale declared. 'We came up here today rapt with how the horse was. 'The track has dried out all week but the track is still a bit choppy, and at the top of the straight I thought we were in a little bit of trouble. 'But he was prepared to get down and dirty and tough it out. 'I didn't think he looked as comfortable as he does on a good surface, but Timmy (jockey Tim Clark) knows him well and he did a great job sitting off Hidden Wealth.' ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Gollan faces nervous Stradbroke wait with Transatlantic - Daniel Pace Brisbane's premier trainer Tony Gollan has already tasted Group 1 glory this winter carnival with local star Antino, now he could get an unexpected chance to add to his haul. Gollan is sweating on a ratings bump for Transatlantic and the attrition rate in the upcoming Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) to qualify for Queensland's premier race at Eagle Farm next Saturday. The potential bonus to Gollan's epic Doomben Cup (2000m) victory with Antino two weeks ago came after the four-year-old gelding Transatlantic won a nailbiter in the Spear Chief Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Transatlantic had a 99 rating and was No.35 in the Stradbroke ballot order heading into the Spear Chief (1500m). 'He'll definitely be running (in the Stradbroke) if he gets in it,' Gollan said about the seven-day backup. 'It's now up to the handicapper to determine what they want to do with his rating. 'I've always had the Stradbroke in the back of my mind, this was a low percentage play to try to get him into the race. But I wanted to see him back winning. 'We'll see how it plays out with the attrition rate, but if everything marries up we'll be back here next week (for the Stradbroke). 'I've always thought he was a Stradbroke horse for some time.' Transatlantic improved his chances of making the Stradbroke field by winning the Spear Chief Handicap at Eagle Farm. Picture: Trackside Photography Jockey Ryan Maloney put Transatlantic into the ideal spot out wide to surge home just ahead of Desert Lightning ($10), with Fukubana ($5) in third on a Soft 5 track. 'The other day, I thought he was wanting to get out to this sort of trip, and he travelled like the winner a long way from home,' Gollan said. 'Ryan put him into a good position, and we made a subtle gear change with the winkers going on, which had him focused a touch better. 'He's a really nice horse, you saw how well he paraded today. He looks fantastic and he's still on the way up. 'That will have brought him on nicely. If we don't get into the Stradbroke then you might see him in the Wayne Wilson Mile instead.' In the earlier Queensland Day Stakes, $23 roughie Cosmic Fire won the Listed 1200m race ahead of Gerringong ($4) and topweight Coleman ($9) for trainer Billy Healey. 'He's just so honest and he continues to put up a fight every time we send him around,' Healey said 'He's had not much luck a few times but he's a horse who really put me on the map the last 12 months so I owe a lot to him.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Matt Dale will weigh up Stradbroke Handicap tilt with Front Page after Moreton Cup win
It would be uncharted territory but trainer Matt Dale indicated 'the discussion will be had' about giving evergreen sprint warrior Front Page a crack at next Saturday's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. Rising nine-year-old Front Page has never won over 1400m – and indeed only raced over that trip once before – but on Saturday at Eagle Farm won the Group 2 Moreton Cup over 1200m which gives him a golden ticket into the Stradbroke (1400m). Connections would need to pay a hefty late-entry fee and they and Goulburn trainer Dale must decide whether it is worthwhile given Front Page is primarily known for his deeds over nippier sprint trips. But after scoring the Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm, Dale certainly wasn't ruling out a Stradbroke tilt. 'The (Stradbroke) discussion will be had,' Dale said. 'We will certainly give some thought to it. 'A decision will be made on Tuesday, he will either be racing in the Stradbroke or going out for a month in the paddock here in Queensland. 'It's a good problem to have. 'He is a tough old horse who is rock solid fit and he ran right through the line today. 'We will enjoy this win and then dissect everything.' Front Page makes himself newsworthy with a big win in the G2 Moreton Cup! ðŸ'° ðŸ�† @clarkyhk @BrisRacingClub â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 Adding to the complexity of Dale's decision is that it looks, at least on paper, to be shaping up to be one of the weakest Stradbrokes in recent times. Progressive Lindsay Park sprinter War Machine tops the Stradbroke betting market but there are few in the likely Stradbroke field who are standing out on stalks seven days out from the great race. Even if he doesn't contest the Stradbroke, Front Page won more fans on Saturday with his first win since scoring the $2m The Kosciuszko in 2023, his second triumph in that rich race after also scoring it the previous year. Front Page ($4.40) settled down to fight the Moreton Cup out with Tony Gollan's galloper Hidden Wealth and was stronger in the final stages. 'He's just an absolute beauty,' Dale declared. 'We came up here today rapt with how the horse was. 'The track has dried out all week but the track is still a bit choppy, and at the top of the straight I thought we were in a little bit of trouble. 'But he was prepared to get down and dirty and tough it out. 'I didn't think he looked as comfortable as he does on a good surface, but Timmy (jockey Tim Clark) knows him well and he did a great job sitting off Hidden Wealth.'
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Veteran gelding Front Page is likely to be fighting to the finish in Saturday's Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm
If Front Page is judged on his genetics, then the veteran gelding is likely to be fighting to the finish in Saturday's Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm. The Matt Dale -trained sprinter is the $3.50 favourite in the race that offers the winner a golden ticket into the upcoming $3m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). But Front Page is lucky to be even in this world after his late mother Stacey Lee suffered horrific leg injuries in the paddock nine years ago. 'She was in foal and just rolled too close to the fence, got her legs stuck in the fence and sort of shredded both her back legs,' the eight-year-old's part-owner Paul Duryea recalled. 'It exposed all the tendons and everything. We got her to Shepparton and they said to put her down, we couldn't save her. 'She was in-foal with Front Page. We bought her as a weanling so we had her all our life and raised her and she was super tough. 'We found a lady, Suzanne Royal at Asscher Park near Violet Town, who was a vet nurse and she took her on and did a remarkable job in fixing her. 'She not only came good with barely any scarring but she kept her foal as well. 'Every one of her progeny has won. I strapped her nearly every start of her life and she was a very good racemare. 'She could run times that Front Page can't run. She hurt her knee at Caulfield one day early in her career and she was never really the same, even though she won five races.' • Queensland Oaks tips, runner-by-runner form analysis Stacey Lee also survived floodwaters at broodmare farm Noorilim Park near Nagambie, Victoria in November, 2022 so her toughness and tenacity are undeniable. 'They put her foal (Corningstone) in a boat and Stacey Lee actually swam a kilometre by the boat to get out of the floods so she's had a few dramas,' Duryea said. 'Not only did she save herself but she saved her foal too. Unfortunately about six months later Stacey Lee got crook and we couldn't save her, she had to be put down. 'What Stacey Lee has done for us is unbelievable.' In an amusing sidenote to what could have been a tragic story, the rescued foal was named after the movie character Veronica Corningstone, portrayed by Christina Applegate in the blockbuster hit comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Fast-forward to Saturday and Front Page, who has won $3.4m in prizemoney, has a golden opportunity to continue her mum's legacy in the $300,000 Moreton Cup. Front Page and @G1TySchil go back-to-back in the #TheKosciuszko! 🙌 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 14, 2023 He is also accepted for the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday but Duryea said he would instead likely race in Brisbane where Tim Clark will ride. Asked about potentially running in the Stradbroke, Duryea said: 'If he was to win (the Moreton Cup) then we would consider it but it depends on how he pulls up. 'But, touch wood, he hasn't had any dramas or niggles for 12 months or more now. 'But being an automatic entry for the winner, we would consider the Straddie and hopefully we get that option.' Goulburn's Dale took over the training of Front Page from Duryea's dad Geoff in mid-2023. The winner of seven races from 28 starts, Front Page has twice placed in Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m), including a runner-up behind Private Harry on March 22 at Rosehill Gardens. He finished a disappointing 11th in the $5m The Quokka (1200m) in Perth in late April but Dale said the gelding didn't appreciate running 'the Melbourne way'.
