Matthew SmithĀ has been pleased the preparation of emerging sprinter Headwall, who lines up as a key chance in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Placed in both the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes this time in, Smith needed to see the once keen-going Headwall settle in well, which he believes the five-year-old has done.
“He hadĀ a bit of a breeze up this morning on the grass and looked great,” Smith told TABradio.
“HisĀ condition’s good.Ā He hasn’tĀ lost any weight, which is important. He just seemed nice and bright. HeĀ was sharp and he was looking to do something, so that’sĀ always good too.”
“HeĀ looks as good as he did in Sydney. I’m really happy.”
Headwall has drawn barrier eight of 13 for his first look at Ascot, just the second time he’ll travel around a bend anti-clockwise, having hit the line well for fourth in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) first up this campaign.
“IĀ had a good look at the track this morning. It’s got a good camber on it around the turn, which does help those horses back in the field. It’s not a particularly long straight, but he does have a good turn of foot,” Smith said.
Headwall was only 1.3 lengths off defending champion OverpassĀ in the T J Smith Stakes, a run that gives Smith confidence, not just in his ability, but in his tractability.
“ItĀ was a really good TJ this year. I don’t know, it was eight or nineĀ Group One winnersĀ in there. I was surprised to see him on the bitĀ at theĀ 200Ā (metres).Ā I thought that was unusualĀ in a TJ to be stillĀ travelling.”
“HeĀ was a very hard horse to get to settle, and that’s why we took so long to get him to 12Ā (hundred metres). WeĀ did try him in Queensland over 12, but he didn’t relax and he didn’t run it out, so we went back to 1,000 with him.”
“IfĀ he can reproduce his TĀ JĀ run, he’s going to be fighting the finish. Now, he’s still got to travel here and he’s still got to do it, but we’re not seeing any signs that he won’t.
From a middle barrier, Smith is hoping Headwall, to be ridden by Zac Lloyd, can land midfield and not give a horse like Overpass too big a head start.
“Takes someĀ thinking out of it, you can land there, that’d be good instead of being too wide.”
Overpass is unbeaten in two editions of the Quokka and has drawn barrier 10. He remains a $2.40 favourite from Headwall at $6.00. Western EmpireĀ drew barrier six and is an $8 chance while Front PageĀ (barrier 11) is the only other horse in single figures at $8.50.
