Leading country trainer Matt Dale lands unexpected bonus of training Front Page

Connections decided to send their star sprinter to the Goulburn based trainer after Geoff Duryea announced his shock retirement from racing last week.

Duryea remains in the ownership alongside his two sons Marc and Paul and daughter Beth as well as long-time stable supporters Jake Edmunds and Andrew Cronin.

Dale was thrilled to welcome Front Page into his stable who is set to arrive in the coming weeks to be prepared for a first-up tilt at the $2-million Kosciuszko.

Front Page won the feature sprint last year to stamp himself as the best credentialled sprinter in country NSW.

"It's a privilege to be able to train a horse the calibre of Front Page," Dale said.

"Geoff has done such a great job with the horse and I have watched all his achievements from afar over the last few years.

"I guess it's fairly rare that you get a horse from another trainer that is arguably regarded as the best sprinter in country NSW.

"A number of his performances come to mind.

"Obviously his Kosciuszko win last year was breathtaking.

"But his win before that in the Wagga Town Plate was one of the most unbelievable performances I've seen.

"To demolish a field of that quality by four-lengths, you just have to shake your head in disbelief.

"I actually went up to Geoff after the win and said 'well done, what a great training performance.'

"I think it's fair to say that Geoff had the horse in such great order that the horse would have won anywhere that day, even a Group 1 race at Flemington.

"So to win a Town Plate, a Kosciuszko and in Listed company down the Flemington straight, there is no doubt he is among the best sprinters in country NSW."

Dale emerged as one of the frontrunners to take over the training duties of Front Page with connections keen to defend their Kosciuszko crown.

Only country NSW trainers are eligible to target the feature sprint which ruled out the galloper heading to a city based trainer.

Front Page is once again one of the leading fancies for the $2-million feature and is a $6-chance in pre-post markets.

Dale said he was pleasantly surprised to be contacted by connections regarding the training of Front Page.

"It's a bit of a surprise I guess, even to be thought of as the new trainer, let alone get the horse," he said.

"But still being able to target the Kosciuszko, being a country trainer worked in my favour.

"I have been fortunate enough to win stakes races in four different states including Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane over the years.

"So the stable has got a bit of a proven record that it can travel with its horses and still perform.

"We can target the Kosciuszko but also take the horse interstate if necessary to find a suitable race."

Despite boasting one of the best strike rates in country NSW, Dale said he would still seek advice from Duryea on the best way to prepare Front Page.

"When you get a well-performed horse like Front Page and Geoff knows the horse inside out, I'll be certainly discussing with him the idiosyncrasies of the horse.

"What the horse likes, what he doesn't like.

"Any injuries that he has had in the past to keep an eye on.

"All those sort of things, any information I can get is something I plan to work out with Geoff in the next couple of weeks.

"The horse will once again target the Kosciuszko first-up from a spell."

Front Page boasts the enviable record of six wins and four minor placings from 19 starts and almost $1.5-million in career earnings.

The Dale stable also has a good recent record in the Kosciuszko and is likely to have a two-pronged attack on the feature in October.

"We ran fourth behind Front Page last year with Cavalier Charles," Dale said.

"We also ran third in 2020 with Man Of Peace.

"A lot of Riverina racegoers would know Man Of Peace after he was previously trained by Dave Heywood.

"So we have been thereabouts in the race without obviously winning it.

"Cavalier Charles is also been set for the race this year and it's exciting to have two strong chances."

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