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By Ray Hickson

There was a sense of it’s meant to be about Front Page’s brave all the way win in the $2m The Kosciuszko at Royal Randwick – after three years of trying trainer Geoff Duryea’s star galloper finally made it to the gates and birthday boy Tyler Schiller did the rest.

Tyler Schiller and Geoff Duryea (Pic: Steve Hart)

The 70-year-old trainer from Corowa, who described the win as “bloody good”, said unlike in 2020 and 2021 when injury prevented Front Page from taking his place in the race it’d been a perfect build up.

Schiller made a beeline for the lead on the six-year-old and after kicking away early in the straight he held a three-quarter length margin on Far Too Easy with 1-1/4 lengths to Fender in third.

“Third time lucky. The first time was just a freak accident, the second time there was nothing we could do about it,’’ Duryea said.

“But he’s done the right thing this time, I’ve a had perfect preparation. He’s had two barrier trials at Wangaratta. He’s won them both and I couldn’t ask for any more.

“Everything has gone exactly how it did before the Wagga Town Plate.”

Front Page arrived in Sydney on Thursday, with Duryea taking no chances this year, and stayed with Peter Robl at Randwick.

“He’s very, very casual, he just goes along. He’s done everything right at Peter Robl’s, I’ve got to thank Pete for the hospitality,’’ Duryea said.

“I never have any dramas with him. He goes out every afternoon, in his paddock. Doesn’t worry, just goes out and has a pick. When he’s finished picking, he’ll just come back to the gate and yell out ‘I’ve had enough, bring me in.’”

Schiller, who turned 24 on Saturday, always had supreme confidence in Front Page based on guiding him to an easy win at Wagga in May and while leading wasn’t the plan he was happy to let the horse do as he pleased.

Last season’s champion Sydney apprentice posted his biggest win in the saddle and continued his great form having taken out the $500,000 Tapp-Craig a week earlier.

“I’m more excited for Geoff and the owners,’’ Schiller said.

“He’s a super horse and he’s had so many troubles but he just keeps overcoming them. Today he’s shown how good he is.

“I know how much ability he has and when he gave a kick at the top of the straight, I actually thought he was pretty vulnerable. But he’s toughed it out super and he’s a ripper horse.

“At the top of the straight I was actually pretty concerned that they were going to come to me, but by the 200m nothing joined him and he was super strong late.”

Front Page wins The Kosciuszko

Front Page was selected by a syndicate of 11 led by John Hurley from Queanbeyan and he revealed the group spent just $500 on the $5 Kosciuszko tickets.

He said it was a fairly easy decision to go with Front Page when he found out the horse was available and was rapt to be on course to cheer him home.

“I thought it was a good call, a pretty easy pick in the end,’’ he said.

“It was magnificent being here, (Tyler) knew what he was doing and he looked the better horse the whole way.”

All the results and replays from TAB Everest Day at Royal Randwick