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By Ray Hickson

The Kosciuszko has taken on its own aura around the state and jockey Tyler Schiller says it would be special to win Saturday’s $2 million country feature at Royal Randwick for trainer Geoff Duryea – not to mention a great way to celebrate your 24th birthday.

Tyler Schiller (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Schiller, last season’s champion apprentice, hails from Young and is no stranger to riding for the respected Corowa mentor as he cut his teeth riding in the Southern Districts.

He’ll partner the favourite Front Page in The Kosciuszko (1200m) chasing his biggest win in the saddle.

“He’s always had a small team but I’ve had a few rides for him at the past. He’s always at the races at Corowa and he’s a good bloke,’’ Schiller said of the 70-year-old trainer.

“It’s pretty good to be able to ride for a trainer down that way that I had a connection with when I was riding down there and to have the favourite in a Kosi is special.”

Front Page and Schiller combined to win the Wagga Town Plate (1200m) back in May and hasn’t been on the horse’s back since but he said that experience will be invaluable going into the Kosciuszko.

In that race he put four lengths on Kosciuszko rival Mnementh with another of his adversaries on Saturday in Another One running into third.

“It always helps when you understand the horse a bit,’’ Schiller said.

“He gave me a great ride at Wagga even though I knew nothing about him. Hopefully knowing something about him now we can improve on a couple of things and make him almost unbeatable.”

So far Schiller’s biggest wins have come in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic on Bring The Ransom and the Listed Albury Cup on Harmoney Rose earlier this year.

He claimed his richest race win just last weekend when Opal Ridge won the $500,000 Tapp-Craig at Randwick but The Kosciuszko carries four times that purse and Schiller said the barrier draw should give Front Page his chance.

“It’s absolutely perfect. If there’s some mad leader in this race he could get the same tow into it but I’m not expecting to get clear air at the 400m like we did at Wagga,’’ he said.

“If he can overcome the soft ground he is going to be right in it.”

As far as trainer Geoff Duryea is concerned, he’d just like Front Page to turn up at Randwick on Saturday in one piece and have the opportunity to win the race.

A year ago the gelding had to be scratched a couple of days before The Kosciuszko when he suffered a tendon injury. In 2020 he was late scratching on race day after he injured himself in the float on the way to Randwick.

While Front Page hasn’t been seen in public since he raced at Swan Hill in June, the six-year-old has contested two jump outs at Wangaratta and Duryea said he can’t be going into the race better.

“He’s had two jump outs, he had a hit out on Tuesday morning on the grass and pulled up well. He’ll only be poking around until he gets to Sydney,’’ he said.

“You never count your chickens. All I can do is take him there fit and well and hope he races well.”

Front Page wins the Wagga Town Plate

The one question mark in Duryea’s mind stems from what the track condition will be come 2.50pm on Saturday and how Front Page will cope with it.

He hasn’t raced on anything worse than a soft 6 but the trainer is quietly confident.

“It’s not racing when you are running on bog tracks, it’s a matter of survival of the fittest,’’ he said.

“Horses that can sprint a little bit get brought back to the other horses.

“It doesn’t matter whether the track is a 5 or a 15 he’s going to run and we just hope he races well for us and he’s competitive.”

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Everest Day at Randwick