Front Page’s former trainer Geoff Duryea has concerns over the gelding backing up in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap

It was a close vote among owners to run Front Page in Saturday’s Stradbroke with the horse’s former trainer against the move.

It can be revealed that Geoff Duryea, the former trainer of two-time The Kosciuszko champion Front Page, and his son Paul were two of the owners who voted against the veteran gelding running in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap because of the short turnaround between races.

The Matt Dale-trained Front Page scored a ticket into the $3m Stradbroke with his thrilling victory in last Saturday’s Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

Some of the owners were concerned about the short back-up and the extra 200m that Front Page would have to run in a fast-paced Group 1 at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

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However, 55 per cent of the owners voted to push on and pay the $90,000 late entry fee to compete for the $1.8m winner’s cheque, with local jockey Damien Thornton to ride the eight-year-old this weekend.

“I voted no,” said 73-year-old Geoff Duryea, who bred and trained Front Page until handing the reins to Dale in mid-2023.

“Our vision was originally to take him up there (to Brisbane), run him in that big race (the Moreton Cup), give him a month off and then head towards the Kosciuszko again.

“We got outvoted but that’s the way it goes.”

Duryea said it was the first time the ownership group had been split over the direction of Front Page, which had stress fracture problems as a youngster.

Sydney jockey Tim Clark rides Front Page to win the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Trackside Photography

“We’ve gone six years without a disagreement because he had a fair few issues when he was young so we’ve had to nurse him a fair bit before he matured properly,” Duryea said.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever had a vote on where he’s going to run.

“He’s more than repaid us for our patience. I hope like hell he puts his boofhead out and wins the Stradbroke.”

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The owners had to pay a $90,000 late-entry fee to get Front Page into the Stradbroke, where Thornton will ride at 52.5kg.

“He’s absolutely eating everything up every feed, he’s bright, happy and very sound,” trainer Matt Dale said on Wednesday.

“The decision was made based on that and a favourable weather forecast.”

But not everyone was on board to race the winner of more than $3.5m in prizemoney in Queensland’s premier race.

“I was a ‘no’,” part-owner and Geoff’s son Paul Duryea said.

“The seven-day back-up, which we’ve never done with him, and the fact that the Stradbroke was never on the radar. The 1400m on a quick back-up in a Group 1 (was another concern).

“Throughout his whole life we’ve always put him first, hence why he’s only had 29 starts.

“It’s never been about the money for us, it’s always been about trying to find the right race that we think he can win.

“Everyone’s super proud of what he’s done. What he’s done for us has been huge, it’s unbelievable.”

Originally published as Front Page’s former trainer Geoff Duryea has concerns over the gelding backing up in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap