Canberra syndicate wins The Kosciuszko with Front Page for share of $1 million prizemoney

"We're over the moon," ecstatic syndicate representative John Hurley told The Canberra Times after the victory on Saturday afternoon.

"People are ringing me and congratulating me, everyone's very happy and pleased for the ride.

"It was the right horse, right day, right race."

Last month the group of 11 family and friends learned they had won one of 14 highly-coveted slots in the world's richest race for country-trained horses, The Kosciuszko, with Front Page their randomly-drawn runner.

On the day they won the slot Hurley affectionately named the rescue dog he was due to pick up that same afternoon, 'Kozzy'. And he did not forget his good luck charm back home in Canberra.

"He's getting looked after, and he'll have steak for tea to celebrate for sure," Hurley said from Randwick.

The Kosciuszko is a unique event that allows punters to buy $5 tickets for the slot sweepstakes and on behalf of the group Hurley purchased $500-worth for the $2 million, 1200-metre race held on the same day as The Everest.

Now that investment is set to deliver quite a return, after Front Page stormed past the finish line first, with a $1 million payday to be shared between the syndicate and his owners.

"We were confident all the way around," Hurley said. "They had tactics they were going to use - get to the front and lead - and that's what he did and did it well.

"He did it all the way and they couldn't catch him."

As to what they will spend their winnings on, Hurley said the syndicate are not ready to reveal that just yet.

But with babies and marriages on the calendar in his family, the money will be put to good use.

"We have not really thought about it yet," he said. "We're just processing the win.

"It'll take a couple of weeks for the money to come through so we have a bit of time to think about that."

After having to withdraw from two Kosciuszkos in previous years, trainer Geoff Duryea described the win as "third time lucky".

For apprentice jockey Tyler Schiller it was the perfect birthday present too.

"He just took me to the front under his own terms. I was just happy to go with the horse," Schiller said.

"He's a ripper horse."

Far Too Easy and Fender came in second and third respectively.

Canberra trainer Matthew Dale's six-year-old Cavalier Charles was just behind the top three, finishing fourth earning $100,000 in prizemoney.

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"He was well placed in this race today," jockey Nick Heywood said.

"It worked out great, just wish something could take me into the straight."

Meanwhile fellow Canberra trainer Keith Dryden's Handle The Truth came ninth, earning $40,000.

"He blew the kick," jockey Nash Rawiller said.

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