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Sun Stud stallion Magnus sires 22nd stakes winner.

The Geoff Duryea-trained Front Page (3 g ex Stacey Lee by Bel Esprit) proved too strong for his rivals in the AR Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Flemington on Saturday and in the process handed the Sun Stud-based Magnus (Flying Spur) with his 22nd stakes winner. 

The gelding came into the race off the back of two victories at Albury and Wangaratta and he galloped clear to beat Hi Stranger (Zoffany) by two and three quarter lengths, while Merited (Fastnet Rock) was another nose in third. 

Bred by his trainer, Front Page is a brother to the Duryea-trained News Girl, a five-time winner and Group 3-placed and said Front Page and News Girl were different types with nothing bothering Front Page. 

"She just jumps, runs, wins, whereas he doesn't care about anything," Duryea said.

"You could drop a bomb under him and he wouldn't move and he just does whatever you want.

"We knew he had ability but he's a long way behind her mentally, so we just wanted those couple of extra runs this time in the country just to let him switch on a bit before we came down.

"Obviously it was a big step up, but we thought if he races up to what he was showing us then we could run top three.

"To win like that is a massive bonus."

Front Page is out of five-time winner Stacey Lee (Bel Esprit), who has produced the only stakes winners in three generations of the family. 

The gelding's fourth dam is Grade 2-placed mare Avilion (Cornish Prince) the dam of Grade 2 winner Diablo (Devil's Bag) and Listed-placed Sea To Shining Sea (Devil's Bag). 

Front Page also shares a page Listed-winning quartet Fair Apache (Bertrando), Cougarstown (Speightstown), Elevenses (More Than Ready) and Rosencrans (Forest Wildcat). 

Magnus will stand for a fee of $15,400 (inc GST) in 2020.