Schiller shines as Gibbons v Lloyd battle hots up

Tyler Schiller might be out of the hunt for this year’s Sydney apprentices’ title, but the reigning champion has served a reminder of his talent with a breathtaking winning ride aboard debutant Mchale at Canterbury.

Schiller’s decision to ply his trade in Brisbane during the winter carnival put paid to his hopes of defending his apprentices’ crown, with Dylan Gibbons and Zac Lloyd subsequently skipping clear and settling down to fight out the premiership.

But it was the skill and nerve of Schiller that left punters in awe on Wednesday as he steered the Chris Waller-trained McHale ($13) through a needle-eye opening before bursting through the late split to take out the Robrick Lodge Handicap (1250m).

A typically humble Schiller deflected praise to the horse, who he said did an outstanding job to take such a narrow run at his first race start.

“He’s a brave horse. First start in a race having to come between runners like that, he’s very well educated and he’s done a terrific job,” Schiller said.

“He’s a very laidback character. I think he was more here for the outing to see him progress through his distances, but he surprised us.

“He was chasing the whole way but late, he started picking up through his gears and it was just lucky enough we got a gap.”

Schiller has now ridden 58 city winners this season, 13 more than the 2021-22 term when he claimed Sydney’s junior riders’ title.

The apprentices dominated the midweek card with pacesetter Gibbons taking his season tally of Sydney wins to 70 with victory aboard the David Pfieffer-trained Canada Bay ($6) in the Exceedance @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1100m).

Determined not to let Gibbons skip away, Lloyd hit back with a double courtesy of Epicus ($2.40 fav) for Kristen Buchanan in the Bowerman’s Handicap (1550m) and the John O’Shea-trained King of Naples in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1250m) to keep his title hopes alive.

King Of Naples ($2.05 fav) was Lloyd’s first ride for O’Shea and he was relieved to get the win after being pocketed for the first part of the straight.

“It was looking a bit dicey but all’s well that ends well,” said Lloyd, who now trails Gibbons by just three wins in the premiership race.

Three-kilo claimer Madeline Owen also got on the board at Canterbury, landing her first metropolitan win aboard Miss Kojiki for Todd Howlett.