Schofield Cleared To Ride After Neck Scare
- Sunday, 26 October 2014 07:51
Chad Schofield has been cleared of any serious damage to his neck after a fall at Moonee Valley, leaving him free to ride during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
One of his leading Group One contenders, Go Indy Go, also emerged a bit sore from Saturday's meeting but trainer Leon Macdonald said it was minor.
Schofield, who suffered fractures in his neck earlier this year, rode Go Indy Go to third in the Vase (2040m) after the fall and also rode Sweynesse who ran eighth in the Cox Plate.
Macdonald said he was relieved Schofield, who rode Go Indy Go to win the Group One Champagne Stakes in Sydney during the autumn, was free to continue the partnership to the Oaks.
"The phone was already ringing this morning but we were always going to wait to see how Chad was," Macdonald said.
"Go Indy Go has got some battle scars. She has some skin off her near side hind leg from where things got a bit tight down the back.
"But it's not serious. It's bandaged up and she will be right in a day or two."
Schofield hopes to be back riding on Tuesday.
Michelle Payne was found guilty of careless riding over the incident in the Moonee Valley Cup in which Schofield came off Albonetti.
Stewards said Payne allowed the eventual winner, Prince Of Penzance, to improve into a tight run between Black Tycoon and Precedence, causing Albonetti to clip heels.
Dual Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence, who finished fifth, was also among the walking wounded on Sunday with skin off his leg.
The nine-year-old will be carefully monitored in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday week.
Precedence is the sole Cup hope for the Bart and James Cummings stable.
