Schofield New Rider For Vanbrugh In G1
- Monday, 05 October 2015 07:13
Glyn Schofield has snared the prized Spring Champion Stakes mount on Vanbrugh, giving the in-form jockey an undeniable chance to win another Group One race for leading trainer Chris Waller.
Schofield takes over from Hugh Bowman on Vanbrugh with the colt certain to start an overwhelming favourite to win the final Group One race of the Sydney spring carnival at Randwick on Saturday.
The ride became available because Bowman will lead an exodus of Sydney's leading jockeys heading to Melbourne where he will partner Vanbrugh's stablemate Press Statement in the Caulfield Guineas.
Schofield has already won two Group One races this season and both have been on Waller-trained horses.
He partnered regular mount Boban to win the Memsie Stakes before deputising for a suspended Glen Boss on Kermadec when the four-year-old strolled home in the George Main Stakes.
Schofield said he pitched up for the Vanbrugh ride based on his early-season form and association with the Waller stable.
"I suppose it doesn't hurt having had some success so far this season," Schofield said.
"It's all about winning races and getting momentum heading into the spring and I've seemed to have managed that this year."
Vanbrugh is as short as $2 with some bookmakers to win the Spring Champion after he trounced his opposition in the Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill.
Having his first middle-distance test, Vanbrugh cruised up to the leaders at the 300m and put the race beyond doubt to win by almost two lengths.
The Gloaming win also propelled Vanbrugh into Victoria Derby reckoning and he sits on the second line of betting to win the blue-riband Classic at Flemington on October 31.
Schofield's only ride on Vanbrugh was in a Golden Rose lead-up race when the three-year-old ran unplaced behind Sebring Sun.
Nineteen nominations have been received for the Angst Quality, a Group Three race for mares.
Entries include Golden Pendant winner Peeping and the Waller-trained mares She's Clean, Wine Tales and Ballet Suite.
Schofield has been booked to ride Divertire, the Joe Pride-trained mare which returned to racing with a promising fourth to She's Clean in the Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle last month.
