Apprentice Chad Schofield is confident his first ride for Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller at Randwick on Saturday will be all the spark he needs to continue his recent run of winning form.
Schofield has claimed an impressive nine city wins so far this season, including bagging a treble at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.
The son of internationally-experienced jockey Glyn Schofield said he was looking forward to riding for the Rosehill-based trainer, especially given the success his father has enjoyed aboard Waller-trained horses.
“I’m looking forward to my first ride for Chris Waller on Old Bill in the first race,” Schofield said.
“Obviously my Dad rides for him a lot but it’s my first ride for him and hopefully I can ride it well.
“I’m riding lots of winners at the moment and getting a lot of support as well, which is great.”
Waller trained 117 metropolitan winners in Sydney last season – only the fifth trainer in history to break the 100-mark – as he claimed his first Sydney trainers’ premiership.
Schofield, 17, said he was full of confidence backing up from his big day on Tuesday, and was targeting the apprentices’ premiership which he leads by one win from Sam Clipperton.
“Melbourne Cup day was great. Nine rides, three winners, two seconds and a third – it was a good day,” he said.
“(The apprentices’ premiership) is a target, whether this year or next, but I’ll be sure giving it a good go.”
But he conceded it would probably be hard to beat last season’s apprentice champion, Josh Adams, who returns from a lengthy suspension on Saturday.
“He (Josh Adams) has obviously got three years (experience) on me, but next year he won’t be an apprentice and I will. So next year is probably more of a go,” Schofield said.
“But if I can win it this year, I want to.”
AAP TURF
