Chad Schofield has retained the ride on leading contender New Day Rising in the Group Two Villiers Stakes but fellow apprentice Sam Clipperton has been replaced on Monton by Hugh Bowman.
Clipperton claimed his first stakes win aboard Monton in the Listed Festival Stakes last Saturday week when his master Ron Quinton was unable to secure a senior jockey.
Although proud of the way the 17-year-old handled the occasion, Quinton had no hesitation in booking his former apprentice Bowman who he guided to an apprentices’ premiership in 1999-2000.
An eight time Sydney premiership winner as a jockey himself, Quinton said there would be other occasions for Clipperton to shine.
“It was a dream come true for him and he will get other opportunities,” Quinton said.
“There were plenty of times when I was an apprentice I got taken off horses for jockeys like George Moore.
“That’s just the way it is.”
As well as having Clipperton in his care, Quinton works with Racing NSW in guiding the careers of the latest crop of junior riders and has scaled his stable numbers back in recent years.
“I’ve only got a small team now and Hugh rides for me when he can,” he said.
“I’m very happy to have him for Monton who came through the Festival Stakes in great order and is spot-on for the Villiers.”
Saturday’s Villiers Stakes (1600m) is being run this year at Warwick Farm while major work is undertaken at Randwick.
Warwick Farm has been home to New Day Rising for the past few months with Gary Portelli taking over from Gai Waterhouse as his trainer following the purchase of the gelding by one of his clients.
He scored his first win for Portelli at Rosehill on Saturday with Schofield aboard.
“Chad rode him so well the owners have decided to keep him on,” Portelli said.
Portelli is following the same method with New Day Rising as he did with his 2008 Villiers winner Something Anything by backing him up seven days after a 1400m win at Rosehill.
“It worked before so I decided to stick with it,” he said.
Schofield, the son of senior rider Glyn Schofield, outrode his three kilo claim last week and is the leader among the batch of outstanding Sydney apprentices.
Clipperton is next in the race for the junior championship and both continued their good form with winning doubles at Hawkesbury on Sunday.
AAP TURF
