Star apprentice Chad Schofield obeyed the rules and was rewarded with his first Flemington win when he guided Mabsam to victory in the Aktrapid Handicap on Saturday.
Mabsam missed the start as she did at her previous start when she finished 13th in Listed company at Sandown last month, but this time Schofield settled her at the rear of the field before bring her with a late, overpowering run.
Mabsam winning the Aktrapid Nursing Agency Handicap at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
“When she missed the start at Sandown Chad crept forward on her as soon as they settled,” said trainer David Hayes.
“Today he rode to the rules and stayed out the back and brought her with one run.”
Mabsam ($4.40) rounded up Secret Liaison ($4.80) 150m out and kept going to score comfortably by three-quarters of a length.
Crucial ($6) held down third place a further three lengths away.
Hayes said he was likely to put the mare away until the autumn when he will search for an early black-type race for the daughter of Stratum.
“I’m pretty sure she’s capable of getting some black type which would make her quite a valuable mare,” he said.
For Schofield the win proved a continuation of the outstanding form he has shown since coming to Victoria from Sydney four months ago and completed the full set of victories on Melbourne tracks.
“That was my first win here at Flemington, so I’m quite pleased to have won on all four tracks down here,” Schofield said.
Schofield’s win followed that of another promising Melbourne apprentice, Damien Thornton, who scored on Vibrant Rouge in the Big Picture Group Handicap (1200m).
Trainer Glenn Thornton found himself saddled with the happy dilemma of deciding whether horse or rider had the brightest future after the mare’s fourth win from her only five starts.
“Damien has been determined to take the next step in his career and he’s doing everything he can to keep going forward,” Thornton said.
“They’re a good pair, him and the horse, I think she showed tremendous determination also.”
Sent out favourite, Vibrant Rouge ($3.80) staved off the late finish of La Tikka Rose ($13) to score by a length with another three-quarters of a length to Alice’s Virtue ($3.90).
