Leading Melbourne apprentice Chad Schofield has been denied the opportunity to ride in the upcoming Melbourne Spring Carnival as a fully-fledged jockey.
Chad Schofield will continue to ride as an apprentice during the Spring Carnival. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Schofield was expecting to hear that he would be joining the senior riding ranks from tomorrow, August 1, for the beginning of the new racing season, but the Racing Victoria stewards licensing committee rejected his request.
A jockey’s apprenticeship lasts for four years and as Schofield had only completed three years and two months, the committee felt that he should continue on as an apprentice rider.
Schofield has forged a great association with top Melbourne trainer David Hayes over the last twelve months and has claimed his second apprentice premiership with forty-one Melbourne metropolitan winners for the season.
This was on the back of his Sydney apprentice title win last season.
RV deputy chairman of stewards Rob Montgomery said the committee was reluctant to end his apprenticeship with Hayes at the moment but were happy to review the situation after the Spring Carnival.
“He has a really good employer in David Hayes and we still think there are aspects he can work on and his suspensions could be part of them,” Montgomery told the Daily Telegraph.
“David doesn’t take the 25 per cent riding fee for being his master, so to us nothing really changes.”
“He has the right employer who can steer him in the right direction.”
One area that Schofield needs to work on is the time he spends on the sidelines due to suspension after having to sit out 122 days this season.
Schofield has out ridden his claim and has shown that he can mix it with the senior boys, as he indicated by finishing fifth on the jockey’s table.
Schofield’s father, top Sydney rider Glyn Schofield, feels that Chad has shown that he is ready to move into the senior riding ranks and is also disappointed.
“He’s definitely ready, so it’s a little disappointing,” Glyn Schofield said.
