The instructions will be the same, but trainer Robbie Laing hopes the result will be more to his liking when Direct Charge steps out in the $250,000 Inglis Classic(1200m) at Rosehill tomorrow.
Glyn Schofield is the new jockey for Inglis Classic chance Direct Charge. Photo by Taron Clarke
The Victorian trained Direct Charge blew any chance of showing his speed that Laing knows he possesses when he blew the start at Warwick Farm and was never out of trouble back in the field when sixth to Swing Vote over 1000m two weeks ago.
“We prepared him pretty well to win at Warwick Farm,” Laing said.
“But he bombed the start and came to the turn eight to ten lengths from the lead and then when he started to make ground at the 250 he got spun sideways.
“Everything was completely foreign to him.”
Laing will be instructing Glyn Schofield to use the colt’s natural speed that he produced when scoring down the Flemington straight in winning the Group 3 $150,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) on November 10.
“He won the Maribyrnong Plate when ridden for pure speed,” Laing said.
“He is a big, strong fella that’s probably the way he has to be ridden.
“If he is he will put the foot down on the corner and hopefully he’ll be very hard to hold out.”
Schofield replaces Melbourne jockey Steven Arnold who has elected to ride at Flemington after he was disappointed with his ride on Direct Charge at Warwick Farm.
“Steven actually stood himself down from the ride,” Laing said.
“He didn’t think he rode him that well at Warwick Farm.
“He said if you go back to Sydney with him get a Sydney jockey.”
And Schofield will be hungrier than ever to ride as many winners as he can while rival jockey Hugh Bowman is out suspended.
Schofield is currently half a win behind Bowman in the Sydney’s jockey premiership on thirty-three wins and could surge to the top of the ladder with a couple of winners tomorrow.
The Bjorn Baker trained Fuerza heads the market order in the Inglis Classic at $3 after finishing second to stablemate Twilight Royale in the $250,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Warwick Farm on December 22 last year.
Kris Lees’ Devil In A Dress is next in the betting at $5 in front of the Gai Waterhouse first starter Marseille Roulette at $6 with Direct Charge at $9.
