The Group 1 winning combination of Glyn Schofield and Le Romain will be reunited when the pair line up in the Group 2 $200,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 5.

Glyn Schofield and Le Romain, above in blue and yellow winning he Canterbury Stakes, will team up again in the Missile Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Glyn Schofield and Le Romain, above in blue and yellow winning the Canterbury Stakes, will team up again in the Missile Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Schofield steered Le Romain to a nose win over Team Hawkes’ super sprinter Chautauqua in the Group 1 $500,000 BMW Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 4 during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Trainer Kris Lees stuck with Schofield at Le Romain’s next start when they led the rest of the field home behind the mighty mare Winx who ran away for a seven and a quarter lengths win in the Group 1 $1m China Horse Club George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 18.

Hugh Bowman shared the riding with Schofield during the Autumn and the leading Group 1 rider was aboard Le Romain for his first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 The Chi-X Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 13.

Bowman was then back on board following Le Romain’s George Ryder Stakes second for a fifteenth to It’s Somewhat in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 1 and when second to Tivaci in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick a fortnight later.

Bowman, who is currently in a battle with Brenton Avdulla for the Sydney Jockey’s Premiership, will be unavailable for the Le Romain ride in the Missile Stakes as he will be trekking the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea with fellow riders Corey Brown, Kathy O’Hara and Stephen Baster to raise money for the National Jockeys’ Trust and Mark Hughes Foundation.

Le Romain is well on target to resume in the Missile Stakes and was an impressive winner in a 1000m barrier trial at Newcastle on Tuesday.

“He’s come back in good order,” Lees told racing.com.

“He’s pretty professional and did everything right and while he’s still off fitness-wise, he’ll be ready to go in a couple of weeks.”

“We’ll probably head to the Memsie second-up so if we start off first-up in the Missile in Sydney, we’ll have four weeks to prepare for the race in Melbourne.”

“Le Romain is definitely a bit stronger.”

“He has grown into his body, and I’m looking forward to getting him back to the races.”

Lees will then head to Melbourne with Le Romain to run in the Group 1 $1m Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 and hasn’t ruled out the prospect of securing a slot in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.

“Freshened up for the 1200 metres, I’ve got no doubt he would be very competitive in The Everest,” Lees said.

“He excels at Randwick, and handles both good and wet ground.”

Le Romain has earned just below the $2.2 million mark from six wins and nine minor placings from eighteen starts.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.