Three days after scoring the biggest success of his Hong Kong career to date, jockey Chad Schofield has high hopes of continuing his strong recent form with a win aboard Goodwood Stud graduate World Record in the Class 3 Volunteers' Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 February).
Schofield won the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) on Danny Shum-trained Supreme Profit on Sunday (5 February), his first international Group race victory since he arrived at Sha Tin 18 months ago, and the 22-year-old said he was still buzzing from the win days later.
"It was a great thrill," Schofield said at Sha Tin trackwork on Tuesday morning (7 February). "I thought going in that he was a small lightweight chance but I didn't expect him to be as strong through the line as he was. Hopefully, we can continue to ride well, and World Record is a good chance on Wednesday night."
The jockey partnered World Record (116lb) to two victories over the Sha Tin 1400m in Class 4 late last year before the four-year-old finished second to Smiling Charm over that same course and distance at his last start on 14 January. The Tony Millard-trained gelding now steps up to Class 3 off a rating of 62 and heads to the Happy Valley 1650m for his first attempt at the tight city circuit.
"It's going to be interesting having him at the Valley for the first time," said Schofield. "He's in very good form, his last three runs he's won two of them and he wasn't far off in the other. He's up in grade now, but I think the drop in weight is really going to suit him, he's not a big horse and he's quite lightly framed so to be carrying topweight in Class 4 as opposed to bottom weight in Class 3, I think he's got enough ability to handle Class 3 and the light weight is a big bonus too."
The 1650m trip also holds no concerns for Schofield, who points to the gelding's pedigree as a good indicator that he will relish the extra distance.
"He's by Savabeel so the 1650m shouldn't be an issue," the rider said. "Those that see out 1400m at Sha Tin tend to be able to see out 1650m at Happy Valley. It's not a big jump. If we can have a nice run from barrier nine, then we'll be right there. We need him to relax well, though, as he can be quite keen, but if everything goes right with the light weight, expect him to go very close."
World Record meets 11 rivals, including this season's course and distance winners Big Bang Bong (133lb) and Chater Legend (132lb), as well as Tony Cruz-trained Bullish Smart (130lb), who finished second to Nitro Express at his most recent start over the Happy Valley 1650m on 25 January.
"I thought I was in the right spot last start, we just got touched off on the line," said jockey Silvestre de Sousa, who partnered Bullish Smart last start and reunites with the six-year-old once again on Wednesday. "He ran a great race. He looks like he is suited by this grade and he should be competitive if he gets an easy run."
The Volunteers' Challenge Cup Handicap is to be run as the seventh of eight races on the Happy Valley card and is scheduled for 10:15pm. -HKJC
Schofield won the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) on Danny Shum-trained Supreme Profit on Sunday (5 February), his first international Group race victory since he arrived at Sha Tin 18 months ago, and the 22-year-old said he was still buzzing from the win days later.
"It was a great thrill," Schofield said at Sha Tin trackwork on Tuesday morning (7 February). "I thought going in that he was a small lightweight chance but I didn't expect him to be as strong through the line as he was. Hopefully, we can continue to ride well, and World Record is a good chance on Wednesday night."
The jockey partnered World Record (116lb) to two victories over the Sha Tin 1400m in Class 4 late last year before the four-year-old finished second to Smiling Charm over that same course and distance at his last start on 14 January. The Tony Millard-trained gelding now steps up to Class 3 off a rating of 62 and heads to the Happy Valley 1650m for his first attempt at the tight city circuit.
"It's going to be interesting having him at the Valley for the first time," said Schofield. "He's in very good form, his last three runs he's won two of them and he wasn't far off in the other. He's up in grade now, but I think the drop in weight is really going to suit him, he's not a big horse and he's quite lightly framed so to be carrying topweight in Class 4 as opposed to bottom weight in Class 3, I think he's got enough ability to handle Class 3 and the light weight is a big bonus too."
The 1650m trip also holds no concerns for Schofield, who points to the gelding's pedigree as a good indicator that he will relish the extra distance.
"He's by Savabeel so the 1650m shouldn't be an issue," the rider said. "Those that see out 1400m at Sha Tin tend to be able to see out 1650m at Happy Valley. It's not a big jump. If we can have a nice run from barrier nine, then we'll be right there. We need him to relax well, though, as he can be quite keen, but if everything goes right with the light weight, expect him to go very close."
World Record meets 11 rivals, including this season's course and distance winners Big Bang Bong (133lb) and Chater Legend (132lb), as well as Tony Cruz-trained Bullish Smart (130lb), who finished second to Nitro Express at his most recent start over the Happy Valley 1650m on 25 January.
"I thought I was in the right spot last start, we just got touched off on the line," said jockey Silvestre de Sousa, who partnered Bullish Smart last start and reunites with the six-year-old once again on Wednesday. "He ran a great race. He looks like he is suited by this grade and he should be competitive if he gets an easy run."
The Volunteers' Challenge Cup Handicap is to be run as the seventh of eight races on the Happy Valley card and is scheduled for 10:15pm. -HKJC