South African-born Australian jockey Chad Schofield can fill in a blank missing on his father’s CV when he partner’s The Conglomerate in Saturday’s R3,5 million Gr 1 Vodacom Durban July for Joey Ramsden. The KRA Guineas winner was yesterday quoted at 25-1 for the big race.

Ramsden said it was becoming increasingly difficult to find lightweight jockeys and the connections had decided to begin looking around when no phone calls for the ride were forthcoming. He added they had considered a number of options on who to bring in, so the decision had not been made lightly.

“Chad comes highly recommended. They were impressed with him in the UK and he’s got a contract to ride in Hong Kong so he’s obviously got something. He seems to be a bit of a maverick and I like that in a jockey.”

Father Glyn Schofield was one of the country’s leading jockeys before immigrating to Australia where he followed brother-in-law Jeff Lloyd in 2007 and quickly established himself as a leading rider in Sydney. He had seven rides in the July but never managed a place.

Young Schofield’s first winner was in September 2010 at Newcastle and he claimed the Sydney Apprentices’ Premiership under the guidance of top former South African trainer, David Payne.

Schofield became the first rider in history to land both Sydney and Melbourne Apprentices’ Premierships and will joined the likes of Malcolm Johnston, Wayne Harris and Darren Beadman as a winner of the Melbourne Apprentices’ Premiership in just his second year.

The 21-year-old Schofield really burst onto the scene when partnering Shamus Award to win one of Australia’s most prestigious races, the Gr1 Sportingbet Cox Plate in 2013.

He has since won three other Gr1’s in Australia where he has ridden 271 winners but is no stranger to controversy. In his relentless drive to win he has copped some lengthy suspensions for careless and improper riding, two suspensions totalling 59 meetings last year, and also through injury.

Recently he has been riding for leading English trainer Ed Dunlop in England during the Australian winter and partnered the David Hayes-trained Criterion to fifth in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. He is due to start a contract in Hong Kong in September.

Of the July, Schofield tweeted: “Can’t wait to ride in the country I grew up in.”

By David Thiselton

VDJ betting now open: BiPot ONE Leg 1 starts in race 2 – estimated pool R700,000.