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Jockey Chad Schofield isn’t letting stakeswinning mare Dashing Legend fly under the radar when she steps out for new trainer Joe Pride at Randwick on Saturday.
The four-year-old isn't foreign to Schofield either, he was on board in her maiden win back in September last year and what struck him when they reunited at the trials was the difference in stature.
"I won a race on her at Hawkesbury and my first impression of her was how much she's physically grown, and got bigger and stronger,'' Schofield said.
"Her two trials with me have been very impressive."
Dashing Legend, $5.50 with TAB on Friday, makes her debut for the TAB Everest winning trainer in the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Handicap (1100m).
Since that maiden win she's won three more races, the latest the Listed Fireball over the same course she'll tackle on Saturday, and boasts form around the likes of Opal Ridge, Pericles, Magic Time and Aft Cabin.
Schofield said while she'll carry 61.5kg in her return he's rapt with drawing an inside gate and is confident she will give a strong account.
"She's been jumping really quickly with me in the trials and she's been fresh and showing a lot of speed,'' he said.
"She's a very forward going horse, very professional, when those gates open she is going to want to jump and race so as much as we want to harness the early speed she will be right there.
"Joe Pride is such an astute trainer and an impeccable horseman, he knows he's got a good filly there and I'm sure he's already plotted a path for her. And I'm sure she will thrive under his care."
Winter revelation Fawkner Park is back for a tilt at next month's Five Diamonds and Schofield is expecting him to put the writing on the wall in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).
The import won his first four starts for Annabel Neasham before a narrow defeat in the Premier's Cup Prelude and an unplaced effort in the Group 3 Premier's Cup back in August.
Schofield was on board in one of those wins and steered him to a trial win over 1200m just under two weeks ago.
"I was very happy with his trial the other day but most importantly I thought his gallop on Tuesday morning was even better,'' he said.
"He's racing over a distance that isn't ideal but I'm sure he will run a terrific race and it will springboard him into the Five Diamonds."
Fawkner Park, $9 with TAB on Friday, did win at his Australian debut over 1500m and while Schofield is certain he'll be better when he steps up to 1800m is not going to sell him short first-up.
"It's a million dollar race and we're on a quality horse, we do know he is going to improve into the next on,'' he said.
"He's the type of horse with the type of quality that he's capable of winning both. That's the mindset I'm in.
"I love the draw, with the other fancied runners and where I am. I think it is going to map well for us, he's going to hit the line hard and I'm looking forward to him showing his class."
