Schofield's partnership with Tempted and Ceolwulf set for Everest day

Chad Schofield might attribute his initial opportunities aboard star gallopers Tempted and Ceolwulf to luck and timing, but it is his skill and execution that have kept him in the saddle.

Schofield has forged an impressive association with both horses, which will continue on the most significant day of the Sydney spring carnival. Tempted will face Hong Kong's acclaimed runner Ka Ying Rising in the Everest (1200m), while Ceolwulf will compete in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) against the mare Autumn Glow.

His initial booking for Tempted was a one-off arrangement. However, as Schofield consistently achieved positive results, the partnership has extended to an unbroken run of five starts, with potential for more victories.

"I guess I was lucky to get on her in the first place. She was already a high-profiled and credentialled horse, but she's obviously gone to a new level since then," Schofield stated.

"I got on her as a race-to-race proposition, but I've just been lucky enough to keep getting the job done on her. Long may it continue."

Schofield has developed a comparable rapport with Ceolwulf, one that dates back further.

The horse and jockey first combined to win the 2024 Epsom Handicap and King Charles III Stakes double. Schofield has partnered Ceolwulf in every start since, except for one, across his 17 appearances.

The jockey is confident that an intimate knowledge of a horse can prove crucial at the highest level of racing.

"Horses like Tempted and Ceolwulf, now that I've ridden them as much as I have, I feel like I know them as well as I possibly can," he explained.

"I know exactly how they like to be ridden, what their assets are. They've both got similar styles in terms of how they race."

"I'm just very lucky to be able to go to the races on Saturday knowing I can hop on those two horses."

While Ceolwulf is aiming for his third King Charles III Stakes (1600m) victory, Tempted is viewed as Australia's leading chance to end Ka Ying Rising's impressive 21-race winning streak.

Schofield is content with Tempted's barrier draw of one. He believes that despite her strong recent wins, there is still more to come from the mare.

"Her two runs this 'prep' she has drawn wide, and I've had to reverse park to get cover and bring her back," he commented.

"At least from that draw I'll be able to let her be as close or far back as she wants to be."

"I feel like she's getting better too. She was very good last prep as a three-year-old, but she's come back bigger and better. She was awesome first-up, she improved on that second-up, and she'll be peaking now."

On the question of whether Tempted can defeat the world's highest-rated horse in the globe's richest turf race?

"I think she can," Schofield asserted.

"It's hard to say because we don't know how he's travelled, or how he's going to handle the conditions. But all I know is Tempted is flying and she will handle the conditions."

"If he comes out and beats Tempted, I'll take my hat off to him because I know how good Tempted is."

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