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Bong Bong one week, Goulburn the next is the path Wyong trainer Stephen Schofield is taking with his current stable star Beaveroo.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Schofield, the former popular Sydney jockey known to all and sundry as “Beaver”, has his namesake set to line up in Friday's $80,000 Goulburn Cup (1600m) after his fine weight carrying performance to win last famous NSW southern highlands picnic race, the Bong Bong Cup.
Beaveroo, ridden by former successful professional jockey Cameron Swan, sailed home by two lengths last Wednesday under a massive 69.5kg and will be carrying a lot less against much tougher opposition in the Goulburn Cup.
Wyong-based trainer Schofield said he preferred to give Beaveroo an easy kill in the Bong Bong Cup before a tilt at the Goulburn Cup where the big gelding will be going for three straight wins.
'He won at Wyong and I ran him at Bong Bong to keep his confidence up for Goulburn rather than going to a metropolitan meeting and running the risk of getting beat,' Schofield said.
'The win will keep him in a positive frame of mind for Goulburn and he will be hard to beat.'
Swan was forced to give up his jockey career due to increasing weight and now works as foreman for top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees. He makes the occasional return to riding in the amateur ranks at picnic meetings such as Bong Bong.
The Goulburn Cup has attracted 17 entries with leading Warwick Farm trainer Guy Walter aiming to win the race for the fourth time but without last year's winner Willy Jimmy.
Walter, who has a satellite stable at Goulburn, has entered Cyber Crime and Straight Alert in the hope one can join Willy Jimmy, Market Unit (2003) and Nothin' Leica (2004) on the Goulburn Cup honour roll.
Other leading trainers with nominations include Anthony Cummings (Dealer Principal), Graeme Rogerson (Rockin' Rocket), Bede Murray (Coniston Bluebird), Robert Price (One Way Ticket), Kerry Parker (Nextanix) and Jason Coyle (Alright Already).
Hugh Bowman will be riding for Walter at the meeting as well as taking the mount on Alchemy for Anthony Cummings in the $25,000 Goulburn Diva (1300m).
