Leading apprentice jockey Hazel Schofer reached one of her major goals of the season at Wanganui on Thursday, bringing up 100 wins.
The Taranaki hoop was just one win shy of the milestone heading into Thursday’s meeting and Schofer thought promising two-year-old Yeaboi (NZ) (Yeaboi) could be the horse to get her there in the Spooner Dry Cleaners 2YO (1200m).
Her assessment was correct, and the son of Belardo got up to win by a short-head over Queen Of Spades (NZ) (Iffraaj) for Schofer’s employer, Allan Sharrock.
“Yeaboi had won both of his trials and I have ridden most of his jumpouts and work. He is a really progressive and strong two-year-old and I always knew he was going to go well,” Schofer said.
“I made it an aim for the season two months ago to get to 100, so it was good to tick it off.”
The win also extends Sharrock’s season tally to 52 wins, his best mark to date, and Schofer said he has been instrumental in her bid for the National Apprentice Jockey Premiership this season.
“Allan has been a massive support, especially this season,” she said. “I have ridden a lot of horses for him and luckily enough a lot of them have been winners.”
Schofer currently has a 13-win lead over Canterbury apprentice Kozzi Asano, who was victorious earlier on the card aboard Queen Constantine (Holy Roman Emperor).
The race for the premiership title has added some extra stress to the end of the season for Schofer and she said she is looking forward to a well-deserved break in a couple of weeks.
“It is a little bit stressful. I am just trying to focus on riding and not think about it (premiership) too much on raceday. I am definitely counting down the days,” she said.
“I am going down for the Winter Cup and then taking a few days off after that and cruise around the South Island. That will be well-needed by the time we get to that.”
