Chad Schofield makes his play for the biggest race of his life

WHEN Ed Walker's Ruscello crossed the line in the Lexus Stakes to clinch a win a Melbourne Cup berth Chad Schofield made a beeline for him.

Young gun Chad Schofield will ride Ruscello at 50kg, but his primary challenge is to navigate into a forward position, ideally w

BEFORE Chad Schofield had been formally introduced to Ed Walker in the mounting yard at Flemington on Saturday, the English trainer suspected the Cox Plate-winning jockey was merely a "very small journalist".

Walker's Ruscello had barely crossed the line in the Lexus Stakes to clinch a berth in today's Melbourne Cup before Schofield made a beeline for him in the winner's enclosure.

Aware a Cup mount was in the offing, Schofield immediately asked Walker and part-owner Terry Henderson for the ride on Ruscello - and, after a delay to assess the horse's post-race condition, the teenager was rewarded for his initiative.

"I didn't know who he was. I just thought he was a very small journalist," Walker said with a laugh yesterday.

"I'd never heard of him until the Cox Plate (which he won on Shamus Award), to be honest with you.

"But some very good judges say he is a very good kid going in the right direction.

"I met him on Saturday and he seemed very level-headed and a nice guy.

"I obviously saw the Cox Plate and was very impressed by that.

"I'm pretty confident we've made the right decision. We didn't have a huge selection at the weight and (I) almost admire the fact he's a 19-year-old kid and was in the winner's enclosure pretty much the moment he (Ruscello) crossed the line.

Young gun Chad Schofield has picked up the ride on Ruscello in his first Melbourne Cup. Picture: Colleen Petch

"You like to see a bit of hunger and ambition. Good on him."

Schofield will ride Ruscello at 50kg, but his primary challenge is to navigate into a forward position, ideally with cover, from the outside gate.

Walker, a Luca Cumani protege, will not burden Schofield with instructions.

"Half the reason the horse is here in Australia is because he's got that great gate speed and he gets into stride really quickly," he said.

"That's why we thought he would be suited by this style of racing so it would be silly, I think, to take that strength away from him and try and hook him back.

"But I'm not going to try and tie Chad down to too many instructions in a race like that.

"I think for a jockey they need to make split-second decisions in a race like that and it is so tactically challenging.

"If you confuse them too much with instructions, then you take away that ability to make a decision."

Young gun Chad Schofield's mount, Ruscello, will bid to be the first horse to complete the Lexus-Melbourne Cup double since Shocking in 2009. Picture: Colleen Petch

Walker said Kerrin McEvoy had given Ruscello an outstanding ride in the Lexus.

"He was probably flattered by an exceptional ride by McEvoy,'' he said. "It really was world-class and they gifted it to him.

"He had the run of the race and Kerrin nailed it."

Ruscello will bid to be the first horse to complete the Lexus-Melbourne Cup double since Shocking in 2009.

The Lexus has proved a strong formline since then.

Maluckyday (2010) won the Lexus and ran second in the Cup, Niwot (2011) finished eighth in the Cup after winning the Lexus while Kelinni finished fourth in the Cup after claiming the Lexus last year.

Walker rated Mount Athos as the horse to beat.