New baby Cooper proves a ‘lucky charm’ for Chad Schofield as he claims a Rosehill double including the Listed McKell Cup

With his 11-week-old son Copper having his first day at the races, jockey Chad Schofield marked the occasion with a winning double including victory in the feature event, the Listed McKell Cup.

Chad Schofield brings up a winning double for the day on Golden Path in the WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Star jockey Chad Schofield declared his baby boy Cooper to be his “lucky charm” after he rode a winning double at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

But Schofield lamented his young family did not wait around for his winning effort on promising Golden Path in the Listed $200,000 WJ McKell Cup (2000m).

His wife, Hannah, their two-year-old son, Archer, and 11-week-old Cooper, were on track when the jockey won on Emmadella in the Rosehill opener but they had left before the feature race.

“This was the first time Cooper was at the races so he is my lucky charm,” Schofield said.

“But they left before this race - they left before my best ride!”

Golden Path ($3.60) underlined Schofield’s growing opinion of the emerging galloper after he streaked away to win the McKell Cup by nearly four lengths from Touristic ($15) with Lord Ardmore ($26) a nose away third.

Golden Path gives them a hiding in the Listed W.J. McKell Cup at Rosehill! 🏆@[e-mail]/LdAq6lu85P

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 29, 2024

Favourite Waterford ($3) loomed up half way down the straight but doesn’t seem entirely comfortable on these heavy winter tracks and finished fourth.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Golden Path has scored successive Sydney wins this winter and his stakes success indicates even better things are in store for the striking chestnut.

“Golden Path has really turned the corner,” Schofield enthused.

“Since the blinkers have gone on, he is just a real racehorse now. He’s jumping, he’s putting himself on the pace, he is travelling perfectly and then he’s quickening.

“Obviously if you have a turn of foot at the end of a staying race, you’re always going to be hard to beat.

“I hit the front far too early, but when I pushed the button he really put them away and he was too good with the light weight.”

Schofield’s winning brace at Rosehill was timely as the jockey was flying overnight to Singapore where he has six rides on Sunday including Lightning Strike in the Group 2 Steward Cup, a race he won last year on Golden Monkey.

“I’ve got six rides tomorrow, the main one in the Stewards Cup which is a lead-up to the (Singapore) Derby,” Schofield said.

The Grafton Cup could be on the cards for Golden Path. Picture: Getty Images

Golden Path ran out the 2000m strongly in the McKell Cup and Schofield is convinced the lightly-raced four-year-old will get further which brings the Listed $200,000 Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 18 into the equation.

Leading owner Carl Holt said the Grafton Cup will certainly be a consideration for the in-form Golden Path.

“The horse is obviously in a good frame of mind, he is racing well in Sydney so we have to work out if we keep him going for the Grafton Cup,” Holt said.

“There is no doubt blinkers have made a big difference, the soft tracks he likes, the team have done a great job with him and Chad (Schofield) has a lot of confidence in the horse.

“He has stepped up to a good level, he’s got his rating up which will help him get into some better races now.

“He was immature last preparation and has been a work in progress but he’s certainly starting to put it together and it was very nice to see him win a stakes race by such a convincing margin.”

Schofield was also seen to the fore on Emmadella who was rewarded for her recent consistency when she burst through the ruck to win the Midway Handicap (1300m).

“Emmadella actually jumped really well today. She was first out, thought I might ‘possy’ up a bit closer,” Schofield said.

A nice ride from @SchofieldChad gets Emmadella a well-deserved city win in the Midway Handicap for @JTRacingRwik 🏇 pic.twitter.com/PXBFwNzxC0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 29, 2024

“But the inside horses sort of dug up inside so I just eased her back in behind out of that pace duel.

“We had a perfect run, cut the corner, came out and she was strong late.”

Emmadella ($6), trained by John Thompson, asserted her dominance late to win by a widening one-and-a-half lengths from Navy Blood ($8.50) with Herb ($9.50) one-and-a-quarter lengths away third.

Cruel Summer was sent out to the $5 favourite but after leading for home he faded to finish 10th.

Former leading trainer Rod Craig, best known as the trainer of eight-time Group 1 winner Intergaze, was deputising for son-in-law Thompson and said Emmadella deserved her breakthrough city success.

“She has been racing well and John has done a great job with her,” Craig said.

The early start at Rosehill – the first of 11 races was run at 10.30am – was the reason Thompson could not be trackside for Emmadella’s Midway win.

“John is still working some of his team at Randwick so I was happy to help out,” Craig said.

Emmadella was purchased for only $65,000 at the Magic Millions Weanling Sale by prominent syndicator Joe O’Neill and has proven an astute buy as the Midway was her third win from 10 starts, taking her career earnings to more than $150,000.

Originally published as New baby Cooper proves a ‘lucky charm’ for Chad Schofield as he claims a Rosehill double including the Listed McKell Cup