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By Ray Hickson

If Chad Schofield is certain of one thing about star Godolphin mare Tempted it’s that she’s grown up from what was a stellar three-year-old season.

So he'd like to think she can pick up from where she left off at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Chad Schofield (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The TAB Everest runner-up, who was unbeaten in three starts in the autumn culminating in the Arrowfield Sprint, is on a trajectory for a rematch with Ka Ying Rising in just over six weeks time.

While that’s all in the future, Schofield is anticipating Tempted will give a preview of what lies ahead in the Group 2 $1 million Catanach's Jewellers Concorde Stakes (1000m).

“I learned late how good she was, riding her last three starts for three wins, but I love the way she’s come back,’’ Schofield said.

“I feel like she’s grown up, I don’t think she’s changed a great deal physically. I don’t think she needed to, she’s been blessed with an abundance of ability as we know but for me it’s been her mental state.

“As a younger horse she was a nervous type but I love the maturity she’s shown me in her two trials this prep. I feel like she’s in for a tremendous campaign and it’s very exciting for sure.”

It’s not going to be a simple task for Tempted, who will carry 58kg in the Concorde. That’s 1kg more than I Am Me, the last mare to win the race and also trained by Ciaron Maher, carried in 2024.

The TAB Everest is Tempted’s only defeat in six starts at Randwick but she’s only attempted 1000m once in her 12 starts to date, when winning on debut.

While Schofield said 1200m is clearly her best distance, he has no issue with the shorter trip first-up.

“She sits back off the pace and her asset is her turn of foot,’’ he said.

“If she can travel in a similar position over 1000m she will have the same turn of foot. They’re going to have to go and beat her.

“I’ve always ridden her the same way. To jump, balance up, travel, find a rhythm.

“When she finds that rhythm she can quicken into the straight and find three lengths on the bridle and then go again.

“Her turn of foot is as good as any horse I’ve ridden and that’s her strength.”

Tempted is the $9 second favourite behind Ka Ying Rising ($1.50) in the pre-noms TAB Everest market.

Schofield is equally keen to see what his dual King Charles III winner Ceolwulf can produce second-up in the Group 2 $300,000 Asahi Super Dry Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) having left him brimming after his return two weeks ago.

While the gelding finished fifth behind Autumn Glow, the jockey said his performance exceeded his expectations and suggested he should be a major player in a race like the Chelmsford.

“He’s never a horse that shoots the lights out fresh,’’ he said.

“Just the way Joe (Pride) trains he never has them screwed down. He felt tremendous to me, he feels like he’s thrived since that good break Joe gave him.”

It’s been two years since Ceolwulf has won second-up and Schofield will go into the Randwick mile, a race he won three years ago on Navajo Peak, over a course that the gelding excels so much at feeling he’s a winning chance.

Tempted runs second in a Warwick Farm trial on August 18

“Just on class alone that’s what you’d expect for a horse like him,’’ he said.

“It’s great to have him back and I feel like he’s in for a good prep.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting