Saturday's group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington will resolve many major race decisions in the coming weeks, but it will also see a unique father-son duel in the weight-for-age event.
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The Makybe Diva Stakes is looked on as a pivotal race in the Spring Carnival, a race that will pick those who are destined for a Cox Plate start or those that will remain for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
However, for the Schofield family, the Makybe Diva Stakes will feature a father-son clash rarely seen in Australia's most important weight-for-age events.
Glyn Schofield will be aboard the Chris Waller-trained Boban while his young son, Chad, will take the ride on one-time Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon.
Glyn will be returning from an eight-meeting suspension incurred at Caulfield two weeks ago and his son is also coming back from a time on the sidelines having served a 22-meeting suspension for careless riding midway through August.
While the Schofields doing battle in races is nothing new, as the pair duelled when Chad was a little-known apprentice in Sydney, the group 1 stakes make it more important.
"When it comes to races like the Makybe Diva on Saturday it's not dad I'm riding against it's a fellow competitor. You don't take things like 'he's my dad' into the group 1 races, it's just competitive at the highest order," Schofield said.
"I don't really concern myself riding against dad but what I'm looking forward to is riding Green Moon. He's a terrific stayer and he looks well-placed here considering his second in the Australian Cup first-up in the autumn.
"And that was a fabulous run considering he ran second to Fiorente, who was a Melbourne Cup winner himself, so Saturday's race should be an interesting guide to see how Green Moon's going," he said.
Early markets suggest that Glyn Schofield may be on the superior runner as his mount Boban is a $4 second favourite for the Makybe Diva. Green Moon is currently at $9.
Last start group 1 winner Dissident is $3.50 following the strength of his win in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.
Trainer Peter Moody has been thrilled with the entire's form since that race. He looks the hardest to beat in a competitive event.
The Makybe Diva Stakes seems to be a crossroads event for the French stayer Puissance De Lune, who's already had two starts from a long spell following an injury incurred in the spring.
Trainer Darren Weir has always identified the Makybe Diva Stakes as the stallion's major spring target believing the 1600m of the event will be more suitable than the group 1 Cox Plate in a month's time.
