Chad Schofield will get his first feel of the might of Japanese horses when he rides Kiseki in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin later this month as the Land of the Rising Sun prepare a four-pronged attack in the eight-horse race.

The 27-year-old was offered the ride after throwing his hat in the ring some time ago with the HK$25 million contest ripe for the picking due to a lack of depth among Hong Kong’s top-line gallopers.

With leading local hopes Exultant (Zac Purton) and Furore (Joao Moreira) booked well in advance, Schofield turned his attention off shore and it has paid off with connections of the Yasuyuki Tsujino-trained galloper throwing their support behind him.

“It’s good, obviously with the Covid restrictions it has brought about the opportunity to ride the horse but it is really exciting,” he said.

“The Japanese horses always come here and do very well and I think this year’s QE II will be no different.

“I know there are a few of them coming for it so we are just hoping I am on the right one really.”

Schofield is looking to follow in the footsteps of his father Glyn, who won the race in 2004 aboard River Dancer.

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The Cox Plate-winning jockey is looking forward to going through the form to learn the seven-year-old’s quirks before the race, but there is one thing he knows for certain.

“You know they are going to be well prepared when they come here,” he said.

“I only got the ride on Thursday so I will have to do my homework on him. I have never ridden a Japanese horse before so it will be new.

“I contacted an agent in Japan a while back and thankfully he was able to put my name out there, so I went in the hat and we got one – it is exciting.”

The colt last raced in Hong Kong during the 2017 Hong Kong Vase where he bombed the start and finished ninth after starting a $3.60 chance.

Schofield will also ride Rattan in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize where the veteran speedster returns from a brief injury lay-off.

“I am looking forward to riding him in the Sprint, in my opinion he is an underrated horse. On his best, he can win a Group One sprint like this where the ranks are quite thin,” he said.

“He is coming off an injury but I rode him on Friday morning and he felt good and free in his action.”

Meanwhile, Schofield remains focused on the short term with the talented Fantastic Treasure looking to keep his unbeaten run going in the Class Three Ma Kong Shan Handicap (1,400m).

The three-year-old has shone in his two starts to date, putting away Class Four rivals with ease, however Schofield is keen to see what he can produce as a three-year-old stepping up into Class Three for the first time.

“He is very exciting. He was impressive on debut, but his second win was even better,” he said. “He showed a fantastic turn of foot and he put them away in a couple of strides, it was soft in the end.

“We have always said that 1,400m will be even more suitable for him. He is up into Class Three now against older horses and PP’s so it is going to be a different kettle of fish. He has a lot of quality to handle that but so it will be how he can measure up at this point.”

He races against the likes of Beauty Fit – formerly Barocha in Australia – who turned in an eye-catching third on debut in Hong Kong for trainer John Size.