Trainer David Payne has been left in the lurch for this Saturday’s Rosehill meeting after his apprentice Chad Schofield broke his hand last Sunday.

Schofield broke a bone in his hand when he was dislodged from Clarry Conners’ Princess Electra at Bathurst.

“He’s broken a bone in his hand so he will probably be out for three to four weeks,” Payne said.

Payne will now look to fellow apprentice Blake Spriggs to ride two of his five runners this Saturday.

Spriggs will take the ride on three-year-old Ranchero in the That’s Fishy Handicap.

Payne was hoping to run Ranchero in the 3,200 metre Stayer’s Cup last weekend, but decide it may be too difficult a task so early in the horse’s career.

“The two miles would have been ideal,” Payne said.

“That’s what he’s looking for.

“But it was just too soon for him.

“The penny is only just starting to drop.”

Payne is hoping that Ranchero may turn into one of his best stayers and anticipates he will be a regular contender in many of the top stakes races later in his career.

“It’ll be another year before I even look at those races but he is a real stayer,” Payne said.

“I think he’ll run very well (on Saturday), he’s improving all the time.”