Craig Kerry
Zac Lloyd has returned from his breakthrough success overseas hungry for more, but not before gaining momentum at home heading into the spring carnival.
The 22-year-old rode seven winners across four tracks in England and another at the group 1 Durban July meeting in South Africa during a six-week sojourn which included a dream victory at Royal Ascot aboard Moonfall in the Britannia Stakes for main supporter, trainer George Boughey.
This year’s Golden Slipper winner on Guest House hoped the success would lead to regular invites to those major international meetings and more.
“It was really, really interesting in England. The racing was great, their horses are very good. Great trainers, and I really enjoyed my time there,” said Lloyd, who had a winning double at Canterbury on Wednesday in his return meeting.
“George Boughey was very welcoming. I had two winners for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, which was great. I rode some very nice horses. Musical Times for Godolphin, she looks like a very good filly, so it was a great stint and hopefully that can snowball for years to come.
“Going over there, like James [McDonald] does every year, to ride at Ascot. I think it’s going to open opportunities. If I can ride at Ascot every year, that’d be great.”
The South African-born star, who heads to Randwick on Saturday with a select book of four rides, was keen to take learnings from his trip into the new season. He sits on 73 winners in Sydney this campaign, behind only McDonald (88).
“It was great to ride with other great jockeys of the world, that part of it was really good,” he said.
“I lived with David Egan, he’s a very, very good rider who also rides in America, and I stayed with Billy Loughnane as well. He’s going for the championship there.
“It was good to see how they go about their routine and live. The one thing I learned from over there is they’re very good with their work and they’re very professional. It was great to spend time with them.
“I had just the one meeting in Africa. It’s a race I would like to win someday, the Durban July. I didn’t do it this year, but hopefully I can win it sometime.”
Lloyd said more overseas campaigns were in the pipeline but “hopefully I can get some momentum now for the carnival coming up”.
His rides on Saturday include two horses for champion trainer Chris Waller which have yet to live up to their price tag.
Defensemen, $1.4 million Wootton Bassett colt, was into $4 in the two-year-old race to start the program after a draw in gate one and a third last time out at Canterbury. His other placing in four starts was third in the Kirkham Plate on debut.
Ernaux, a $3 million I Am Invincible-Booker yearling for American billionaire John Stewart, has one win and six placings in 14 starts. The three-year-old filly was a $9 chance from gate three in the fourth. Lloyd also rides Nandina ($5.50), a daughter of Catkins, in the last for Waller.
“I didn’t want to take too many rides first Saturday back, but it’s good to ride for Chris,” Lloyd said.
“Defensemen, he’s a good chance and he ran well last start in the midweeks. Ernaux just needs things to go right. She can be a bit keen, so a good barrier is very vital for her.”
His other ride is on Ciaron Maher-trained It’s A Knockout ($6) in the ninth.
“She’s a good horse on her day,” he said.
“I’ve seen the backside of her a few times when she’s beaten me, but we haven’t drawn very well, so we might need a bit of luck from there, but naturally she probably comes from midfield anyway.”
