Lloyd learning the art of patience after wild ride in debut season
Zac Lloyd came into Sydney with a bang last season, but there are no second-season blues as the star apprentice continues to build a career in a somewhat quieter manner.
In an outstanding first season, the 20-year-old won Sydney’s champion apprentice title and broke Chris Waller’s 12-year stranglehold on the Bart Cummings Medal, which is judged on a points system at each Sydney metropolitan meeting.
Star apprentice Zac Lloyd is set to get more opportunities at Godolphin this winter
in an outstanding first season.
It was a high bar to set and, while Lloyd still hasn’t banked the group 1 victory he craves, he has 45½ city wins, which should enable him to defend his champion apprentice crown.
He has earned nearly $10 million in prizemoney, which is double his total in his first season with a couple of months to go, and sits sixth on jockeys premiership.
“I’m just trying to stay consistent and keeping my nose clean a bit better. That has helped,” Lloyd said with a dash of maturity. “It is harder without a claim but I’m getting better.”
His first season in Sydney produced 76 winners – only James McDonald rode more winners in Sydney – but he had numerous suspensions, and that discipline has been the focus for Lloyd and mentor Darren Beadman to work on.
“I have learned patience. I was just trying too hard and going for runs that weren’t there,” Lloyd said. “I was just desperate to prove myself last year, but I have my place in the jockeys room now. I’m not putting as much pressure on myself.”
There might not be the trebles and doubles that flowed as Lloyd rode down his metropolitan claim in under 12 months, but there are still the winners and different opportunities.
He ran fourth on Cylinder in the Everest and third on Golden Mile in the Golden Eagle as his light weight gave him more opportunities for Godolphin, and he has recently started riding one morning a week for Chris Waller at Rosehill.
“Godolphin have given me the chance to do it and it is part of learning more about riding,” Lloyd said. “It was good of James [Cummings] to allow me to do that, and I’m getting a few rides for Mr Waller now.
“[Waller-trained] Scarlet Oak is probably my best ride at Gosford. I rode her first up when she was second in the James Carr and she gave me the feel of a very good filly.
“She drops back to benchmark company from a group 3, and she’s definitely a horse I would want to stick with, if possible.”
However, Godolphin is still home for Lloyd. He will finish his apprenticeship with them and knows his chances will come there.
“During the carnival they can get the seniors on their best hopes, and I just have to wait my time,” Lloyd said. “I’m learning so much from Darren and the team there, and I’m a better rider because of it.
“But now as the winter comes there will be more chances to get on their better chances, and it is always good to ride a winner for the team.”
Lloyd will ride Pisces, Jambalaya and Fleetwood in the blue silks at Gosford and has good rides for them at Scone carnival next week.
He is looking forward to the return of Jambalaya, which has won once in three starts, in benchchmark 78 over 1000m at Gosford.
“He’s obviously a horse with a lot of ability that just hasn’t been able to put his racing manners all together yet,” Lloyd said. “His two trials back, he’s relaxed better. He looks a much better horse mentally, and hopefully from a good barrier he will relax and show a turn of foot.”
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