Winning spoils shared as Lloyd ends illustrious career

APPRENTICE Jackson Murphy started with a welcome winner for Gold Coast trainer Mel Eggleston before the day proceeded without a multiple race winning jockey.

FAREWELL: Jockey Jeff Lloyd is thanked by Ipswich Turf Club chairman Wayne Patch after his final ride at the Bundamba track.

TURF CHAT

APPRENTICE Jackson Murphy started Ipswich's latest meeting with a welcome winner for Gold Coast trainer Mel Eggleston before the day proceeded without a multiple race winning jockey.

Raging Royal was the winner at double figure odds. It was the five-year-old gelding's maiden win at his 17th start.

Other winning jockeys on Friday were Jeff Lloyd aboard Wicked Heights for Sunshine Coast trainer Paul Jenkins, and Brisbane jockeys Brad Stewart and Ryan Wiggins aboard Tony Gollan's Amicitia, and Leanne McCormick's Mountbatten respectively.

Tegan Harrison had a winner with Rex Lipp's Takotsubo and Taylor Marshall found the line aboard Craig Cousin's The Great Boombino.

Jockey Jackson Murphy salutes with victory aboard Raging Royal at Ipswich racetrack. Picture: Cordell Richardson

Apprentice Adin Thompson was the other winning rider as he steered home Downloading with a perfectly timed front- running ride for the Anderson / Heathcote racing stable.

This recently formed partnership is having great success and looks set to start the new season with a bang.

Lloyd's last win?

RETIRING premier Jockey Jeff Lloyd rode Wicked Heights to a win in the second race last Friday, and while it was unknown at the time, this victory would prove to be the last of a stellar career.

That career has spanned the world starting in South Africa then to Hong Kong among other countries, before the final five years in South East Queensland.

With an incredible 26% win strike rate at Ipswich over the past season, Lloyd effectively sealed his second premiership title in two years at Ipswich with a narrow margin to spare on Wicked Heights, the race favourite.

Immediately after that second race, Ipswich Turf Club chairman Wayne Patch was on hand for a special presentation with the retiring premier jockey. Patch noted the number of wins at Ipswich for Lloyd being in excess of 150 in a relatively short period.

Lloyd's final day in the saddle was on Saturday at Doomben. However there was no winner to be found leaving Ipswich as the location of the final winner for the much admired hoop.

While Lloyd looks long odds on to again collect this season's premier hoop award at Ipswich, trainer Tony Gollan looks even shorter odds to collect his fifth consecutive title.

Infrastructure milestone nears

IT is clear to see the infrastructure improvements well under way at Ipswich racecourse.

The main building is projected to be completed in a couple of months and will be followed by upgrade of TL Cooney Avenue, new horse stalls and workshed, demolition of old horse stalls and sheds, and finally installation of the new carpark as part of the development permit for the new jockey's room, steward's room, and member's lounge building.

Another important part of the infrastructure improvements is the re-roofing over the Eye Liner Lounge - this has been completed and allows refurbishments to commence to both the Eye Liner and Jibboom Lounges.

These refurbishments will soon be under way as the facility undergoes a site-wide transformation over the next year.

Next meetings

The next Ipswich meeting is on Friday, followed by another Friday program on July 26 to round out the season.