A brilliant ride from Zac Lloyd on classy filly Makarena delivers a special with for Team Hawkes in Golden Pendant

The talent has always been there but luck finally went the way of smart filly Makarena with a superb ride from Zac Lloyd in the Group 2 Golden Pendant at Rosehill.

Zac Lloyd guides Makarena to victory in the Group 2 Golden Pendant at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Flashy chestnut Makarena finally delivered on her undoubtable talent with a hard earned maiden stakes success at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The daughter of Snitzel produced a sustained sprinting effort to down ex-West Aussie weapon Amelia’s Jewel to win the Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m).

Makarena won the $500,000 Tapp-Craig around this time last spring but had a frustrating run during Sydney’s autumn carnival.

She finished no worse than fifth in five autumn runs, for two seconds and a fourth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).

A throat operation before her spring campaign has helped Makarena recapture her best this spring.

A well deserved Group win for Makarena, who takes the Golden Pendant under @zaclloydx for @HawkesRacing! 💥 pic.twitter.com/lb3QojWHcs

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 28, 2024

“She showed her true colours today,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.

“It was all about really just trying to get her in a rhythm.

“Last start, nothing really went right for her, she just wanted to chase, the horse went off out in front and nothing went to plan.

“But today was a different race, 1400m, Zac got her into a beautiful rhythm and she travelled well.”

The stakes breakthrough was made all the more special for trainers Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes.

Makarena is raced by the trio’s wives of Clare, Jenny and Jane and put her third win on the board on home turf.

Star apprentice Zac Lloyd had Makarena travelling well outside the leader Tropical Squall but took over from the pacesetter inside the final 300m.

Makarena ($4.60) continued to find over the concluding stages to beat the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Amelia’s Jewel ($2.80) by a one-and-a-quarter lengths.

Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Arctic Glamour ($9.50) was a half neck away in third.

“I thought Zac rode her perfect,” Hawkes said.

“The game was to not worry about anything else but more to worry about getting her in a rhythm.

“He just kept tabs on the winner and what I liked when he came around the corner, he still had a lapful of horse.

“He actually hadn’t gone for her and when he did she wanted to roll in a little bit but she is still learning.”

Makarena did the bulk of the chasing first-up this preparation in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes and battled on for fourth but was a different beast over seven furlongs on Saturday.

Lloyd confidence grew from the moment she entered the mounting yard.

Hear from winning trainer Michael Hawkes and jockey @zaclloydx after Makarena's impressive on-pace victory in the G2 Golden Pendant. @HawkesRacingpic.twitter.com/Lj98eU7I0L

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 28, 2024

“I was very happy with the way she was parading,” Lloyd said.

“Last prep she was a bit hot, a bit fizzy, and that showed in her races. She used to over-race a bit whereas today she was very tractable.”

“I was able to get a slipstream off Tropical Squall for a bit and then at the 600m I popped out. And I felt like the winner the whole way. She really handled that race well and dictated it.”

A list of big money options are available for Makarena this spring, including Sydney’s lucrative $10 million Golden Eagle.

“You got the Invitation and the Golden Eagle, it’s all there,” Hawkes said.

“There is no rush and in truth it was just about getting a Group win under her belt and she has that now which is great.

“I have always thought she was a Group 1 filly. Last preparation she just throat and we knew that.

“We had to push on and she should have won the Emancipation.

“We gave her the tieback operation to get her right and she is just a really free flowing sort of filly.”

Jockey Tommy Berry said while he was disappointed he didn’t win, he wasn’t disappointed in Amelia’s Jewel’s performance.

“It felt like she was looking for a mile today.

“Even though the track is drying out, it has been well documented on firm ground is where she is best suited.

“We’ll let the dust settle, proud of her efforts and see where we go from there.”

Semana ($3) was well respected in betting but never fired a shot.

Originally published as A brilliant ride from Zac Lloyd on classy filly Makarena delivers a special with for Team Hawkes in Golden Pendant