Zac Lloyd aiming to win The Everest seven years after father Jeff Lloyd rode in inaugural race

Retired champion jockey Jeff Lloyd once rode in The Everest and now he believes his son can win racing’s most coveted sprint prize.

Jeff Lloyd rode in the inaugural The Everest in 2017 and fast forward seven years and he has the ultimate confidence his young jockey son Zac has the horse to deliver him racing’s richest prize.

The Everest was worth $10m in its first year when Redzel won the sparkling new race and Queenslander Jeff Lloyd partnered flying filly Houtzen to finish seven.

Jeff retired from riding in 2019 and now manages his son, star Sydney apprentice Zac who will partner Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Stefi Magnetica in the $20m The Everest.

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The history books will need to be rewritten for Stefi Magnetica to claim Everest glory as no filly or mare has won the race and no apprentice jockey has either.

During the Queensland winter carnival, Jeff Lloyd was full of confidence that son Zac would win his first Group 1 aboard Stefi Magnetica in the Stradbroke.

Jeff knows it will be a tougher task in The Everest against Australia’s best sprinters and with Stefi Magnetica carrying 56.5kg after scoring the Stradbroke with the featherweight of 50kg on her back.

But after watching Bjorn Baker’s mare storm home to narrowly miss winning The Shorts over 1100m, Jeff Lloyd believes son Zac can add an Everest trophy to his growing trophy cabinet.

Zac Lloyd aboard Stefi Magnetica after breaking through for his maiden Group 1 win in the Stradbroke Handicap. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

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“I think this horse is a very unassuming horse, I was very confident before the Stradbroke when I went and had a long look at her videos of all her starts and her trials,” Jeff Lloyd said.

“I could see the progress that she was making and the unbelievable turn of foot that she had, even though a few times she was unlucky.

“I thought she could win the Stradbroke and the same now goes for The Everest.

“It’s another step up, she hasn’t got 50kg any more.

“But I’ve got to go with what Zac feels and he is so confident with this mare and has so much trust in her.

“He just speaks so highly of her.”

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The Queensland winter carnival has often been a springboard for Everest success, including when Think About It won last year’s Stradbroke before claiming The Everest.

Even in the first running of The Everest, Redzel had bounced out of a Group 1 Doomben 10,000 triumph in the preceding winter carnival.

“Sometimes people overlook the Queensland form,” Lloyd said.

“But for certain races it seems to be a nice stepping stone.

“Zac and I will have a chat on race day, I like to have an idea myself how the race is going to be run and then I will ask him what he is thinking.

“Often we don’t think the same way, it’s quite interesting.

“I will think a race will pan out a certain way and he will disagree, we will have a chat about it and obviously then there’s a plan that he puts forward to the trainer and the owners.

“We try to cover all angles, but sometimes when the barriers open, nothing works out as you planned.”

Jeff Lloyd rode Houtzen in first The Everest in 2017. Picture: Jerad Williams

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Stefi Magnetica has drawn barrier six and is rated a $14 chance in The Everest.

After the recent birth of a grandchild, Jeff Lloyd will remain in Queensland rather than being on course at Randwick for Everest day.

He is happiest and more relaxed watching on the television anyway, believing he sees more on the TV than being there in the flesh.

Jeff Lloyd quipped it was “payback time” for son Zac if he scored rich Everest pickings and it would be time for the youngster to support his old man.

It will be Zac Lloyd’s second ride in The Everest after he finished fifth on Godolphin galloper Cylinder last year.

Originally published as Zac Lloyd aiming to win The Everest seven years after father Jeff Lloyd rode in inaugural race