Zac Lloyd and Chris Waller proving to be a dynamite duo

Top apprentices Zac Lloyd and Dylan Gibbons resume hostilities at Rosehill on Saturday as they chase Sydney premiership honours.

Zac Lloyd has a strong book at Rosehill on Saturday which includes three rides for trainer Chris Waller. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images

Zac Lloyd heads into the final month of the season two wins shy of his mate and rival jockey Dylan Gibbons in the race for the Sydney apprentice premiership.

With nine meetings left in 2022/23 it promises to be a mouth-watering clash between the two young talents, but Lloyd hopes to carry on where he left off on Wednesday.

At the Warwick Farm midweek meeting he closed out the seven-race card with the final two winners of the day, the last his sixth win from just 16 rides for Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller.

The lethal combination is striking at 37.5 per cent and on Saturday they will team up with three runners – Fearnought (race 2), Logan Street Lion (race 8) and Villaden (race 9).

“I’ve got some nice rides for Mr Waller,” Lloyd said.

“I knew we’d had a bit of success together, but I didn’t realise it was that good.

“Hopefully we can improve it even further on Saturday.”

Saturday will also see Lloyd make his debut on runners out of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.

He’ll be aboard two favourites for Tulloch Lodge, last start winner Resonator (race 3) and the lightly raced Hi Dubai (race 6).

Dylan Gibbons returns from suspension at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images

“It’s the first time I’ve ridden for Mrs Waterhouse so that’s something I’m really looking forward to on Saturday,” Lloyd said.

“I think I’ll really suit the stable’s horses.

“I’m confident out in front and that’s how Mrs Waterhouse likes her horses to be ridden.”

Another horse that Lloyd is looking forward to riding on Saturday is the Matt Dunn-trained Emperor in the TAB Highway Handicap (1100m).

“It’s going to be a real battle with Mogo Magic,” Lloyd said.

“Emperor is a very nice horse, very quick which should keep him out of trouble in the big highway fields.”

Back to the race for the apprentices’ title.

Gibbons, who has eight rides on Saturday, leads with 63 winners for the season, two clear of Lloyd who has nine engagements at Rosehill.

“With a month to go it really is game on. It’s going to be some battle,” Lloyd said.

“We’re obviously great mates so there’s plenty riding on it but we haven’t spoken about it once.

“We both know it’s close and the end of the season is just around the corner but nothing’s going to change, we’ll just continue doing our job and see how things play out.

“If he wins it by one or if I win it by one, that’s the way it is.

“As long as we both keep riding a lot of winners.”

Originally published as Zac Lloyd and Chris Waller proving to be a dynamite duo