Zac Lloyd begins new chapter in his riding career as he joins senior ranks
Zac Lloyd embarks on his first day as a senior rider after completing a highly successful apprenticeship, and is already pondering what’s next for him.
When two-time champion apprentice Zac Lloyd went out to dinner with Hall of Famer Darren Beadman on Tuesday night, he asked his long-time mentor a simple question.
“What’s next, Daz?”
The pair were celebrating the end of one of the most successful apprenticeships of the modern era and the beginning of a new chapter for Sydney’s young gun.
With Lloyd preparing to ride for the first time as a senior rider with a capacity book of 10 rides this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens, it was a good time to plan for the future.
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Lloyd has already accomplished more than most apprentices would dream of.
Not since Wayne Harris, a three-time champion apprentice from 1978/79 to 1980/81, has there been a more successful apprentice in Sydney.
Lloyd rode 76 winners to claim the 2022/23 title and 60.5 to defend his premiership the following season.
He also snared a pair of Group 1s, 20 stakes winners and the 2023 Bart Cummings Medal.
“My goals were to be where I am today,” Lloyd said.
“I’ve always thought I would make it.
“I have good self-belief, and I set myself some big targets which I’m proud to say I’ve achieved.”
Lloyd’s career started at a nondescript meeting at Dalby on November 27, 2020.
He made the move down to Sydney to join Godolphin in May, 2022 and Beadman has been one of his most important mentors since then.
Beadman, a seven-time champion jockey, has watched closely as his protege has established himself in Australia’s strongest jockeys’ room.
For Beadman, one accomplishment stands out above the rest.
“I think his biggest achievement since coming to Godolphin was knocking Chris Waller off to win the Bart Cummings Medal,” Beadman said.
“Winning that award was recognition for his consistency. To do that as an apprentice is a major feat.
“Chris Waller has had a mortgage on that award since its inception so for Zac to be the one to beat him was a massive feather in his cap.”
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Lloyd is managed by his father and 94-time Group 1 winning rider Jeff Lloyd who together with Beadman have been the biggest influences on Zac’s career.
“I’ve been very lucky to have great experience around me and even as a senior rider I’ll continue to lean on them,” he said.
“As much as people like Dad (Jeff) and Darren (Beadman) has been a massive help, it ultimately boils down to how hard I want to work.
“They don’t ride the horses with me, they can only tell me what I did right or what I did wrong.
“It’s been up to me to learn from my mistakes and experiences to make me a better rider.
“I’ve been blessed with the help I’ve got, especially when things haven’t been going great, that’s when they’ve been the most important support to me.”
There’s no doubt dad and Beadman will continue to be there as Lloyd begins the next chapter in what’s set to be a storied career.
Where it leads remains to be seen but Beadman’s answer to Lloyd’s question could give a fair indication.
“He said, ‘I told you to brush up on your Mandarin and Japanese so how’s that going’? Lloyd revealed.
“I went to school in Hong Kong and was very good at Mandarin. I was in the top class with all the Chinese kids, but I need to brush up on the language.
“I also did Japanese for a few years at school so I have an understanding of how to read and write but I need a refresher.
“That’s what I plan to do in 2025 because Japan and Hong Kong are two of the pinnacles of racing in the world and that’s a future ambition to ride in those places.
“Knowing the languages and you’re three lengths ahead but one step at a time.
“Riding in Asia is the ultimate goal for the future.”
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The home front will be Lloyd’s main focus for the foreseeable future.
He will have the opportunity to snare a stakes trifecta in his first day as a senior rider when he connects with Pereille in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m), Tannhauser in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) and State Of America in the Listed ATC Cup (2000m).
Lloyd’s full book on first day as senior rider
Zac Lloyd has a full book of 10 rides for his first day as a senior jockey at Rosehill on Saturday and his first engagement could be a horse destined for big things in 2025.
There’s been plenty of whispers about the talents of the Hawkes Racing-trained Gallo Nero, an unraced son of Coolmore’s star northern hemisphere stallion Wootton Bassett (GB).
He stood this season in the Hunter Valley at $192,500 and in the new year he will cover another crop of Northern Hemisphere-based mares at 300,000 euros after he fee was raised by 100,000 euros.
Gallo Nero, the winner of the second of his two trials, has to overcome the outside barrier in the field of 10 in the Ranvet 2YO Handicap (1100m) after already firming from $8 into $5.
“I think he’s a very nice colt,” Lloyd said.
“I know the stable have a very good opinion of him.”
The first of Saturday’s three features is the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) and Lloyd will be aboard Pereille for his former boss James Cummings.
🉠Dragonstone gives @PrideRacing a Randwick double!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/1HlvUDVAqP
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 5, 2024
The Fastnet Rock gelding caught the eye late resuming from a wide gate while this time he fared more favourably in the barrier draw and will start from two.
“He’s going really well and comes into the race really fresh,” Lloyd said.
“I expect him to run very well.”
The Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) is the main race of the day on Saturday and Lloyd will partner the Chris Waller-trained Tannhauser which is first-up but has to overcome the outside barrier in the 18-horse field.
It's @cwallerracing and @mcacajamez to finish the day at Doomben!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 18, 2024
Tannhauser a bit too strong late and wins the G3 Rough Habit Plate beating Autumn Angel and Kintyre. pic.twitter.com/fvfxI47zAg
“He’s a stakes winner so he has the quality, but we have a shocking draw to overcome,” he said.
“It’s an open race and if he has luck he’s in with a chance.”
Rounding out the black-type action on Saturday is the Listed ATC Cup (2000m) and Lloyd will chase his fourth consecutive win aboard the David Payne-trained State Of America.
🇺🇸 State Of America makes it three wins in a row! 😮@DPayneRacing | @ZacLloydx | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/3aeOV7K1tU
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 2, 2024
Payne only locked the race in for the gelding once it was confirmed Lloyd could ride the son of American Pharoah (USA).
“He’s going great,” he said.
“He’s a talented and progressive stayer that deserves his chance in a good race.
“He’ll also appreciate a drop to 53kg after carrying big weights. He’ll run well.”
Originally published as Zac Lloyd begins new chapter in his riding career as he joins senior ranks
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