Reece Jones claims first Group 1 triumph with Land Legend in The Metropolitan after rival’s protest fails

Reece Jones has waited patiently to win a Group 1 and there were a few nerves in the sterwards’ room after Land Legend claimed The Metropolitan at Randwick.

Reece Jones celebrates his first Group 1 win aboard Land Legend in The Metropolitan at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Lightweight jockey Reece Jones captured his maiden Group 1 the hard way after surviving a protest to salute on Land Legend at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Jones was first past the post in the $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) after staging a neck-and-neck dual with star apprentice Zac Lloyd on Zardozi for the length of the straight.

But Jones nearly saw his Group 1 dreams dashed in an instant as Lloyd fired in a protest, alleging interference at the 400m mark.

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Land Legend ($7.50) made contact with Zardozi ($7) as the field turned for home in what Lloyd described as a “good bump”.

The pair were split by a short half-head at the line.

“It might have knocked the wind out of the sails,” Lloyd said.

Jones was adamant the interference didn’t impact the result and felt like pressure from Zardozi’s inside by Unusual Legacy contributed to the incident.

He thought Land Legend had to fight back from behind over the final 350m.

“I have to claw back that margin over the concluding stages,” he said.

Stewards said while there was interference, in their opinion it wasn’t enough to overturn the result.

It was a moment of relief for Jones, who came through the Sydney apprentice ranks at the same time as Lloyd as well as fellow Group 1-winning hoops Dylan Gibbons and Tyler Schiller.

He was the only one of the quartet that hadn’t tasted success at the top level.

How's that for a finish?!

Land Legend and Zardozi hit the line as one...
and it's Land Legend with Reece Jones in the saddle, who gets his first G1 in The Metropolitan! 🙌@aus_turf_club | @cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/NagOHmWt7r

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

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“It’s a little bit surreal,” Jones said.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for a while. I’ve got my partner Sam here today.

“Just it’s been unreal for everyone that’s kind of helped me get to where I am.

“I’m just really thankful to Bon Ho and the Waller team for keeping their faith in me and letting me ride him today.”

“I’ve kind of waited my turn. It’s surreal, don’t get me wrong. I’m not the emotional type, but this is fantastic. I can’t be happier.”

Land Legend won the St Leger last spring while still trained by James Ferguson but didn’t race throughout the Sydney’s autumn carnival after joining Waller’s yard.

He was one of six Waller contenders in the Group 1 and was cherry ripe for the staying test as stablemate and favourite Unusual Legacy battled for third.

“We picked this race out, I guess six months ago and said we’ll do it third-up and make sure we’ve still got something left for the rest of the spring as well,” Waller said.

“When it was a hard-fought finish, I just wondered whether his condition would hold out because he’s actually quite a gross horse, he’s a bit of a bulldog. And he was tough the last 100m.”

It was a Group 1 fill up for the Waller stable as the champion trainer claimed the Group 1 Flight Stakes with Lady Shenandoah and Flemington’s Turnbull Stakes with Via Sistina.

Originally published as Reece Jones claims first Group 1 triumph with Land Legend in The Metropolitan after rival’s protest fails