Zac Lloyd eyes fast start as senior jockey after stellar apprenticeship

After the greatest Sydney apprenticeship in more than 40 years, Zac Lloyd is keen to “get going quickly on Saturday” at Rosehill as he returns from suspension a fully fledged jockey.

And Lloyd is looking to Pereille, State Of America and debutant Gallo Nero as his best chances of making a winning start.

Zac Lloyd takes State Of America to victory at Rosehill on November 2.Credit: Getty Images

The 21-year-old came out of his time indentured to Godolphin trainer James Cummings this week after 157.5 NSW metropolitan winners and two Sydney apprentices’ premierships.

His haul in just over two seasons of city riding after moving from the Gold Coast was the best by an apprentice since Wayne Harris racked up more than 200 across a hat-trick of titles ending in 1981.

“It’s been a great four years,” said Lloyd, the son of champion South African hoop Jeff Lloyd.

“Not much is going to change, obviously not riding with a claim for the last probably year and a half or so, but it’s just good to be a fully fledged jockey now.

Zac Lloyd’s days as an apprentice are over.Credit: Getty Images

“Hopefully, we can get going quickly on Saturday.”

Already established in the senior ranks and with two group 1s to his name, Lloyd’s goals now are simple.

“I just want to stay in the game, try not to get suspended and just be consistent,” he said.

“Try to ride a winner at every metro meeting, that’s always a goal I set myself.

‘He’s got a light weight, a good barrier, and he’s going to be right in the finish.’

Zac Lloyd on Pereille’s chances on Saturday

“Every meeting, you get a winner, it keeps you ticking over. Then you’ll have your good meetings. But just staying consistent is the main goal.”

Pereille, trained by Cummings, in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) shapes as one of his top chances in his return from a two-week careless riding suspension.

A well-backed $5 Sportsbet hope, Pereille has an excellent second-up and wet-track record, which could be key with Rosehill tipped to cop showers.

“Hopefully, it is wet because he loves it,” Lloyd said.

Tannhauser will have Zac Lloyd aboard at Rosehill.Credit: Getty

“He won one day at the Sunshine Coast by four lengths on a very wet track, so probably the wetter the better for him. He’s got a light weight, a good barrier, and he’s going to be right in the finish for sure.”

The money has also come for David Payne-trained State Of America ($5.50) in the listed ATC Cup (2000m). Lloyd has ridden him to wins in his past three starts.

“David Payne said he didn’t want to run him without me, so he’s waited until I was back. That’s a good bit of confidence,” Lloyd said.

“He’s got a light weight. It was a good track last time at Rosehill, but it was raining during his race, so I don’t think the wet fazes him either. He’s just a horse that’s going well.”

In the feature group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m), Lloyd has Chris Waller’s Tannhauser ($17) from the extreme outside gate.

“I think I was booked for one of Ciaron Maher’s in that race, and he didn’t end up coming down,” he said.

“I’ve ended up on Tannhauser, which I thought was a sneaky good ride. I thought he ran really well first-up, but barrier 18 is going to be a bit tricky, so we’ll see if he runs him.”

As for his other rides, Lloyd was quick to mention the Hawkes-trained colt Gallo Nero, which he has trialled, in the 1100m race for two-year-olds to start the program.

“He’s a nice colt,” he said.

“He did draw 10 out of 10, but I think the horse in nine will probably lead, so if I can make my way across with that, that could end up OK.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle jockey Dylan Gibbons, who finished just four wins behind Lloyd in the 2022-23 apprentices’ title, had shoulder reconstruction surgery on Wednesday and will miss at least another three months of riding.

Gibbons was thrown from Whatever It Takes, having his first run in more than two years, pre-race at Port Macquarie on October 11 and landed on his left shoulder.

He was back riding six days later after being cleared but had trouble again with the joint on November 2 at Rosehill. He then cut short his day at Randwick on November 5 because of the injury and has since been sidelined.