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Newly minted G1 rider to continue kicking career goals

With a Group 1 win in his pocket, junior rider Zac Lloyd is wasting no time getting back to the bread-and-butter of his business.

ZAC LLOYD.
ZAC LLOYD. Picture: Steve Hart

Darren Beadman believes Zac Lloyd is ready to take his career to the next level after the apprentice's Group One breakthrough aboard Stefi Magnetica in the Stradbroke Handicap.

The former champion jockey has been one of Lloyd's mentors during the junior hoop's internship at Godolphin, there to congratulate him for the highs and help him navigate the disappointments.

Last season's champion Sydney apprentice, Lloyd spent months watching on as close friends and fellow young jockeys Tyler Schiller and Dylan Gibbons captured majors, wondering when his turn would come.

It arrived at his 22nd attempt with a brilliant steer aboard the Bjorn Baker-trained Stefi Magnetica in Queensland's most prestigious race and a proud Beadman predicts Lloyd's career will soar off the back of it.

"He has sustained the pressure well right from the get-go," Beadman said of Lloyd.

"It's not easy to be riding at the level he is riding at with no claim and still be in the top five or six (in the Sydney premiership), that speaks volumes.

"Sometimes you just overtry in those big races when you start to have a few rides and not get the results. As I explained to him, racing does involve ability, but it's more about your mental approach to it.

"It was a very deserving win and that just might be the wind in the sails that he needs."

With 53-1/2 metropolitan victories this season, Lloyd is sixth on the Sydney jockeys' premiership, less than three wins behind fifth-placed Tommy Berry.

Beadman has seen a gradual and positive shift in Lloyd's mental approach and decision making under pressure and feels privileged to have been able to contribute advice based on his own experiences.

"There are a lot of peaks and troughs mentally and I've been fortunate enough to be able to work him through it and help him through it because I've been there and done that as a rider myself," Beadman said.

"I'm sure other people have helped him in that area too. It's very much a mental game and that's where it sorts the wheat from the chaff."

Lloyd has been straight back to work this week with rides at the NSW provincial and midweek metropolitan meetings and has a book of six mounts at Randwick on Saturday.

Among them is Setombe for Godolphin in the James Squire Handicap (1300m), a highly-strung filly who will require a focused ride.

"When Ashley Morgan won on her, he rode her a twelve out of ten and she won with a lot of authority," Beadman said.

"She drew soft and was able to get into a nice position with no push, no pull.

"She is a nice filly going places. But you've got to work with her, she doesn't work with you."

Setombe is a $9.50 chance while stablemate Kerguelen, to be partnered by James Mcdonald, is an even-money favourite for the same race.

The latter arrives under a weight of expectation after demolishing his rivals by 9-1/2 lengths on debut at Kembla Grange.

He missed his next run due to a wash-out, instead kept up to the mark with a barrier trial, and Beadman said he was an exciting young horse who faced an interesting challenge.

"It's a big thing to go to a benchmark 72 second start in a race - that's the biggest question mark," Beadman said.

"He's got a lot of upside, so we will see where the water level ends up with him on Saturday."


Racing and Sports

Randwick Saturday, 22nd June 2024

6f102y TURF HEAVY 10
AUD $160,000

JAMES SQUIRE HANDICAP

AUD $160,000
Age: 3yo Type: BM72 Fastest Time: 1:14.85 Vienna Princess 14 Oct 2023 4yo OPEN(SW) SOT:G
6f102y TURF HEAVY 10
Tab
Form
Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
BP
Trainer
WT
1
3360x
FLYING TRAPEZE (AUS) 4yo H
TRAPEZE ARTIST (AUS) - COROMANDEL (AUS)
JETT STANLEY
3
GARY PORTELLI
61.5kg

Sales Information

2
67186
DISNECK (AUS) 4yo G
TRAPEZE ARTIST (AUS) - LINDISFARNE (USA)
BAILEY WHEELER
11
BJORN BAKER
60kg

Sales Information

3
27417
NAVY BLOOD (AUS) 4yo H
MERCHANT NAVY (AUS) - PLATELET (AUS)
NASH RAWILLER
12
R & W FREEDMAN
60kg

Sales Information

4
x1x91
NEED SOME LUCK (AUS) 4yo G
RUBICK (AUS) - LOVELY JUBLY (AUS)
TOMMY BERRY
3
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
58.5kg
5
21x01
LIFE COACH (AUS) 4yo G
SUPIDO (AUS) - ORCYM (AUS)
OLIVIA CHAMBERS
7
B M LAZZARINI
57.5kg

Sales Information

6
16x11
SHEHASATTITUDE (AUS) 4yo M
SPILL THE BEANS (AUS) - LE QUIRKY (AUS)
MADELINE OWEN
4
ANTHONY CUMMINGS
56kg
7
21231
LULUMON (AUS) 4yo M
VANCOUVER (AUS) - FOR LULU (AUS)
HEAVELON VAN DER HOVEN
6
JASON COYLE
55.5kg

Sales Information

8
1
KERGUELEN (AUS) 4yo G
LONHRO (AUS) - ZEEHAN (AUS)
JAMES MCDONALD
9
JAMES CUMMINGS
55.5kg
9
165x0
MISS EMMA (AUS) 4yo M
ALL TOO HARD (AUS) - ESPIRITU (AUS)
KERRIN MCEVOY
1
CHRIS WALLER
54.5kg

Sales Information

10
214
WILD GYPSY (AUS) 4yo M
AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) - GYPSY ROBIN (USA)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
1
ANNABEL NEASHAM
54.5kg

Sales Information

11
12x53
YANKEE ONE (AUS) 4yo M
SNITZEL (AUS) - SENSE OF HITE (NZ)
JASON COLLETT
2
CIARON MAHER
54kg

Sales Information

12
54x12
SETOMBE (AUS) 4yo M
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - BERNICIA (AUS)
ZAC LLOYD
8
JAMES CUMMINGS
53kg
13
127x2
IMPOSANT (AUS) 4yo M
EPAULETTE (AUS) - SEXY SIREN (AUS)
DYLAN GIBBONS
5
KRIS LEES
53kg

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