By Craig Kerry
Zac Lloyd believes Barber can help justify his decision to ride at Randwick instead of Eagle Farm when they reunite in the listed Bob Charley AO Stakes on Saturday.
Relieved to escape serious injury from a midweek scare at Warwick Farm, Lloyd was back at the trials on Friday at Rosehill. His foot hit a metal rail while riding pre-race on Wednesday and he went for X-rays on Thursday. Although results had not come back, Lloyd’s doctor believed it was only severe bone bruising.
Jockey Zac Lloyd.Credit: Getty Images
Lloyd came through the trials well and was looking to a promising book of rides at Randwick before turning his focus to Queensland next Saturday when he pilots Bosustow in the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap, a race he won with Stefi Magnetica last year to give him a first group 1.
“I didn’t have anything stand out in Queensland this week,” Lloyd said.
“I could have had five or six 10- to 20-1 shots, but with the book I had in Sydney, I thought it was worthwhile staying.”
The Richard Litt-trained Barber, a $6.50 Sportsbet hope in the feature, is among his best chances at Randwick. A former Godolphin galloper, Barber won his second start for Litt and new connections when edging out Brudenell in the listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on May 10 for jockey Tyler Schiller.
With Schiller sidelined with a back fracture from a pre-race fall at Canterbury last week, Lloyd has gained the job on Barber. Lloyd won two Sydney apprentices’ titles while with Godolphin and knows the four-year-old gelding well.
“I’m very excited to ride him because I had a bit to do with him as a younger horse,” Lloyd said.
“He looks to still be racing well, Richard’s horses are racing really well, so he should run well.
“He was a good horse at Godolphin and was favourite for a Blue Diamond, but he had a couple of issues and never was racing as good as he could.”
He also rides favourites Engine Room ($4.80, race two), Hurstville Zagreb ($2.60, five) and Federer ($3.60, six).
“It’s a very winnable race for him because he was on a Queensland Derby path, so he’s got good ability,” he said of Hurstville Zagreb.
“Engine Room, just a line straight through his last run. He trialled really good three days later, so he’s good and just wasn’t there mentally that day.
“We’ve got a good draw which will help get him smothered away somewhere. I seem to get along with him, just letting him take me where he wants to take me, and he’s got a very good turn of foot. If he gets clear running, he’ll be awfully hard to beat.”
