By Craig Kerry
Of all the awards young jockey Zac Lloyd has in his sights, none would mean more to him and his family than the Nathan Berry Medal.
The medal, named after the talented hoop who died in 2014 aged just 23, is awarded each year to the top jockey over the Championships at Randwick, which start on Saturday. His twin brother, Tommy, shared the first medal in 2014 with James McDonald, who has gone on to win another three.
Jeff and Zac Lloyd walk the Gold Coast track with Nathan Berry in 2014 before his win on Unencumbered in the Magic Millions Classic.
Lloyd was just 10 when Nathan died from Norse syndrome, a condition related to epilepsy. But the two had already formed a close bond.
Two months before the tragedy, Lloyd was a page boy at the wedding of his cousin, Whitney (nee Schofield) and Berry, who regularly watched over him and his siblings.
“He was a really good man, pretty much the exact same as Tommy,” Lloyd said. “Both great people. I used to play G1 Jockey with Nathan on the PlayStation all the time.
“I used to go to his place and get babysat, so to win that award … my mum [Nicola] actually messaged me last week and said, ‘If you’re ever going to win an award, I want you to win this one’, and then send me a photo of the Nathan Berry Medal.
Zac Lloyd when page boy at Nathan and Whitney Berry’s wedding in 2014.
“Hopefully I can ride well. Obviously, it’s going to be very hard, but hopefully I get a bit of luck. It would be unreal to win it, but maybe Tommy and I can share it, that would be even better.”
The honour goes to the highest points-getter, in a 3-2-1 system, across 12 races this Saturday and the next. They take in the eight group 1s, the Country and Provincial-Midway Championship finals, as well as the group 2 Arrowfield Sprint and Percy Sykes Stakes on day two.
Premier hoop McDonald is riding in Dubai and will miss Saturday’s first meeting, opening the door for rivals to pinch a break.
Tommy Berry has Doncaster Mile favourite Gringotts, which was into $6 with Sportsbet on Friday, but long-shots Confetti Garden ($51, ATC Derby) and Sunchyme ($61, Country final) in other medal races on day one.
Zac and Jaden Lloyd with Nathan Berry, centre, in Hong Kong.
He was hoping, though, that Lloyd could make a run at the award.
“I think he’s got a good one in pretty much all four of the group 1s, so he’s maybe in the best position to do it, and it’d be great if Zac was to take it out,” Berry said.
Zac Lloyd with Nathan Berry’s Magic Millions Classic winning jockey trophy in 2014.
“I remember Nathan taking Zac around when he was a little kid wearing glasses, and he’s got some very fond memories of Nathan. So if Zac was to win it, it’d be very special for our family, and I know Nathan would be looking down smiling.”
Lloyd, the two-time champion Sydney apprentice, has Linebacker ($7, Doncaster), King Of Thunder ($13, ATC Derby), Headwall ($27, TJ Smith Stakes) and Navy Pilot ($71, Sires Produce Stakes) in the group 1s.
“I’ve got good rides this week,” he said. “Hopefully I can put myself in front because I’m going to need a lead going into the last day. It looks like I don’t have a great book for the second day.
“But if I can get myself in front, maybe I can ride a couple or three winners and a couple of placings, that’ll be good.”
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained King Of Thunder powered home for a close third in the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) on Tuesday and has gate one in the $2 million Derby (2400m).
“That was perfect for him,” Lloyd said of Tuesday’s run. “He had a good barrier trial, you could sort of say, and nearly won, so I think getting back on a good surface will help him.
Zac Lloyd after winning on King Of Thunder at Rosehill on March 15.Credit: Getty Images
“I don’t think he really handled the wet track on Tuesday, so for him to get that close was a good effort, so very excited for him. And linebacker, he’s airborne. His confidence is up. Good barrier for him.”
Stablemate Linebacker, the Randwick Guineas winner, has just 49kg in the Doncaster.
“I don’t have a problem,” Lloyd said of the weight drop. “But it’s definitely about keeping an eye on it. Don’t eat much and just be pretty disciplined the past couple of weeks. I walk around, for normal races, about 52.
“Navy Pilot, he’s a long shot, but he’s a very nice colt. He’s going to be out of his league there probably, but in the future he’s going to be a nice horse.
“Headwall is going really well. He got beat a length to Joliestar last time in the Newmarket, so I think he’s probably over the odds. He’s in top form, and he’s got a turn of foot that can win a group 1. He just needs everything to go right.”
