THE MIDWEEK INTERVIEW ... WITH ZAC LLOYD

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Zac Lloyd’s effort in winning the New South Wales Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey’s Premiership for the 2022/23 season was a huge effort. The mental toughness he showed in terms of fighting back from a series of suspension setbacks and the talent he called upon when powering home with all guns blazing to finally shoot down the challenge of a very brave Dylan Gibbons in the shadow of the post rubber-stamped Lloyd as one of the stars of the racing season. HRO’s Grahm Potter spoke to Lloyd about his experiences over the last twelve months.

GP: “Zac, firstly huge congratulations on an outstanding achievement. You did give the earliest notice possible of your ability by riding your first winner, Satine, in your very first race-ride at Dalby back in November 2020 and then, of course, you did go on to win the 2021/22 Gold Coast Apprentice Jockey’s Premiership. Both of those were very notable milestones … but, to say you have come a long way from there in a very short space of time would be very much an understatement. So, how did the move from Queensland to New South Wales come about in the first place?"

LLOYDL “I was suspended, and I asked Lauren Abbot, the trainer who I was attached to, if I could go down to Sydney to have a look at the scene there … just to build my relationships and try something different. My Auntie is very good friends with Annabel (Neasham) and she got me into riding work with Annabel. When I got there, I really, really liked it … the professionalism of it all.

“And then I met Darren (Beadman) who was at the trials for Godolphin. I knew him from Hong Kong, so I was speaking to him a lot at the trials and I sort of asked him, how does an apprentice get to work for Godolphin?"

GP: “So you were proactive in making that important, first approach. You still had to make it happen though. What did you do as a follow-up?"

LLOYD: “When I came back to the Gold Coast, I said to my dad, can I please ask Darren if they would consider taking me on as an apprentice. We did … and a couple of days later we got a call back from Darren saying ‘yes’. The rest is history. Yeah, I had given it my shot. You don’t get it unless you try.”

GP: “A new challenge is always good, but it usually comes with a settling in period both at work and in your personal life. Did you have any of those adjustment difficulties?”

LLOYD: “No, it was all really good. They set me up in a nice place. My parents came down for the first month and just helped me organize myself until I got into a routine and it was all sweet from there."

GP: “The might of Godolphin has obviously helped take you to the premiership, but where else has that association taken you in terms of racing education. Working for them, there would be lots of benefits in terms of the opportunities for gaining knowledge?"

LLOYD: “Yeah, for sure. I think the number one thing I’ve taken out of working with them is the professionalism. The way they conduct themselves and the way they speak. James (Cummings) is very articulate and, when he speaks, I really enjoy listening to him and trying to take bits and pieces out of what he says … and then obviously Darren has been helping me on a lot of fronts … like how I conduct myself with the media. Outside of racing he is watching me, keeping amn eye on me so I don’t get into any trouble. I appreciate all of that … yeah, but their professionalism is the number one thing I have learnt from the experience so far.”

GP: “When you started to ride in Sydney, it must have been a pretty steep learning curve? I’ve been told that established metropolitan jockeys just think so much faster out there than most riders who don’t have that experience. How did find your introduction to that?"

LLOYD: “That’s definitely correct. Watching my dad ride met races for so long, I had an idea of what I was coming into. Racing is so much tighter and just more competitive. Where I was in the country tracks early on, or even at the Gold Coast after that, racing was much looser. You could get a run normally without too much trouble … but it is very different in Sydney.

“That’s why I struggled. That’s why I was getting suspended because I wasn’t used to showing that patience. There were times I would just erratically come out and almost deck people … so, yeah, it was a big learning curve and I had to take my punishment along the way. I really had to concentrate and learn how to correct that, and I think I have got it now.

“I have worked very hard at it. I had to because it was nearly the upending of me. I was doing so well and every time I did well, I would just break the momentum by being suspended. There was a stage where it was doing my head in and I just had to sit back and watch my replays more intently and very extensively, obviously with a lot of help from Darren, Corey (Brown) and my dad (multiple Group 1 winning jockey Jeff Lloyd).

“I realised that while I was being mentored by the best, they can easily tell me things, but I was the one who had to do it out there and show the right amount of patience that was required in any given situation. As I said, I think I have sorted that out and I also think it has come with a bit more maturity as well."

GP: “That’s all well and good … and that correction had to happen, but I recall Malcolm Johnson being quoted on Racenet as saying something about you at the time to the effect that they must be careful not to take the fire out of your belly."'

LLOYD: “He’s right of course, You don’t want to be too nice out there … not going for tight runs or letting people do things and bully you. They are certainly not going to be too nice. It’s a very fine line which I’m learning to walk.”

GP: “You have obviously done your family proud. Their support seems unconditional and unlimited. Can you put that family support into words?”

LLOYD: “It was good to have them here for the last meeting of the season. My parents have been very good to me … they will come down if there is any issue, but they generally try to come down once every couple of months or so just to keep me company.

“It’s an honour to do it for my family because I’m not only riding for myself, I’m riding for my mom and dad who have had a lot of faith in me and who enjoy watching me win. It’s a great feeling to do them proud. That’s what every son wants to do.”

GP: “I’d say your dad was never as animated in the saddle as he has been working with you and Jaden over the last twelve months.. On one occasion I saw him rushing, carrying Jaden’s bags to the car so that he could get between racetracks on time. I’ve seen him down in Sydney. I’ve read that he is cooking for you when he is down there. Who would have thought?"

LLOYD: “He just loves being involved. It keeps him busy.”

GP: “You’ve ticked off a massive box winning the Apprentice Premiership … and finishing second to James McDonald in Jockey’s Premiership, but, basically, it doesn’t get any easier from here, Her’s a a question out of left field for you. Do you think JMac can be reeled in … or is that too ambitious a target?"

LLOYD: “I don’t know about that. I’m very competitive but I’m also a realist. I think I might have made it interesting last season if I hadn’t copped all of those suspensions, but, then again, he went on holiday for the last month of the season.”

*For the record, James Mcdonald topped the 2022/23 Jockeys’ Premiership ladder with 96 wins. Zac Lloyd finished second with 76 winners. Lloyd, however, did edge out McDonald for the best winning strike-rate … 21.30 percent to McDonald’s 20.50 percent … with these two riders being the only jockeys in the top twenty on the ladder to record winning strike-rates of over 20 percent.

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