‘Massive thrill’: Lloyd holds his nerve to take apprentice title
By Chris Roots
For Zac Lloyd, Insurrection will always be the special horse that helped him become Sydney’s champion apprentice, so it was fitting that victory on the three-year-old secured the title for the teenager at Randwick on Saturday.
The title battle with Dylan Gibbons came down to the final day with Lloyd holding a three-win lead. It took until the eighth race for either to win a race, and it was Lloyd with win 76 for the season.
Zac Lloyd returns to scale on Insurrection after securing the champion apprentice title.Credit: Getty
“It’s a very surreal feeling. I’ve got to thank this horse, he has really kept me alive the past couple of weeks,” Lloyd said.
“He has given me three winners on the bounce, and it’s a big thank you to obviously everyone who has supported me this year.
“I wouldn’t have expected it a year ago, so it’s a massive thrill and I am very proud of myself.”
Lloyd came to Godolphin at the beginning of the season and was going to learn his craft on the provincial circuit but quickly proved he belonged in Sydney. Although he spent as much time on the sidelines as in the saddle, Lloyd kept riding winners and kept improving.
The Insurrection ride showed the polish of Lloyd as he led and waited on Insurrection until Kir Royale got up on his inside.
Then at the 200m mark he went for home on Insurrection, the $2.15 favourite, putting 1¼ lengths between him and Kir Royale ($21), with Deepour ($5) getting home into third three-quarters of a length away.
“He has improved lengths since he got here. Just riding against the jockeys here you get better, but that was a ride of very good jockey,” Insurrection’s trainer Michael Freedman said of Lloyd.
The win made Insurrection the BOBS horse of the year after collecting $75,000 in bonuses from four NSW wins in the season.
“You would like a stable full of him. He is just getting better, like Zac,” Freedman said.
Unbeaten Mogo Magic on the way to Kosciuszko
He might still be learning his craft but the flying Mogo Magic remained unbeaten and all but confirmed a spot in The Kosciuszko with his fifth consecutive win at Randwick on Saturday.
The three-year-old sat outside leader Authentic Jewel in open benchmark 72 company and had the turn to foot put her away coming off the rise.
Jockey Nick Heywood had plenty of horse when he asked for effort and had a bit more up his sleeve in winning by a comfortable three-quarters of a length.
“That was the first time he has been on the right leg all the way, and when he switched in the straight I knew he was going to win,” Heywood said. “He is still got a way to go and he is only going to better.
“I think the 1200m in the ‘Kossi’ is going to be right up his alley.”
Mogo Magic got out to a $2.90 favourite and beat Vindication ($7), with the unlucky Smashing Eagle ($9.50) a head away third.
It ticked another box for trainer Scott Collings, who will plan for The Kosciuszko on October 14.
“I was a bit nervous today just on the grounds that we’re coming out of Highway grade,” Collings said. “There was a lot of people sort of saying is he the real deal or is he not. He’s come out today and showed them that he is.
“The plan is now he’ll have a break.
“He’ll have trial at Goulburn on the day the slots are drawn, and then we’ll have a crack at 1200 before the Kossi.”
Caballus gives Waller and Coolmore another two-year-old winner
Chris Waller and the Coolmore colts syndicate got the perfect finish to a wonderful two-year-old season when $1 million colt Caballus overhauled favourite Estriella at Randwick on Saturday.
The colts syndicate, which has been in operation for three seasons, took the ultimate prize when Shinzo won the Golden Slipper in April, and they had five city winners for the season.
“That was the big one for them [the Golden Slipper], but it has also allowed us to be a bit more patient with this sort of colt,” Waller said. “Caballus just needed a bit more time and he’s a nice colt, and it’s good to see him get that win.
“There will be another race for him in three weeks and he has a future.”
Caballus ($12) settled back in the field but had a big sprint to make up a number of lengths before fighting the finish out with Estriella ($2.90). He had a half-head margin at the post, with leader Shaken ($3.30) left three lengths in their wake.
“It was a nice strong gallop, and he was always going to be pretty strong late,” McDonald said. “He’s a cracking horse, a really good-moving horse, good attitude, so it will take him a long way.
“It’s nice to knock off a nice, sharp two-year-old race with him, and hopefully the three-year-old season is good to him.”
Iron Will takes Highway success
Goulburn trainer Tash Burleigh would like to think there is another Highway Handicap success in Iron Will after an all-the-way win at Randwick on Saturday.
The three-year-old jumped to the front in the Highway and fended off all challengers in the straight to record a third win in eight starts.
“He is just naturally fast,” jockey Billy Owen said. “On paper, it looked like our race to control, and as it panned out, that’s exactly what happened. Last prep you probably wouldn’t have thought he’d get 1200, but I always had the trust in his ability that he would. To run a strong 1200 here second-up, I think in the future he’s just going to keep getting better and better. Whether that just allows him to get over that seven furlongs, we’ll have to wait and see.”
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