Jeff Lloyd stakes claim for riders’ title
Veteran Jeff Lloyd has turned the race for the Brisbane metropolitan jockeys’ premiership into a three-way contest with a treble at the Sunshine Coast.
Jim Byrne and Jim Orman were expected to be the only chances of taking the title.
But in the past three weeks, Lloyd has ridden eight metropolitan winners with his treble on Wednesday taking him to 57 and within striking distance of the lead.
Lloyd won on Little Bita Love ($7) and Lyricist ($3.30) for Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds and on Mystic Opal ($3.80) for Eagle Farm-based Chris Anderson.
It has been a stirring comeback from South African-born Lloyd, 53, who had a stroke in 2013 and missed 13 months of riding.
“I am just glad to be riding,” said Lloyd who has won 93 Group One races.
Edmonds said Little Bita Love would spell to mature but Lyricst, who made it three wins in a row, was being aimed at the Doomben Roses in a fortnight and the Queensland Oaks on June 4.
“We missed a run at the Gold Coast in the Bracelet last Saturday but we picked up some prize money today,” Edmonds said.
Lyricist has $35,000 in prize money which puts her on the cusp of getting runs in the Roses and the Oaks.
Anderson is also hoping to sneak into the Roses and Oaks with Mystic Opal who now has $37,100 in prize money.
“I was deflated when we missed a Bracelet run by $300 but it might be a blessing in disguise. We picked up $12,000 today so I just have to hope we can get starts” he said.
Victorian training partnership of Sheila Laxon and John Symons got their winter off to a good start when Irish Constabulary ($17) scored an upset win.
They have 14 horses at Caloundra and rate Irish Constabulary, a seven-year-old who has had only six starts, highly.
“It is too long a story why he has had so few starts but he can gallop,” Symons said.