Record breaking jockey Jeff Lloyd can add another Group 1 win to his already outstanding resume with a win on Music Magnate in the $700,000 Darley Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Jockey Jeff Lloyd, above, will ride Music Magnate in the Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
A winning treble at Ipswich on Wednesday saw Lloyd break the Queensland record for the most number of winners in a season, taking his tally to 156 and extended his metropolitan wins to 121.
Lloyd has an unassailable lead in the 2016 – 2017 Brisbane jockey’s premiership to make it two titles in a row and along the way broke Chris Munce’s previous record of 103 Metropolitan winners in a season.
Lloyd’s third winner at Ipswich on Wednesday was for on Prontezza for Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds with whom he has had tremendous success over the last couple of years.
Other winners for Lloyd at Ipswich were also for Gold Coast trainers Bryan and Daniel Guy with Silky Brown and Eight Below for Gillian Heinrich and Ben Rodgers.
The veteran jockey also created history when he rode seven winners in a day at the Sunshine Coast on November 30 last year.
The former South African champion jockey can add to his 93 Group 1 wins if the Bjorn Baker trained Music Magnate can collect his second Group 1 win in the weight for age Kingsford-Smith Cup which was formerly known as the BTC Cup when it was run at Doomben over 1200m.
Kerrin McEvoy was aboard Music Magnate for his win in the Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben twelve months but Lloyd has been aboard the Written Tycoon five year old for his last two starts.
Lloyd’s first ride on Music Magnate resulted in a win in the Group 2 $200,000 Ellyce Galvin Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm April 29 but then the pair finished at the tail of the thirteen horse field behind Redzel in the this year’s Doomben 10,000 that was reduced to 1200m on May 13.
“His last run has to be ignored,” Lloyd told racing.com.
“It was a race that just didn’t work out the way we thought it would, the pace came out of the race and I found myself in an awkward spot and got on heels at a vital stage, so it’s just a run that you have to ignore.
“At 1200 they’re probably a little bit sharp for him and if he gets in the wrong spot like we did last start things can unfold not in his favour.
“I think the step up (in distance) will benefit him.”
Heading back to Eagle Farm could be a plus for Music Magnate who handled the controversial track with ease when he led all of the way to win the Victory Stakes and Lloyd is not too concerned with barrier twelve in the field that has been reduced to thirteen runners with the early scratching of stablemate Egyptian Symbol.
“It all depends obviously how Eagle Farm plays, but could be a blessing. We’ll have to see on Saturday,” Lloyd said.
“But he is a horse that doesn’t like to be cluttered up, he likes room, so I’d rather be there than towards the inside.”
Lloyd and Baker had forged a successful association with brilliant sprinter Winning Rupert who won five races with the premiership winning jockey in the saddle, his most notable being the Group 2 $175,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben during the 2016 Brisbane Winter Carnival and the Group 3 $200,000 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at Eagle Farm over the Summer Carnival.
In early betting for the Kingsford-Smith Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au Music Magnate is rated a $12 chance behind the Darren Weir trained Black Heart Bart who heads the market order at $3.20.
