Lloyd wisdom lifts Toby’s confidence
GOLD Coast trainer Toby Edmonds wasn’t convinced Houtzen deserved a place in the $10 million The Everest field despite the filly winning her final lead-up race at Moonee Valley.
A comforting debrief from veteran jockey Jeff Lloyd changed his thinking.
Edmonds thought Houtzen’s victory in the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 29 was not good enough to retain the Aquis Farm slot for the world’s richest turf race tomorrow.
Houtzen was selected early to fill a slot in the 12strong showpiece at Randwick and her trainer acknowledged reservations after the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner didn’t put her rivals away at Moonee Valley.
“I thought the margin was only poor,” Edmonds said.
“I was a little critical and Jeff (Lloyd) said, ‘if I opened her up from the 600 she would have smashed them’.
“I have to be guided by that.”
Lloyd was quick to come to the filly’s defence after her fifth win in seven starts.
“I wasn’t looking to give her a hard race,” Lloyd said of the Moonee Valley run.
“I could have let her go a little bit earlier and she probably would have looked more impressive.”
Houtzen can make her own statement in the 1200m dash when she renews her rivalry with $4.80 favourite She Will Reign, seven months after finishing fifth behind the Golden Slipper winner in Australia’s premier two-year-old race in Sydney.
“If she gets a fair and even track she’ll run really well,” Edmonds said.
Lloyd has held the reins for all but one of Houtzen’s races and Edmonds said the 56-year-old’s experience would be invaluable.
“We don’t have to work out how to ride the race, we’ve got plenty of options and Lloyd knows the horse well,” Edmonds said.
“It’s a $10 million race and he’s ridden successfully throughout the world, he won’t be in awe of it.”
Queensland punters are staying loyal to Houtzen, whose price with bookmaker UBET firmed from $26 to $21 yesterday.
And in another vote of confidence, Queensland punters took a liking to her in UBET’s special Top 5 market.
One person placed $6500 on the filly at $4.70 to finish in the first five while another had $1000 at the same price.
“She’s $4.70 into $4.40 and firming with us and, let me tell you, this is money from punters in the know,” UBET media manager Nick Curry said.
“She was only fair first-up but she ran time last start and, as most Sunshine State punters will tell you, the Edmonds-Lloyd combination is an ATM.”