Solo gig pays off for Jeff
JEFF Lloyd might be minus a manager these days but it hasn’t stopped the champion jockey from continuing to punch home winners.
Lloyd travels to Murwillumbah today after riding a treble at Doomben last Saturday on the promising Care To Think, form stayer Singing and Don’tbabylon.
The three winners took Lloyd to 46 Brisbane wins for the season, opening up a 8½win lead over nearest rival Robbie Fradd in the jockeys’ premiership.
“I’m happy to be in this position because I’ve missed six weeks of the season so far,’’ Lloyd said.
“I had a couple of suspensions and went away on a holiday so I didn’t expect to still be leading the premiership.
“But hopefully from now until the end of the season I will just keep going and I’d like to win the premiership again.’’
Lloyd, 56, revealed he decided recently to part with his manager, preferring to do the form and chase rides himself.
“I love doing my own rides,’’ Lloyd revealed. “I’m a lot happier studying the form and ringing trainers myself.”
Lloyd has four rides today, all for Murwillumbah trainer Matthew Dunn.
“Matthew’s horses grow another leg on their home track,’’ Lloyd said.
Lloyd’s first ride at the Murwillumbah meeting is on Indian Rocks in the 1530m maiden.
Indian Rocks has only had the two starts but showed enough at the Gold Coast when second over 1400m to suggest he will be hard to beat today.
“I thought Indian Rocks looked a good chance,’’ Lloyd said. “He is still learning but this is a weak race so he should be hard to beat.
“The Gold Coast form usually holds up when you got to tracks like Murwillumbah.’’