Young gun eager to make splash
Former Queensland rider Jaden Lloyd has made the fulltime switch to NSW and is hungry to make his mark.
Lloyd returned to Australia on Monday after a stint in Singapore and has moved in with his champion Sydney apprentice brother Zac at Warwick Farm.
The young gun kicked off his move with rides at Bathurst on Thursday but will attempt to make a splash this Saturday with three rides at Rosehill Gardens.
“I didn’t expect to ride in the city but am coming here to work as hard as I can and hopefully get a few opportunities,” Lloyd said.
“I think it’s probably ended up being the right time to come back with Adelaide this week and Brisbane coming up, it takes a few of the top boys away so hopefully I can get a few opportunities.
“I just have to ride well and hopefully get a couple of winners.”
Lloyd, who is managed by his Group 1-winning father Jeff, has already ridden more than 230 winners and has got a Group 3 victory on his resume via Knight’s Choice in the Winx Guineas last year.
He took up a spot in Singapore shortly after the Magic Millions carnival in January and spent three months in the Asian jurisdiction before making the call to move home. “There wasn’t enough racing, only racing once a week, and my weight was going up but the racing itself and the experience I really liked,” Lloyd said.
“There just wasn’t enough racing for me.
“Due to the fact I can only ride 54kg and 50 per cent of the field is under that, it made it difficult but it was a good experience at the end of the day.”
Lloyd’s first ride on Saturday comes aboard last start Kembla
Grange winner Wolves ($16) for trainer Ben Smith in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).
He also links up with the Paul Perry-trained Olympic Gaze ($101) in the Phillip Picone Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m) as the gelding has his first run since the Magic Millions Cup in January.
Eastern Glow ($10) is his final ride on the card in the Luke Lucas Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m).