Sons under master’s wing
JEFF Lloyd never left much to chance as a jockey, now the champion rider is instilling the same philosophy in his sons Jaden and Zac as their manager.
A 17-time champion jockey in his own right, Lloyd Sr’s feats in the saddle have been well documented but he says he is enjoying the next phase of his career as much as any as he attempts to guide his sons through the budding stages of their career.
Lloyd, who also manages well-respected rider Robbie
Fradd, laughs when he remembers his disdain for managers during his career, so much so he decided to go it alone during the last few years before hanging up the boots.
“I did my own rides for the last two years and I actually quite enjoyed it,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible to do it here in Queensland but it actually worked quite well.
“In South Africa I did my own rides and the same in Hong Kong and I enjoyed it because I got frustrated with managers when they pick up rides for the sake of picking up a ride.
“I get a spray from them now, not from the boys, more Robbie – he says to me ‘hey boy, I’m 57 now, you can’t put me on those horses now’.”
While Lloyd is able to laugh about the past, he is dead serious about the future and still rides work occasionally while committing to helping his boys.
With Jaden engaged in a tough battle against Kyle Wilson-taylor and Leah Kilner for the metropolitan apprentice title, Lloyd said the biggest task had been taking the time to focus on each race, rather than the bigger picture.
“He’s had a frustrating couple of weeks, a lot of seconds,” Lloyd said, pointing out Jaden has ridden 21 seconds in town for his nine wins, by far and away the most of any jockey on the roster.
“I pointed out to him (James) Mcdonald has 23 seconds so don’t feel too bad, you’re in good company.
“It’s when you start running sixth and seventh, that’s when you worry.
“At the beginning of the season, everyone wants to talk about the title and those things and that puts some things in their mind so I say ‘don’t worry about that, only worry about that if there is a month to go and you have a chance of winning’.
“You can’t be worrying about it for 12 months because you’ll drive yourself mad. I’ve been there.”
Zac, 18, is out of action after a trackwork incident saw him fracture bones in his wrist.
While he has been a prolific winner around the Gold Coast, Lloyd says he won’t be rushed into town this season, with the plan instead to save his lethal 3kg claim for next season when he has further matured.