Medical marvel Jeff Lloyd surged further ahead in the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership yesterday. The 55-year-old former South African, who collapsed after suffering a stroke in 2012 and doubted whether he would ride again, claimed a winning quartet at Doomben.
Lloyd’s fabulous foursome on Snow Fields, Dream Choice, Dame Destiny and Angel Dancer took him to 71 metropolitan winners for the season. With six metro meetings to go in the season, it stretched Lloyd’s lead over apprentice James Orman (66) and last season’s riding champion Jim Byrne (65.5).
Lloyd has ridden more than 5000 winners around the world, including 95 Group 1s, and his comeback from ill health has been nothing short of remarkable.
But it wasn’t even close to Lloyd’s best day in the saddle. “My best effort was to win seven races in a day, on two occasions in South Africa,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd isn’t counting his chickens just yet in the jockeys’ premiership and insists he wants to get a bigger lead before the premiership winds up at the end of the month.
He has never won the Brisbane title and is keen to keep the young guns at bay. “It is always good to ride winners and I just want to keep riding more and more winners,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd is renowned for getting the best out of his mounts and trainer Chris Munce was full of praise after Lloyd won on two-year-old Snow Fields. Munce, who had his own health battle when he beat cancer, has forged a strong friendship with Lloyd.
“Jeff is a good rider and when he gets in the right groove there is no better,” Munce said. “He gets horses running well, they travel well for him and he is always strong at the finish. I am happy he is leading the premiership because he deserves success. He works hard and rides well.”
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Picture: Newscorp Austalia