Son is out to avenge Dad's 11 third places.
People who believe significant events – good or bad – happen in threes will be tempted to have a bet on a horse called Regulation in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July at Greyville.
Regulation’s jockey is Australian Zac Lloyd, who is aiming for the third massive, landmark win of his career in the space of a few months.
Riding Guest House, Lloyd won the Golden Slipper, one of Australia’s four racing “Majors”, then travelled to the UK to win the Britannia Stakes on Moonfall at Royal Ascot. He is now in Durban for a crack at South Africa’s biggest race.
Zac Lloyd, 22, a multiple top apprentice Downunder, is a son of Jeff “The Guv” Lloyd, the much-loved, six-time South African champion jockey who emigrated to Aus at age 50 and won a slew of things there too.
But winning the Grade 1, R10-million July means more than simply ticking another box for Zac; it’s a matter of family honour and setting records straight.
Father Jeff rode in 26 Julys but never won. He finished second once, third an astonishing 11 times and fourth twice.
Many a wise guy will forecast a third place for Lloyd on Saturday.
Born in Durban, Zac was a toddler in the Greyville winner’s circle when his dad was in his pomp. In a recent You Tube interview with horseman extraordinaire Andrew Bon, Zac, reflecting on his international jaunt, declared that riding in his hometown would be “probably the most exciting thing of all”.
When the young star triumphed at Royal Ascot in June – the most important race meeting in the world – Sky Racing’s international commentary team highlighted his upcoming Durbs expedition and sang the virtues of the fixture on the Indian Ocean East Coast on the first Saturday in July.
Young Lloyd is such a shining star in Australia that when his original July mount, Happy Verse, trained by Justin Snaith, was scratched from the entry list before final declarations, the story made headlines in the racing press there – yet barely rated a mention in SA.
Of course, the championship yard had multiple entries in the July and was able to switch the visiting rider to Regulation, the current 6.50 third favourite for the big race – just below Snaith stablemates Note To Self and Wish List (both 5.00).
The shock withdrawal this week of original July favourite Star Major has seen betting boards shuffled and Snaith is now likely to saddle five of the top 10 horses in the market.
The subsequent scratching of another carded runner, outsider The Ultimate King, has not had as dramatic an effect on the odds – though it does give the famous Mike and Mathew De Kock team another chance in the race with reserve Curious Girl (40.00) joining the lineup.
Zac Lloyd isn’t the only Durbanite “coming home” for a shot at the July.
Chad Schofield, son of popular former South African rider Glyn, is also flying out from Australia and will partner Gavin van Zyl’s powerful galloper King Pelles (25.00).
In a recent interview, Chad, 32, said: “As a boy I can remember going to Greyville Racecourse to watch Dad. I remember going to this July meeting and it’s probably like the Melbourne Cup. It’s cool to now go back and take part in it.”
Yet another Aus-based rider coming out for the July is Zim-raised, world-travelled Mark du Plessis, who will partner I Salute You (40.00) for old friend Peter Muscutt.
