Zac Lloyd aims to get off to a flying start as senior jockey after fantastic apprenticeship

“I just want to stay in the game, try not to get penalized and be consistent,” he said.

“Try to find the winner in every metro meeting, that’s a goal I always set for myself.

‘It has a light weight, a good barrier and will make it to the finish line.’

Zac Lloyd talks about Pereille’s chances on Saturday

“There is a winner in every meeting, that keeps you moving forward. Then you will have good meetings. But staying consistent is the main goal.”

The Cummings-trained Pereille in the listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) is shaping up as one of his best chances on his return from a two-week careless driving suspension.

Pereille, Sportsbet’s top $5 prospect, has an excellent second-place finish and a wet track record, which could be important for Rosehill heading into the cop rains.

“I hope she’s wet because she loves it,” Lloyd said.

“He won by four lengths on a very wet track at the Sunshine Coast one day, so probably the wetter the better for him. “He has a light weight, a good barrier and will definitely reach the finish line.”

The money came in at ATC Cup (2000m), which is also listed for the David Payne-trained State Of America ($5.50). Lloyd has driven him to wins in his last three starts.

“David Payne said he didn’t want to run it without me and waited until I got back. That’s good confidence,” Lloyd said.

“He’s a light weight. It was a good track at Rosehill last time but it was raining during his race so I don’t think the rain bothered him either. He’s just a horse that’s going well.”

In the feature group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) Lloyd takes Chris Waller’s Tannhauser ($17) from the outside gate.

“I think I was booked into one of Ciaron Maher in that race and he didn’t come down either,” he said.

“I ended up in Tannhauser, which I thought was a very good trip. “I thought he ran really well at first, but barrier 18 is going to be a bit tough so we’ll see if he can manage it.”

As for his other rides, Lloyd was quick to mention the Hawkes-trained colt Gallo Nero, whom he tried in the 1100 meters race for two-year-olds to start the programme.

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“He’s a nice colt,” he said.

“He got 10 out of 10, but I think the horse on nine will probably be ahead, so if I can get across with that, the result could be good.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle jockey Dylan Gibbons, who finished the 2022-23 apprentices championship with just four wins behind Lloyd, underwent shoulder reconstruction surgery on Wednesday and will not be able to ride for at least another three months.

Gibbons was thrown from What It Takes, making his first run in more than two years, before the race in Port Macquarie on 11 October, landing on his left shoulder.

After being cleared six days later, he started riding again but had trouble connecting again at Rosehill on 2 November. An injury then cut short his day at Randwick on 5 November and has been out of action since.