In star apprentice Zac Lloyd’s emerging career,sharp sprinter Insurrection has been the horse there for him when he needed him.
He was there at the end of last season,when Lloyd was fighting off a challenge from Dylan Gibbons for the champion apprentice title,and he was the horse that secured the title at Randwick in July.
It was Lloyd’s turn to give something back to Insurrection as he guided to victory with smart ride in The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
“I’m four from four on him now,” Lloyd said. “He is a special horse to me.
“He was just a sit-and-steer job because he had the speed to lead and just glided over that[heavy] ground.”
Lloyd only did what he needed to do to lead and control the tempo on Insurrection ($6),which showed good turn of foot to win by two lengths from Quick Tempo ($5.50) and Recommendation ($8),which was a head back in third.
“He is just a relaxed horse that is going to get better as he gets out to 1200m,” Lloyd said.
Shadows of Love and Victory Lane to chase Provincial Championships
Kim Waugh and Luke Price are looking to next year’s Provincial-Midway Championship after wins from Shadows Of Love and Victory Lane at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Shadows Of Love made it back-to-back wins in the benchmark 78 and remains eligible for the $1 million Provincial Championships.
“It would be a nice race for her,but she might be a bit better than that,” Waugh said.
A race later,the Robert and Luke Price-trained Victory Lane swooped late to beat Oh Golly Gosh in the Midway Handicap for a home-town win.
“We aimed at the Four Pillars with him and things just didn’t go right with barriers and the run he got,” Luke Price said. “That’s what he can do when he gets the right set-up.
“He can have a month off and the Provincial Championship would be the ideal race for him in the autumn,and they have put the prizemoney up for it.”
Big plans for Zoutica after Highway plunge
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The training partnership of Barbara Joseph,Paul and Matt Jones have options for Zouatica ranging from the Country Championships to the Big Dance next year after an impressive Highway Handicap win at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
The Zoustar four-year-old was heavily backed to start the $3.10 favourite and dominated from the front to win by 1¾ lengths from Mossgold ($10),with Unrelenting ($9) a length away.
The winning return at 1400m suggested he can stretch out further in trip and co-trainer Paul Jones thinks he can measure up to bigger races in 2024.
“With so many good money races,we will have to look at what is available for him. The Country Championship is there,but he could be a Big Dance horse by this time next year,” Paul Jones said.
“He was only first up today,so we might look for a nice race in town for him before the Moruya Cup[on January 8],which is a Big Dance qualifier.
“After that we will see how it sits,and we could go back to the Country Championship heat if he is eligible.”
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