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By Ray Hickson

Champion apprentice Zac Lloyd is thinking much less about adding 'Group 1 winning jockey' to his name than he is about repaying the faith of trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for giving him his big chance on star filly Tiz Invincible at Randwick on Saturday.

Champion apprentice Zac Lloyd (Pic: Bradley Photos).

There’ll be plenty of time for taking in that first Group 1 if he does get the job done in the $750,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m).

Lloyd replaced James McDonald, who couldn’t take all his rides on Chelmsford Stakes Day due to the foot injury he sustained a day earlier, on the filly to win the Furious Stakes and kept the ride and repeated the dose in the Tea Rose two weeks later.

But with McDonald returning in time, Lloyd feared he may lose his Group 1 opportunity so it’s no surprise he’s eager to convert it.

“I’m privileged for them to keep me on,’’ Lloyd said.

“That’s why I was so happy after her last win, and I rode her well, because I knew that would give me a chance at least.

“If I’d got beaten last start I’d have seen myself getting the sack. Hopefully I can repay them with a good ride on the big day.”

A Group 1 is not going to be handed to Lloyd but he is warming to the outside barrier not being as detrimental to Tiz Invincible’s chances as he first thought. He points out that prior to winning the Tea Rose he’d had the misfortune of repeatedly getting no luck from what he thought were ideal gates.

In the Tea Rose he was able to park the filly just off the speed, and keep his main danger Kimochi working wide, and she reacted by sprinting sharply.

Lloyd said he doesn’t have a major concern about stepping up to the mile so long as he can get Tiz Invincible, $2.70 with TAB on Thursday, to settle and conserve her energy.

“I have so much confidence in her. It’s a bit unfortunate to draw the outside but in hindsight it could be a blessing,’’ he said.

“I could keep her to the outside of horses and get her to switch off which is the main goal over the mile. I don’t think it will be much of an issue as long as she relaxes.

“In her last two starts she’s shown great improvement with her manners in the run.

“Ciaron and Dave and their form people will organise the best way to go about the race but my job is to get her to switch off, get the first half of the race right, so she can show her devastating turn of foot."

Since Samantha Miss in 2008, 12 Flight Stakes winners have had their lead up in the Tea Rose and eight have completed the Tea Rose-Flight Stakes double including Funstar in 2019 and Zougotcha last year.

Two races prior to Tiz Invincible’s Tea Rose win, Lloyd saw no daylight on Altivo when he was hemmed away from an inside gate and he went to the line untested.

So in Altivo’s case he’s more than happy to jump from further out in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1600m) and he’s a little bullish about atoning for that defeat where he finished tenth but just three lengths from the winner Ausbred Flirt.

“I did not move up the straight,’’ he said.

“I’m actually happy I drew 15, I wouldn’t have liked to draw 1,2 or 3 like I did last start and be stuck on the rail.

“I think he’s levels above this class and could win four deep. I’ll keep him out of trouble and he’s a very good horse.”

Tiz Invincible wins the Tea Rose Stakes

Airman is another horse Lloyd is confident will rush through the grades and is keen to see what he can do in the City Tattersalls Group Handicap (1200m).

The gelding, a winner of four from six, clocked a slick 32.65 (Punter's Intelligence) as he ran on from near last into third behind Red Card and Smashing Eagle over 1100m at Rosehill three weeks ago.

“I really like him, he’s a very good horse,’’ he said.

“He’d had one very soft trial and was big and bullish pre-race so he would have taken improvement from that. With 53kg I’m very excited to ride him again and I think he’s a great hope.”

Zac Lloyd on Military Mission (race 9): “Confidence in staying races is important and he’s a last start winner. Eighteen out of 18 isn’t ideal because I think the horse likes to be ridden with a bit of cover so it will be a good ride to get cover from there. I think their other horse (Just Fine) looks pretty smart so if I get a bit of luck I might be running into the money.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting