Neil Evans
If confidence prevails, Zac Lloyd is set to close out the 2025-26 season when he heads to Canterbury for Wednesday’s feature meeting.
Fresh from his visit to the UK for the Ascot carnival last month, Lloyd wasted no time hitting the ground running after his return.
And it all came to a head eight days ago when he collected four winners from passionate runners at the Newcastle meeting before riding twice at Kembla two days later.
He then added another double at Saturday’s Rosehill meeting in the well-backed pair Le Troisir in the BM 78 sitting challenge, and Roselyn’s Star in the July Sprint Handicap over 1100m.
That left him with an impressive 35 percent winning strike rate from his last 23 outings, and it looks like more to come.
At Canterbury in a potentially improving line-up, Lloyd is teaming up early with veteran Rosehill trainer David Payne in two talented runners.
Class two-year-old Persian Wonder resumes handicap over 1200m in juveniles and juveniles after two eye-catching trials.
A brilliant son of the French sire’s 1-winning Hello Youmzain, Persian Wonder was placed in a Group 3 early company autumn before being well beaten in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes over a mile.
Despite opening around $2.60 in early betting, he could be challenged in the market by exciting three-year-old Argansor ($4.40) on debut for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s yard in the blink of an eye with three trials running.
Then in the next race, Payne and Lloyd are joined by the talented Krasina who placed fourth in the maiden handicap over 1200m.
A capable finishing daughter of Russian Revolution, Krasina was around $2.30 in the early markets before resuming Queen’s Gamble ($3.80) and Farfetched ($4.50), the third winner.
Presented by Racing NSW
