NYAH West apprentice jockey Madison Lloyd has this week landed another winning city double, but she was left emotionally drained after landing the first leg with rank outsider Neverstandingstill – which paid an eye-watering $38.80 and $9.30.
The horse was originally trained by Jerilderie, NSW, identity Phil Sweeney, who died in April this year after a battle with cancer.
His stables have since been taken over by Ross Purcell.
A stalwart of the country racing industry, Sweeney was recognised as a knowledgeable master to young apprentice jockeys coming through the ranks – including Lloyd.
Speaking after the race, clearly moved by the occasion and the win, Lloyd said the $55,000 Ladbrokes Racing Club Handicap over 1000m had a lot more attached to it than just your average Wednesday ride.
“It definitely did, and I was just grateful for the ride, and knowing it was one of Phil Sweeney’s horses,” she said.
“He supported me when I just started race riding out at all those bush tracks and yes, it was great to get one up for him.
“Ross and Josh (Curtis, who worked with Sweeney for almost eight years and is within reach of his own training licence) have done a great job getting her up.
“She’s a beast of a thing, she’s not very tall but she’s a real tank and today she just jumped and carried me into the race and did it all by herself.
“I didn’t really want to be where I was, but drawing one just had to nurse her and try and get her through it and she did that very, very easily.”
It wasn’t just a winning ride for the 22-year-old and her four-year-old mare, it was also the first winner for a former Sweeney horse since Phil died.
Paul Sweeney, an even more emotional cousin of the late trainer, said he had no doubt new trainer Purcell “would be pretty happy I think”.
“Ross has done a super job to take over this team of Phil’s and it’s working out pretty well,” he said.
“Yes, this is the first winner we have had since Phillip passed away but she’s a tough mare and he always had a lot of faith in her, so Ross has done a super job.
“Josh Curtis has been with Phil and he knows them pretty well, and he knows the system, the system hasn’t changed, it’s just that Ross has stepped in there and taken over, so he’s doing good and he’s here strapping today.”
Incredibly it was also one of seven finishes in the eight-race card at Sandown Hillside which almost wore out the photo-finish camera.
Each needed the camera to pick the winners, and all seven were decided by a short half-head – or less.
Even minor placings demanded judges go to the camera for confirmation.
Riding Neverstandingstill from the front, Lloyd, who has been in hot form in recent weeks, used the inside running to set the pace and then to steal a small break heading for home.
But she was run down by Hissy Fit and actually headed with just metres to go, before Lloyd, in a charmed moment on a special day, all but picked up her horse and threw it over the line.
Then she came back out 35 minutes later in the $55,000 Ladbrokes Communities Handicap over 1300m and in another blanket finish was judged to be a nose clear of Kaluuwaa Falls and Galactic Fury.
Since June 1 Lloyd has saluted eight times and been in the minor placings a further 27 times. Last season she finished with 21 winners and in the current season, with 10 days to go, she has 38 winners – and counting.
