Guest House gatecrashes McDonald’s Group 1 party

SYDNEY – Just minutes after champion jockey James McDonald cemented his place in Australian racing history, his young rival Zac Lloyd announced himself as one of the sport’s brightest stars with a stunning winning ride in the A$5 million (S$4.5 million) Group 1 Golden Slipper (1,200m) at Rosehill on March 21.

The 22-year-old had a job to do aboard Guest House with a wall of horses ahead of him halfway up the straight but, keeping his cool, he picked a path through to spear the Home Affairs colt to the front for a dominant victory.

Becoming the first Victorian-trained winner since Crystal Lily in 2010, Guest House ($82) scored by 1½ lengths over Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1,200m) winner and fellow Victorian Streisand (13-2), with the Canberra fairytale-chasing Music Time (40-1) a gallant third, another half-length away.

Lloyd said when he found himself following none other than McDonald’s mount Fireball, he knew he was in the right spot.

“I got on the back of the best jockey in the world, and I thought, here we go,” said the son of former South African champion jockey Jeff Lloyd.

“I was just waiting for a run but geez, he let down so well. I’m so pleased for the big ownership group, and for (trainers) Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, and Ben Elam who works here in Sydney.”

Lloyd, who rode once at Kranji in 2024 with two seconds as his best result, had his first Golden Slipper ride in 2025 when he finished unplaced on King Of Pop. He has now emerged victorious at just his second appearance in the world’s richest two-year-old race.

Sydney’s champion apprentice jockey in 2022-23 and again in 2023-24, Lloyd credited his family for their impact in guiding his career, particularly his father.

“My dad is probably bawling his eyes out. He is quite an emotional man,” said Lloyd.

“But I wouldn’t be half the rider I am without him, and I wouldn’t be a quarter of the person I am without my mum and my dad. And to my brother (fellow jockey) Jaden, he’s going to be the happiest person on planet earth.”

Guest House also gave his trainers their first Slipper after they had to settle for the minor prizes in both the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1,100m) and the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Price had previously placed in the Slipper twice when training on his own, firstly with Samaready in 2012 and then Flying Artie in 2016, and Kent Jr said he was most thrilled for his business partner to finally break his duck.

“It’s so right for Mick. I’m so lucky I work with Mick. He’s had so many close calls in this race. He’s a great two-year-old trainer,” said Kent Jr, son of former Bukit Timah and Kranji trainer Michael Kent, now based in Cranbourne.

“What a horse. He won by a big margin, going away, so fantastic.”

Ben Melham was proud of Streisand’s effort to fight on for second, describing it as “super gallant”, while Music Time’s French jockey Pierre Boudvillain was equally rapt with the run of his mount.

“Very proud of the horse and the whole country team,” said the country-based Boudvillain.

The Singaporean-owned Chayan started a 9-2 favourite but could only finish eighth, jockey Craig Williams saying she had come to the end of her preparation.

“She didn’t run up to her form, unfortunately,” said Williams.

Raced by Eric Koh, the I Am Invincible filly was trapped three deep throughout in the rear before swinging out wide for her run, but lacked finish inside the last 300m.

The Golden Slipper did not fit McDonald this time, but he did enjoy his own magical moment when he equalled Australian Hall of Fame jockey Damien Oliver’s record of 129 Group 1 wins with Aeliana ($7) in the A$1 million Ranvet Stakes (2,000m).

He then went one better with Autumn Boy ($12) in the next race, the A$750,000 Rosehill Guineas (2,000m).

The icing on the cake was Autumn Glow ($6) stretching his unbeaten run to 11 wins in the very next race, the A$1 million George Ryder Stakes (1,500m), with the race-to-race treble provided by who else but McDonald’s biggest supporter and record-breaking trainer Chris Waller.

The New Zealand-born McDonald, however, remained humble after his stellar milestone.

“It’s lovely, but it’s a testament to the horses that I ride because they are phenomenal,” he said.

“There’s no two ways about it, that I do ride the best horses and most favourites each race and I’m blessed to have that opportunity.”

Over in Caulfield, six “black type” winners scored, the highlight being Jigsaw (Logan Bates, $27) for Cindy Alderson in the A$1 million Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1,200m). RACING AND SPORTS