Hit-and-run Warwick Farm missions for Lloyd, Clark

Zac Lloyd and Tim Clark both made the trip to Warwick Farm for a single ride each, ensuring their efforts were worthwhile by securing victories in the opening two races.

Lloyd had to work hard aboard the Matthew Smith-trained Idle Flyer ($1.35), as the filly took her time reeling in Metaphoricallly ($3.50) before producing a late surge to clinch victory by half a length. The three-horse Precise Air Handicap (1400m) turned into an engaging contest.

Smith admitted he had anticipated a more straightforward win.

“She only does the bare minimum, doesn’t she? He really had to get stuck into her late,” Smith said.

“But she found again, so that’s a good sign of a good horse when they find again under pressure.

“The race was run at what looked a pretty leisurely gallop early and was a sprint home. She is only lightly raced, she is learning her craft, and she will be better, by the look of that, over a mile.”

Idle Flyer has now recorded three wins from five starts, and Smith remains optimistic that she can feature in some of the top fillies’ races during the autumn carnival.

Meanwhile, the Ciaron Maher stable holds high hopes for Spaceballs, Clark’s winning mount, who displayed a strong finishing burst to claim victory in Wednesday’s 2025 Stud and Stable Staff Awards Plate (1200m).

Like Idle Flyer, Spaceballs is by Dundeel, and Maher’s Sydney foreman, Johann Gerard-Dubord, believes she has the potential for bigger achievements.

“She has always been showing plenty of talent, both runs last prep were very good while still doing a lot of things wrong,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“We just wanted to find the right starting point, especially at home, and now we can look at better things.

“Later on, a race like the Kembla Grange Classic could be a nice race for her.”

The Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) is scheduled for March 14.