Jeff Lloyd on War Horse in the 2012 Gr1 Golden Horseshoe
In exciting news for local racing fans, KUDA Insurance have announced that they are bringing Jeff Lloyd back to South Africa to ride in this year’s Vodacom Durban July.
Jeff was SA Champion jockey 6 times (finishing on 313 wins for the 1991/92 season to break Muis Roberts’ long-standing record), Mauritian champion 5 times and, after suffering a stroke in 2013 and being told he might never ride again, staged one of the most staggering comebacks in racing history to win an Australian title in 2016. Where most jockeys are slowing down, at 56 years old, Jeff just seems to be getting better with age.
Starting with his first ride aboard So Humble in the 1978 Rothmans July where he finished 3rd, Jeff has had a total of 25 attempts at Durban’s premier race to date, with his most recent being a third placed finish on Chesalon in 2012. The July is the only South African major to elude Jeff’s grasp and it’s a gap on his CV that he would love to fill.
KUDA Managing Director Wehann Smith said, “Jeff has been such a champion in South Africa and it’s always been one of his bucket list items to win the July and we are fortunate to have negotiated a sponsorship deal to try and help him do just that.”
“While we can confirm that he is definitely coming for this year’s event, it is still a little early to say who he might be riding. However, one thing we can confirm is that he intends to win!”
