‘No prisoners’: Loy vows to learn from Holyfield mistake

In a typically frank assessment, Loy believes rival jockey Jim Byrne got the better of him at the Gold Coast in the Listed Recognition Stakes (1350m) after Holyfield came off a clock-breaking performance at Doomben.SPECIAL OFFER: UNLOCK EVERYTHING ON RACENET FOR JUST $1Returning to Eagle Farm on Saturday in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1400m) Loy believes he is on the premier horse.“I don’t think he got beat by a better horse, I think (Holyfield) is a better horse, my ride probably cost him the race,” Loy said.“Early on Jim Byrne dictated to me, and then when I got stuck behind his horse I tried to ride the perfect race, rather than having confidence in myself, I had more confidence in the horse – just thinking he was the best horse in the race.“So I popped one off, but by doing that I came back half a length, he probably went a bit hard in himself, that was the telling difference in the last 50m. “Jim put on the brakes and got some cheap sectionals, my horse probably went a bit hard in himself. “I have learnt from my mistakes, I will be riding a bit more tactical this time around.”With Emerald Kingdom drawing wide, it is expected Byrne will again try to dictate from the front, but Loy wants to use his good draw to make it tough on the ageing sprinter. “If my bloke jumps well, I will be right there, leading or just behind the speed – there will be no prisoners on Saturday,” he said.“I ride him a fair bit in work and he feels really good, he is going great.”Loy also takes the seat on Johnny Rocker in the Listed Gold Edition Plate (1200m), in what shapes as one of the best races of the summer. After being backed into favouritism in the Listed Pierata Plate (1200m), the colt put in his worst performance to date, but Loy is looking for a change of surfaces to spark him up again. “I have watched him race and I beat him last start, I was inside him and I thought he would dictate to me a bit,” he said.“He dropped the bridle on the soft ground, but he gets back to Eagle Farm on Saturday.“It’s a small field but geez there is some pace in it, if it plays out how it looks on paper, you’d think a horse of his calibre would be able to run over the top of them hopefully.”Bartholomeu Dias caps off a small, but quality book of rides for Loy in the Magic Millions Open Handicap (1800m) after tasting success at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day. Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au