Zac Lloyd has played a starring role at the penultimate Sydney Saturday meeting of the season, taking out the feature race on Victorian Barbie’s Fox as part of a winning treble that has vaulted him to the lead in the apprentices’ premiership.

The young rider was relieved to get the verdict on the Lindsay Park mare after partnering her to a luckless fourth in the Winter Stakes last start, then again fearing he was going to emerge with a tale of woe when a run shut on them in the straight.

But horse and rider were able to regroup, Lloyd switching Barbie’s Fox ($5.50) around heels and she charged home to run down Hosier ($15) by a long neck with Steely ($11) another half-neck back in third.

“I was very nervous at the 300 metres,” Lloyd said.

“I thought, ‘please just don’t mess this up again’. I was able to get out and thought it might have been a touch too late.

“The horse got me out of trouble.

“I gave her one of my worst rides last start, thankfully I was able to stay on….I came here with a lot of confidence, trusted the horse, had that sit on her and felt that she has a turn of foot.”

A consistent campaigner, Barbie’s Fox was sent to Sydney by trainers Ben and JD Hayes in search of some valuable black type.

JD Hayes was trackside at Rosehill for Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) and said it was job done.

“Luckily we got it today, otherwise it would have been a bit of a hard luck Sydney trip,” JD Hayes said.

“Just very happy that the ball bounced our way today and she was good enough to pick herself up and come over the top.

“There were a few things we were saying at the 200 that can’t be repeated, but luckily she found clear air and she is absolutely airborne the mare.

“Now she’s had a pedigree update with a bit of black type, it’s a huge result.”

While Hayes was buoyant, Hosier’s trainer Mark Minervini could only watch on as his horse was run down in the final bounds.

While disappointed to be beaten, Minervini felt vindicated in seeing the horse turn around a midfield finish on a firm track in the Winter Stakes on the more forgiving Rosehill surface.

“I thought we were home,” Minervini said.

“I thought he performed well for us first-up the other week on a good four and that gave me a bit of confidence.”

Barbie’s Fox was Lloyd’s third winner on Saturday’s card after earlier victories on Soami and Eaglemont, the treble moving him one win ahead of Dylan Gibbons in the race for the apprentices’ title.