![Zac Lloyd guided Eagle Express to victory at Rosehill for champion trainer Chris Waller. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2345490.jpg)
The normally lethal combination of trainer Chris Waller and jockey James Mcdonald found themselves in rival corners at Rosehill, and Waller made sure to use it to his advantage.
With Eagle Express ($4) carrying just 52kg in Saturday’s Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1200m), light weight hoop Zac Lloyd was engaged to ride the Waller-trained mare, stalking McDonald on leader and eventual fourth placegetter Hawker Hall ($2.05 fav) and surging through along his inside to score.
“That was the plan today, to get into James’ slipstream and not expose her too early and just have a crack late,” Waller said.
“She’s a talented filly turned mare now. We wanted to see her do that today to justify another year with us.”
A five-year-old, Eagle Express is relatively lightly raced, and Saturday’s was her fifth win from 21 starts.
JAMES MCDONALD. SIMPLY THE BEST ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eagle Express wins the last and J-Mac fans go home with pockets full, that’s five for the champ 👏@cwallerracing @YulongInvest pic.twitter.com/HpmphkqlVp
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) January 31, 2026
She wasn’t disgraced when tested in black type company during the autumn, and Waller believes she’s capable of measuring up to that grade in the right race.
“The race next week, the Toy Show (Quality), is probably the right race for her. She won’t be running there, but that type of race. A handicap where we can hold her up,” he said.
Waller was also full of praise for Lloyd, who brought up a double on Eagle Express after earlier winning a race on protest aboard the Brad Widdup-trained Mind Ya Bizz.
Second to McDonald in last season’s Sydney jockeys’ premiership, the young hoop is one of the sport’s rising stars and Waller says his recent experience riding overseas at Royal Ascot and South Africa has been telling.
While McDonald remains a clear benchmark, Waller believes the emergence of the likes of Lloyd keeps all the elite jockeys pushing their boundaries.
“You don’t want the gap too big and there are a few chomping away,” Waller said.
“There’s some good, healthy competition.
“It’s great for James, and it’s good for jockeys when they do some international trips like Zac has done. Jason Collett is in Japan at the moment.
“We’re the winner, Sydney, when they come back.”
Continuing his recent spate of international appearances, Lloyd will miss next Saturday’s Winx Stakes meeting to ride in the World All-Star Jockeys competition in Japan.
