King ready to reign in Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

A wet track may have thwarted the finishing power of King Of Thunder (NZ) (Tivaci) last start but connections are hoping a drier surface will enable the horse to show his true colours in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby on Saturday.

King Of Thunder finished third to Imperialist in heavy conditions at his final lead-up run in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) and while content with the performance, co-trainer Tom Charlton said the three-year-old wasn’t at his best in the rain-affected going.

“It looked like he was coming to make his challenge and just worked away to the line,” Charlton said.

“He shows a few more gears than that normally. The comment from the rider was he just got slightly dulled in the conditions.

“We were delighted with him the other day. He didn’t love that ground and he’s probably looking for a bit more of a test, which he will get next Saturday.”

Fine weather is forecast in Brisbane this week and King Of Thunder will arrive at Eagle Farm well-seasoned with Saturday’s classic the third Derby he will have contested.

He finished seventh in the Victorian Derby (2500m) last spring and fifth in the ATC Australian Derby (2400m) during the autumn carnival, connections hoping Saturday will be a case of third time lucky.

“He has been running really well in all these Derby races and has a likable profile going into it,” Charlton said.

King Of Thunder remains a $6 Derby favourite while stablemate Hurstville Zagreb has drifted from $11 to $15 after finishing a soundly beaten third to Let’s Fly at Randwick on Saturday.

King Of Thunder is a graduate of the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, purchased by John O’Shea Racing for $50,000 from the draft of Ohukia Lodge.

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