Zac Lloyd says King Of Thunder will get every chance from barrier one in Group 1 Australian Derby at Randwick
Drawing an inside barrier in the Group 1 Australian Derby has filled King Of Thunder rider Zac Lloyd with confidence.
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Jockey Zac Lloyd is expecting the inside draw to be worth its weight in gold for promising stayer King Of Thunder in the Saturday’s Group 1 $2m Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
Lloyd, who will partner Linebacker in the Group 1 $4m Doncaster Mile, could deliver trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton a quickfire feature double on Day 1 of The Championships.
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King Of Thunder ($12) and Lloyd have been together for the duration of the autumn and will attempt to snare O’Shea and Charlton a maiden Australian Derby win from barrier one.
“A lot of people will think one is a bad draw in those staying races but I think for him it’s a good draw,” Lloyd said.
“He can just find himself on the fence and switch off for the 2400m.
“I know he has got a good turn of foot and if he can get luck, because you are going to need luck when you’ve got barrier one.
“But as Tom (Charlton) alluded to on Tuesday night, we’ve got a lot of the favoured runners drawn around us.”
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King Of Thunder is one of multiple horses on the short back up from Tuesday’s rescheduled Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens.
The son of Tivaci was one of the best of the closers in the traditional Derby lead-up, surging home to finish third behind Pocketing.
“I thought he ran well,” Lloyd said.
“I didn’t think he liked the soft going so getting back on a better surface, which he should on Saturday should help for sure.”
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Lloyd will also partner a potential Australian Oaks contender for O’Shea and Charlton.
Polymnia ($3.30) broke her maiden stylish at Hawkesbury over 1800m and gets her chance to get some black type in the Group 3 $250,000 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m).
“I reckon she’s my best ride on the day, I am very confident she will run well,” Lloyd said.
“She gave me a great feel at Hawkesbury and it looks a great race for her.
“If she wins this, I think the Australasian Oaks or the Oaks here could be an option for her.”
Originally published as Zac Lloyd says King Of Thunder will get every chance from barrier one in Group 1 Australian Derby at Randwick
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