It’s been over eight years since trainer John O’Shea and jockey James McDonald last secured a top-level victory together, but the pair will join forces again when King Of Thunder takes on Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).
“We’re due to have another nice race win,” O’Shea, who co-trains with Tom Charlton, told Racing.com.
“We’re pleased to get him (McDonald) as I think he was holding out for the Godolphin horse (Broadsiding), and when it was announced he wouldn’t run, we picked him up.
“We ran the gauntlet a bit, but it all turned out well.”
McDonald got his first feel for King Of Thunder during a fast-finishing third place in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) last Saturday.
“He’s a genuine mile-and-a-half horse that would be best suited by a good tempo,” O’Shea added.
“That run was that last step towards the Derby, and he performed really well.
“We’ll have no problems with the trip, so you’d expect him to go well.”
Set to break from the inside barrier, King Of Thunder currently holds the third line of betting at $7.50 with horse betting sites for the Victoria Derby.
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