Jockey Tom Sadler has revealed that he will be looking to lead the 2013 Victoria Derby field on outsider Throw The King who is currently rated a $101 chance to win the Group 1 event at Flemington on Saturday.
Throw The King finished third behind Gamblin' Guru in the Geelong Classic but Tom Sadler is hopeful that he can cause a boilover in the 2013 Victoria Derby. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Throw The King recorded his first race victory in a maiden at Bendigo on October 3 and made his black type racing debut when he was beaten by eight and a half lengths by Gamblin’ Guru in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) last Wednesday.
Sadler told RSN that he was happy with the way that the son of Elvstroem battled home in the Geelong Classic and is hoping that a change of tactics will give him the chance to cause one of the biggest upsets in Victoria Derby history this weekend.
“He won his maiden at the start before and sat back and just looped around them and really won quiet impressively,” Sadler said.
“Going into the Geelong Classic he had a few niggly things and it wasn’t ideal for him going into it.
“I thought that he still did a really good job to finish third when he really wasn’t 100 percent comfortable.
“He has come through that run well, we have tried a few different things with him, and he really keeps showing a few positive signs going into Saturday.
“We are going to lead and try something different and hopefully Dad and I will pull a rabbit of the hat.”
The Victoria Derby is run over a testing 2500 metres and the staying credentials of a number of the leading chances, who have never stepped-up above 2000 metres, have been questioned.
Throw The King looked as though he tired in the final stages of the Geelong Classic but Sadler blamed the three-year-olds lack of a strong finish on the wet condition of the track and has no doubts that the gelding will run out a strong 2500 metres in the Victoria Derby Field on Saturday.
“He is by Elvstroem out of a Zabeel mare and obviously Elvstroem won the Derby in 2003,” Sadler said.
“The Zabeel side of his pedigree puts even more stamina into his legs and I had no doubt that he got the trip on Geelong Cup Day and it was probably just the track that took away his finish.
“He is fit, he is healthy and he looks terrific so I am really bursting to ride him on Saturday.
“The fancied runners like Complacent, Savvy Nature and Criterion there form is really based around a strong 2000m but it really sorts the stayers out when they step up to 2500 metres.
“I am really hoping that my bloke can show that he is a true stayer and get that extra ground strongly, while the more fancied runners might not get a strong 2500m.”
Punters do not appear to be worried about the staying credentials of a number of the leading contenders; with Savvy Nature ($4.80) and Complacent ($5) remaining the clear favourites in 2013 Victoria Derby betting markets.
