It was an important jump outs session for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable at Cranbourne on Monday with stable stars and rising prospects taking the next steps in big race preparations.
Kent Jnr described I’m Thunderstruck’s trial as ‘beautiful’ and earmarked a race day return in the Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on February 11 followed by two more feature races in Melbourne before the ultimate aim of the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on the second day of The Championships.
“He went over 1000 metres on the tighter track and went beautifully,” Kent Jnr told RSN.
“He jumped well and won by a nose in the last stride in a nice bit of work.”
The first-up run in the Orr Stakes will be followed a fortnight later with a start in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and from then into the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 18.
Then another three weeks away is the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Kent Jnr identifies ‘a bit more luck’ with barrier draws will be of great help to the gelding notching another win at the highest level – his most recent being in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) last September – and negotiating the trend of the slower pace of weight-for-age racing in Melbourne.
The ‘one-eyed blinker’ has been a key gear change for the five-year-old which has helped him jump away more effectively.
“It has helped him concentrate on the start more and he came out of the barriers very cleanly this morning,” he added.
“He can anticipate the start a bit better and that is one thing we’ll look to change this time around.”
Kent Jnr says that he is unsure whether I’m Thunderstruck has improved this time in, or if there’s much more the horse can do given his high level performances so far.
It is a view shared by Racing & Sports’ Senior Handicapper, Adam Blencowe.
“There is little more one could ask of ‘Thunderstruck’ in 2023 aside from better conversion,” Blencowe said.
“We were lucky enough to see him 11 times in 2022 and, admirably, he never dipped below a rating of 110 in those 11 runs and only once did he really fail to fire a shot.
“But for 10 big runs he returned one solo win – and that one he had to pull out of the fire! It is noteworthy that he posted the fastest last 600m in five of his six spring runs.
“Making better use of that speed is the trick to turning good runs into winning ones. And that is what we should hope to see from I’m Thunderstruck in 2023.”
I’m Thunderstruck is rated at $6 for the Orr Stakes in pre-nominations markets with Anamoe the $5 favourite.
While I’m Thunderstruck was stretched out at Cranbourne, Anamoe was given an easier time finished towards the end of the field in an official trial over 900 metres at Warwick Farm.
