The owners of I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) have rejected several lucrative offers for the exciting three-year-old off the back of his sensational win at Flemington two weeks ago.
The gelded son of Shocking, who runs at The Valley on Saturday as a short-priced favourite, was immediately targeted by Hong Kong buyers following his four-length romp at Headquarters.
“Hong Kong were all over him after Flemington, but the owners were very keen to keep him here,” OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson said on Friday.
“As a couple of the guys pointed out, by the time you divide up the horse, we’ll probably go out and buy three slow ones to replace it, so let’s run with the one that’s a good one.”
Henderson said the owners had no interest in selling the horse that has won three of his five starts.
“You get these horses and the guys in the horse love racing at the top end and it’s hard to give away the chance to have that experience,” he said.
“Some of them were in horses like Manighar and Gailo Chop, who took us to five countries.”
The A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) in October is the ultimate spring goal for I’m Thunderstruck but even so, Henderson said Saturday’s task was not a done deal as the galloper goes to the 1514-metre course at The Valley.
“Saturday’s race is another challenge,” Henderson said. “Moonee Valley out wide (barrier nine of 11) with the rail out three metres and with a horse that is not doing everything right just yet.
“I am really happy Jamie (Kah) is on him as she suits him well.
“He’s got the ability to do what he did at Flemington again but whether the vagaries of Moonee Valley and the conditions that he’s got to run upset him, we’ll see.
“But he has thrived since Flemington and you’d be surprised if he didn’t win but you wouldn’t be taking ridiculously short odds either.”
