There will be no excuses for I’m Thunderstruck when he lines-up in the All Star Mile at Moonee Valley according to his co-trainer Mick Price.
I’m Thunderstruck has been comfortably beaten in his two runs this campaign, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are expecting him to turn it around on Saturday.
The gelding ran out of puff late when a first-up fourth in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown February 11 before having every chance in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) two weeks later.
“He’s been getting beaten fair and square,” Price said.
“I have had no problems with the training of the horse, but he just hasn’t been able to pick them up.
“He’s going to win some, he’s going to lose some.
“Alligator Blood has won five Group 1’s, he (I’m Thunderstruck) has won two, so that tells you something while Mr Brightside has been behind us and finished in front of us three times.”
Price said the step up in distance to 1600m will be more to I’m Thunderstruck’s liking as will a more solidly run race with the likes of Keats, Gentleman Roy and Alligator Blood engaged.
“He’ll be ridden back, but not a long way back,” Price said.
“When you have Keats, Gentleman Roy and Alligator Blood in the race, we’re not there with them, but if we’re somewhere between fourth and sixth, sweet, but I don’t want to be out the back.
“In the Cox Plate, from where he was, I had completely written him off.
“To run second, I thought whoa.”
Price said Saturday’s race will top I’m Thunderstruck off nicely for the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday week and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick two weeks later.
“I’ve got no complaints with the horse,” Price said.
“If I had complaints, I would say I have a I query on the horse, but I don’t have a query on the horse.
“I think he’s been getting beaten because he’s been getting beaten.
“I think this run, the Australian Cup and the Queen Elizabeth will be all peak runs for him.
“I’ve used some nice races to get him ready. He’s ready.
“I can’t help him any more now.”