As the hour’s countdown to the Cox Plate, the preparation Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr planned out for I’m Thunderstruck has gone like clockwork.
Price wanted an exacting race program to have I’m Thunderstruck battled hardened for the 2040m Group 1 weight-for-age contest at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
And that is precisely what I’m Thunderstruck is after four runs for the campaign.
One worrying moment for Price was lying awake in the early hours of Tuesday morning wondering whether he should take I’m Thunderstruck to Moonee Valley or keep him at home for his final gallop.
In the end Cranbourne won out with Price reasoning he did not need to stir I’m Thunderstruck up with Saturday’s weight-for-age championship on the doorstep.
“We set out this preparation where he was going to run every two weeks which was a busy race preparation, I thought,” Price said.
“We’ve adjusted his work in between, beach work, the hills at Cranbourne have been good.
“We didn’t take him to gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday because we thought he may ‘adrenalise up’ a bit. He’s been here on race days, so that’s enough.”
The Moonee Valley circuit on Friday was rated a Good 4, but rain is forecast.
How much is uncertain, and the 2022 Cox Plate will be race 17 in less than 24 hours.
Price thinks drawing out in gate 10 is ideal for I’m Thunderstruck who will be able to push forward and not be bottled away.
“A normal Cox Plate is push to the first corner and then they find their spot and an inside gate, for him, might have been a bit squeezy, so I think it will be OK but we will be going forward,” Price said.
“The worse the track, the worse his chances, the better the track, the better his chances, so I’m hoping there’s not too much rain.”
Price has a lot of admiration for Anamoe who nailed I’m Thunderstruck late in the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield and said he was possibly the best older horse in Australia.
But he knows I’m Thunderstruck is ready to run the race of his life.
“He’s a lovely sound horse that will have his boxing gloves on and will do his best,” Price said.