Two Spring Carnival hopes of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable have taken park in an exhibition gallop between races at Sandown.
I’m Thunderstruck (Jye McNeil) and Illation (Jamie Kah) worked over 1200m, quickening up over the final 600m as they prepare for their racetrack returns at Caulfield on August 27.
Price said I’m Thunderstruck would kick-off in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) with Illation likely to run in an Open Handicap over the same trip.
However, Illation will also be entered for Memsie Stakes and a Benchmark 78 (1400m) on the same day.
“Being an 83-rater it’s awkward,” Price said of Illation.
“How do you get him in the Sir Rupert Clarke or the Toorak. Ideally it would be those two races and then three weeks later drop down to the Golden Eagle.
“That would be ideal, but it’s just tricky with his rating.”
Price said the idea in bringing I’m Thunderstruck and Illation to Sandown was to get them away from Cranbourne for the day and stimulate their competitiveness.
“We’re at Cranbourne, it’s a beautiful training facility, but that’s where all their trials are, their gallops are,” Price said.
“You train your horse all the way up to August 27 and you never get out of Cranbourne, but the MRC were kind enough to allow us this job here.
“I’m Thunderstruck is a nervy type of horse. We were a 12 o’clock pick-up today from Cranbourne and as soon as we put travel boots on him, he really started to nerve up.
“So, it was a really good idea for him, rather than being flush up into the Memsie.”
Price said I’m Thunderstruck would be around 85 or 90 per cent fit for the Memsie, but noted he was in for a long program with the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley being his main goal.
After the Memsie, I’m Thunderstruck heads to the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown, the Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield before the Cox Plate.
“It’s a bit of racing, but I’ll just have to do less in between, but that’s his program,” Price said.
“He’s every bit as good as he was last prep, maybe a bit better. I think you’ll a better horse this prep.”
McNeil will make way for Mark Zahra in the Memsie and was happy to partner the gelding having won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap on the now five-year-old last year.
“He felt great, his action was really nice, he was tractable in that he didn’t hang or do anything wrong,” McNeil said.
“He has seemed to pull up reasonably well in the wind so he’s nice and forward, fresh and well.”
