I’m Thunderstruck will sport a different look when he lines up in the Futurity Stakes at Sandown.
Having raced most of his career with a Cross-over Nose Band, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding will race without the gear in the 1400m Group 1 contest on Saturday.
I’m Thunderstruck still has a lugging bit and a one-eyed blinker as part of his race day gear, but after the gelding worked at Sandown on Tuesday morning it was decided to take the Cross-over Nose Band off.
Jamie Kah suggested to Price I’m Thunderstruck was not in need of the Cross-over Nose Band which he was worn in 19 of his 21 starts.
“I’ve been trialling him without it and I suggested we keep the one-eye blinker on because he is laying-in a touch,” Kah said.
“I’ve found that he is so much softer without the Cross-over. He goes along at trackwork with a rubber bit. He’s got a real sensitive mouth on him, so I said let’s take it off if he’s happy with it.
“Mick’s great. He’s one of those trainers that listens to every word that you say, so straight away he said, ‘yep, let’s take it off’.
“I don’t think it does anything. I think it restricts him a little bit, upsets him. It was used to stop him pulling and hanging, but now that he’s matured, he doesn’t need it.”
Kah has ridden I’m Thunderstruck on three occasions.
She rode him early in career to wins at Flemington and Moonee Valley in July 2021 then first-up in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes at Sandown on February 11 when fourth to Jacquinot.
Kah said I’m Thunderstruck knocked-up late in the race and after partnering him on Tuesday said he had taken considerable improvement from the run.
“He was going so well beforehand, but he really knocked-up, swapping legs three or four times in the last 100 metres,” Kah said.
“I think we both thought he was a bit more forward than he was, but that’s OK. Today’s work was great. He was clean pulling up, and his breathing was good.”