A year ago, I Wish I Win scored his first elite-level scalp in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), and on Saturday his connections are hoping for a repeat dose.
After his heroics at Randwick last year, he went on to place in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in September before finishing runner-up in the A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick a month later.
The Sydney slot race is once again at the forefront of trainer Peter Moody and Catherine Coleman’s minds this year and they are planning on taking a similar path towards the rich sprint, kicking off with a hopeful title defence in the TJ Smith.
“Everything with this autumn campaign is geared towards having him back and having another crack at The Everest over spring,” Coleman said.
“We had the horse there in really good order last year, unfortunately the way the race panned out from the barrier we drew, things didn’t go our way.
“I think we can be confident in the way the horse performed and so if we can rinse and repeat the process that led up to him getting there in that state of mind and a healthy, happy horse, then I think we can give it a red-hot crack and hopefully go one better.”
I Wish I Win, who races in the colours of breeder and part-owner Waikato Stud, has enjoyed a decent spell since The Everest last year and his trainers said he has thrived with the break.
“Since his preparation over spring, I Wish I Win has been able to have his first really decent spell since arriving in Australia from New Zealand, and it seems to have done him the world of good,” Coleman said. “He has come back and looks fantastic, he is bigger and stronger.”
The TJ Smith will be part of a very light autumn preparation for I Wish I Win, with Coleman saying the ownership of Waikato Stud and Moody gives them the luxury of not having to overtax their gelding.
“We are in quite a unique position with this horse where he is owned by Mark Chittick (Waikato
Stud principal) and Peter Moody. We are under no pressure to have the horse racing multiple times a preparation,” Coleman said.
Coleman was rapt to get the win in the TJ Smith with I Wish I Win last year, but now officially in training partnership with Moody, a win in this year’s edition would have even more meaning for the Victorian horsewoman.
“When Wish won the TJ 12 months ago, that was a very special day. From last to first it was a huge run and it was a really gutsy performance. It was brilliant to see,” she said.
“He is just a special horse to have around the stable and he is a favourite of everyone. We are just loving having him as part of our team.
“If we were able to defend our TJ title, it would be very special for all of us at Moody Racing. We haven’t won a Group One since being in partnership, so it would be the first with my name on there as well, which would be very special.”