Trainer Peter Moody is looking to give his gun sprinter I Wish I Win just one lead in run ahead of the A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick in October.
The Pakenham conditioner was pleased with his jumpout at Pakenham on Tuesday, when winning his 1000m heat with jockey Luke Nolen aboard.
“He is in super order. He sat back in behind them and rounded the trial off nicely,” Moody told Racing.com.
“For where he is at in the preparation, I am more than pleased.”
Moody is now eyeing the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 as a first-up tilt for the New Zealand-bred and raced gelding, and is confident he will have his charge cherry ripe for his lucrative assignment six weeks later.
"I am probably leaning toward running him in the Memsie at Caulfield on the second,” he said.
“I don’t see any sense belting this horse around Moonee Valley over 1000m. That will just drive him mad and do his head in.
“If an opportunity was down the straight like last time, like the Lightning (Gr.1, 1000m), we would probably look at that, but my experience tells me he doesn’t have to be as wound up for a race like the Memsie as he would a Carlyon Stakes (Listed, 1000m) or the like.
“He has a run at the track and trip, and he has had a win, albeit in a lot lower grade.
“I thought it was a nice starting point.
“From there he has got six weeks until The Everest. I am thinking he doesn’t run in-between and probably has another trial.
“He is a horse that thrives on that 21-day break and there is not a race at all anywhere in Australia 21 days before the Everest.
“I am thinking, with the blessing of the Pakenham Racing Club, we will possibly have another trial here in-between the Memsie and The Everest, or alternatively we might give him a trip away and a little track gallop. We will let his condition guide us along.”
I Wish I Win was bred by Waikato Stud and is raced by farm principal Mark Chittick in partnership with Moody.
Initially trained in New Zealand by Jamie Richards, the Savabeel gelding won two and placed in six of his nine starts for the now Hong Kong-based horseman, including placings in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1400m), and Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).
He subsequently transferred to Moody’s care where he has won a further four races, including the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m), A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), and placed in the Gr.1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) and Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
I Wish I Win fills The Everest slot of Trackside Media, who secured the use of Inglis’ slot in this year’s race.