 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
I Wish I Win is set to make his seasonal debut in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday, with connections reporting the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained gelding to be in fine fettle following a sun-soaked winter break in Queensland.
The contrast in I Wish I Win's condition compared to last year is stark, according to Coleman. "When he came back in from his spell last year, he was a hairy little beast that looked like a Shetland pony you had pulled out of the back paddock," she recalled. "This year he came back in and has had a beautiful coat the whole way through."
With a slot already secured in The Everest at Randwick on October 19, I Wish I Win's campaign will see him tackle the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes at The Valley on September 27 after his Moir engagement. While Coleman expects the 1000m of the Moir to be on the sharp side, she remains optimistic given the gelding's past performances.
"He's not screwed down and we've still got six weeks until Grand Final Day," Coleman said. "But he's such a talented horse, nothing is off the table with him. We saw what he did up the straight at Flemington when we thought they would be way too sharp as well."
The Moir Stakes, first run in 1976, has a storied history with past winners including champions such as Manikato, Vain, and more recently, Buffering. The latter went on to claim multiple Group One victories both domestically and internationally.
Coleman emphasised the importance of a smooth run: "You don't want him to have a gut-buster, so we'll be bearing that in mind. As long as he's finishing strongly, taking fitness improvement and pulling up well, that's what we'll be looking to see."
The Moody-Coleman team may also be represented by Chain Of Lightning, with the mare's participation hinging on track conditions. "We have to be open minded with her. She needs a bit of give in the ground," Coleman explained. "There are a few showers forecast, so hopefully we'll get Moods' doing a rain dance and there will be enough to soften the track."
As the countdown to the Moir Stakes continues, all eyes will be on I Wish I Win to see if his Queensland sojourn has indeed set him up for a successful spring campaign.