Trackside Everest contender ready to race

New Zealand is ready to scale the summit of one of the world’s richest and best-known races, after trainer Peter Moody declared Trackside’s slot runner, I Wish I Win ready to rumble in The Everest.

I Wish I Win, who was born at Waikato Stud and remains majority owned by New Zealand connections, enters Everest week as a popular $4 favourite with TAB.

“I Wish I Win had a nice gallop on Saturday and we were very pleased with his work,” Moody said.

“He looks in great order, in really pleasing condition, and now we just need to get him to the track and ready to fire.

“His preparation hasn’t been entirely conventional with only one lead-up run, but it has enabled us to control many of the variables.

“We have a very relaxed and happy racehorse who should be fit and ready to put his very best forward at Randwick on Saturday.”

The 5YO son of NZ super sire Savabeel has already amassed career earnings of $8.5m, a number he could almost double in winning the world’s richest turf sprint race.

He tuned up for his Everest assignment with an eye-catching third behind Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on September 2.

“Since then the horse has been ticking over really well,” jockey Luke Nolen said.

“There has only been one mission this campaign and that has been entirely geared towards having the horse ready to deliver on Everest day.

“Moods and the team have left nothing to chance, and we can’t wait to get him to the track.”

I Wish I Win will finalise preparations with a gallop at his home track at Pakenham on Monday or Tuesday before floating to Sydney on Thursday. There he will be united with a large Kiwi contingent led by Waikato Stud Principal Mark Chittick and Entain New Zealand’s Managing Director, Cameron Rodger.

“This has been a magic ride for us, the horse owes us absolutely nothing,” Chittick said.

“He has already won a TJ Smith and a Golden Eagle, and to think he is now lining up in a A$20M Everest is beyond our wildest expectations. 

“The support we have felt, not just from friends and family, but the NZ racing industry and broader sporting public has been incredible. The last few months have been humbling and we feel very blessed to be here.”

“Looking forward to Saturday, we know I Wish I Win and his Kiwi fighting spirit will give his all and we can’t wait to enjoy the experience of one of the world’s biggest racing events.”

Since bursting on to the Australian racing scene last year, I Wish I Win has won 6 of his 16 starts, including the Group 1 ATC TJ Smith Stakes and the ATC Golden Eagle. 

Rodger said securing a slot in The Everest on behalf of New Zealand’s Trackside Media was a significant moment and an opportunity to celebrate the calibre of New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding industries. 

“We have obviously watched the growth of The Everest in Australia for a number of years and to be here with a live chance in the race, it is a great opportunity to engage Kiwi racing fans in this amazing concept,” Rodger said. 
 
“New Zealand has a very proud racing heritage, but for a number of years the industry has been underfunded and losing ground. As we have seen with the recent increases in stakes, as a result of the new strategic partnership with Entain, we are ready to kick back in a big way.

“We think The Everest is an incredible concept and we encourage the New Zealand industry to think big as we look at opportunities to create similar world-class events on Kiwi soil in the coming years.

“Having I Wish I Win fly the Trackside flag, but also that of our nation is an amazing privilege.”