I Wish I Win aiming to go one better in The Everest after securing slot

Co-trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman can now start plotting The Everest redemption with their star sprinter.

Ray Thomas

2 min read

July 31, 2024 - 2:52PM

I Wish I Win is the second sprinter locked in for the 2024 The Everest. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

I Wish I Win, the second sprinter to secure a slot for the $20 million The TAB Everest, is likely to have two lead-up runs into the world’s richest turf race.

Trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman can finalise their stable star’s spring program safe in the knowledge the gelding will be among the elite 12-horse field for The Everest at Royal Randwick on October 19.

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Moody part-owns I Wish I Win with breeder Mark Chittick of Waikato Stud and they have confirmed the deal has been reached with Trackside Media to secure an Everest start.

Trackside Media is owned by the New Zealand TAB in partnership with Entain and they negotiated to obtain the slot owned by Inglis in a similar deal to last year.

Chitticjk said the opportunity to combine with Trackside Media for The Everest in 2024 is the perfect approach for this year’s edition.

“Wish has given us one hell of a ride from life as a foal through to performing at the elite level. Joining forces again with the Trackside Media team to put things right sets the scene nicely for 19 October,’’ Chittick said.

“I’ve seen plenty of racing fans around the country wearing the I Wish I Win caps from last year’s quest, and I have no doubt New Zealand will get behind him again.”

I Wish I Win, who ran a close second to Think About It in the 2023 The Everest, is the $4.50 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds to go one better this spring.

The only other confirmed Everest starter at this stage is Perth’s rising three-year-old Bustling, who is now being trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr.

I Wish I Win (centre) was denied in last year’s The Everest. Picture: Bradley Photos

Since his narrow Everest loss last year, I Wish I Wish has had only three more starts, finishing third to stablemate Chain Of Lightning in the TJ Smith Stakes, second to Bella Nipotina in the Doomben 10,000 before gaining revenge over that mare in the Kingsford Smith Cup.

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Moody said recently I Wish I Win is likely to have two lead-up runs in Melbourne including the Group 1 Manikato Stakes before lining up in The Everest.

“We’re fired up about rejoining the journey with Trackside Media. I’ve been affiliated with Entain for a long time, and that relationship was only made stronger with the terrific experience we had last year,’’ Moody said.

“We went so close in 2023, and I am hopeful that we can go one better in just under three months.”

Entain Australia and New Zealand managing director Cameron Rodger said the results from last year spoke for themselves, as New Zealanders embraced the race like never before.

“Turnover on The Everest doubled from 2022 to 2023, with turnover on the race easily setting a new record, while the number of customers engaged on the race was also twice that of 2022,” Cameron Rodger said.

“Turnover on the entire Everest meeting at Randwick also saw a massive increase, up more than 57 per cent on the previous year. This momentum has continued since then, and The Everest is now a race clearly marked on the calendar of all New Zealand racing fans.

“We’re delighted to be involved with Wish again, together with the team at Waikato Stud and Moody Coleman Racing. His win in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup in Brisbane last start showed us he’s going to be perfectly primed to climb the Randwick mountain in October and we’re sure he’s going to have plenty of Kiwi fans cheering him on too.”