Much was made of I Wish I Win drawing barrier one in The Everest last year and the star sprinter will need to overcome the same potential issue in Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
The five-year-old gelding has only been seen once since then, beaten a neck in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) to stablemate Chain Of Lightning, but Katherine Coleman, who trains in partnership with Peter Moody, says the horse hits this fresh and ready to fire. “He travelled up last Wednesday. He settled in really well, we’re really happy with him. Couldn’t be happier heading into Doomben,” Coleman said. “We were just taking it run by run, but it was always a plan to head to Queensland for something. There are a few options but we’ll just get through this run and go from there.”
The difficult decision was made to keep James Mcdonald aboard after he rode the horse first up rather than switch back to regular rider Luke Nolen, but like the horse’s program, Coleman says the stable are flexible when it comes to jockeys.
“Obviously James rode the horse first up, he’s got a good connection with Mark Chittick at Waikato Stud so they were keen to keep him on the horse (but) again, it’s run by run, James has a lot of other commitments to other stable so nothing’s set in stone.”
Regardless of who’s aboard, I Wish I Win is comfortably the highest rated horse in the field, and barrier notwithstanding, Coleman is very confident heading into the $1.5 million feature.
“I think it’s going to take a very, very good horse to beat him.”
The stable are also likely to run T J Smith winner Chain Of Lightning, pending the track conditions, with Doomben listed as a soft 6 on Tuesday morning.
“She needs a little bit of give in the ground… the way it’s been up there last week it should suit her,” Coleman said.
The five-year-old mare is set to go through the Magic Millions Broodmare Sales later this month with the stable keen to take her to Royal Ascot if the new owners wish to.
“We’ll just wait and see what happens there but that would be amazing. It’d be very exciting.”
Chain Of Lightning has drawn barrier five with Jamie Kah to ride while fellow Group 1 winning mares Bella Nipotina and Espiona have drawn barriers three and nine respectively.
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