The Everest 2023: I Wish I Win lands slot in $20m race

Master trainer Peter Moody knew it was only a matter of time before brilliant TJ Smith Stakes winner I Wish I Win was locked in for this year’s $20m The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick.

I Wish I Win became the fourth horse to be picked up for the lucrative sprint after a deal was hatched between Inglis and New Zealand’s Trackside Media.

Trackside Media, which is owned by the New Zealand TAB, is in partnership with Entain and purchased their slot for the richest race on turf.

I Wish I Win lowered the colours of last year’s The Everest winner Giga Kick in the TJ Smith Stakes during the autumn and is considered one of the leading contenders for the October 14 event.

“It was just a matter of when not if so it’s good to put it behind us,” Moody said.

“It was the right fit. The horse is majority New Zealand owned and that’s the place of his heritage. I have an affiliation with Ladbrokes, who in turn are owned by Entain, who in turn now own the NZTAB. It was too simple.”

I Wish I Win, the winner of last year’s Golden Eagle, was sent for a spell following TJ Smith Stakes but has since returned to work at Moody’s Pakenham yard.

The Victorian horseman is yet to map out a plan for I Wish I Win’s spring preparation but confirmed the smart son of Savabeel would trial later this month.

“I haven’t set any plans but the horse is in work and the horse is going along lovely,” he said.

“He will probably trial up towards the end of July there so we will see where he is at then.”

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick confirmed I Wish I Win had attracted interest from several slot-holders before locking down a deal.

“We had been involved in discussions with a number of the slot-holders, but when we found out that a Kiwi company had secured a slot in this year’s race it became a very easy decision,” he said.

I Wish I Win sits on the second line of The Everest betting at $5 with Giga Kick an outright $3.50 favourite.

Giga Kick (James Harron), Stradbroke Handicap winner Think About It (Newgate) and last year’s third placegetter Mazu (The Star and Arrowfield) are the other three horses in the race.