Co-trainer Katherine Coleman isn’t expecting any first-up fireworks from I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) or Chain Of Lightning when they kick off their respective spring campaigns in Saturday’s Group One Moir Stakes at The Valley.
The stablemates are the highest-rated horses in the $750,000 sprint and while their co-trainer concedes their class can carry them a long way, she said they’re being trained to peak later in the spring.
I Wish I Win is one of only two horses already locked into an Everest slot next month with the Trackside Media slot.
Chain Of Lightning will jump from barrier four, while Luke Nolen will steer I Wish I Win from barrier five on Saturday.
“I’d say it’s a little bit short for both of their best and neither of them come into it really screwed down,” said Coleman, who trains in partnership with Peter Moody.
“We think both of them have improvement to come.
“We want them to go there, have a nice hit-out and be hitting the line strongly.
“We don’t want them to have a gut-busting first-up run.”
I Wish I Win is rated the $4.80 third favourite in Sportsbet’s Moir market, behind Estriella ($2.70) and Lady Of Camelot ($3.80).
Coleman said the son of Savabeel tuned up for his return with a solo gallop at Pakenham on Tuesday, which follows a jumpout win at Pakenham in mid-August.
The gelding will use the Moir and the Manikato Stakes three weeks later to springboard into The Everest as he attempts to go one better in Sydney’s rich slot race.
“Regular rider Luke Nolen was in the saddle (for his gallop on Tuesday) and he was happy with him and said the horse gave him a great feel,” she said.
“It (his jumpout) might be a little bit deceiving, just the fact that he’s got that good residual fitness from his Queensland winter campaign, so he was more forward in that first jumpout than where we’ve seen him before.
“In saying that, we have been very happy with how he’s come up for his spring campaign.
“Last year he just didn’t have the ideal lead-up race but this maps out really well for him – he can go from the Moir, three weeks into the Manikato and then three weeks into The Everest.
“We know that he loves three weeks between runs.”
Chain Of Lightning was scratched from a Gr.3 race at Caulfield last Saturday and Coleman said she will again be monitoring the forecast over the coming days before committing to a start with the T.J. Smith Stakes winner.
“She’s come back super,” she said.
“We had her in at Caulfield on Saturday, but the track just came up a bit firm, which we know is not to her liking.
“There looks to be a few showers of rain forecast late this week, so we’ll cross our fingers.
“She doesn’t need a Heavy track, but she’d just like the sting out of it.”
