Trainer Peter Moody is considering all his options with his luckless Everest runner-up I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel).
“Does he run on Champion’s day at Flemington in the mile, or in the sprint, or does he go to the paddock?” Moody mused of the three most likely outcomes following his second placing behind Think About It at Randwick.
“I’ll let the horse steer me along. I’m not thinking of anything until I get him home and have a look at him. I’d just be guessing.”
I Wish I Win had to squeeze through gaps late to challenge for The Everest and while the general consensus on passing the post was that he was unlucky not go have edged out Think About It, Moody was philosophical.
“The winner is a winner isn’t it,” he said of Think About It, who has now won 11 of his 12 races.
“Look, my horse ran really well, and he seems good after the race.
“He’s on his way home, so we’ll get him back and have a look at him.
“Does he go to the paddock or does he have another run?”
If I Wish I Win went to the Champions Mile (1600m), it would complete a most unusual campaign for the Gr.1 T J Smith winner of last autumn, as he ran first-up in the 1400m Memsie before dropping back to 1200m for The Everest.
Defeat is always tough to take but at least I Wish I Win’s connections (of which Moody is one) still enjoyed a major pay-day with slot holders Trackside New Zealand that raced I Wish I Win.
The gelding made A$2.9 million for his efforts to take his career earnings to A$10.72 million to have him placed ninth on the overall tally.
