Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick knows every gallop and every race might be the last of the remarkable career of his Everest favourite I Wish I Win.
The sprinter, which had to be hidden from the gaze of prospective buyers as a foal because his front left was set at a strange angle, will look to go one better in The Everest on Saturday than last year, when he chased home Think About It. Chittick has been counting the days.
I Wish I Win sails down the centre of the track to win the TJ Smith Stakes last year.Credit: Getty Images
“It would be a dream to be in a place like this with the perfect horse; to be there with a not so perfect one is amazing,” Chittick said.
“You know with him it has always been day to day. It has been like that his whole life.”
The Everest contender I Wish I Win with a bad leg as a foal.
Chittick decided against corrective surgery with I Wish I Win and let the leg righted itself naturally. That gave the horse the chance to get to the races, where he showed he possessed a big motor.
“We gave him the time to develop and it worked out, but his gait is not the best, which can cause some problems that have to be managed,” Chittick said. “He is an exceptional talent, but his issues are what makes us appreciate every day at the races.”
There have been some great days for I Wish I Win. He won the Golden Eagle and TJ Smith Stakes and was highly fancied heading into The Everest, only to strike traffic problems in the straight before charging late into second.
Chittick and fellow owner and trainer Peter Moody sat down the night of The Everest last year and started to plan how to get back to the $20 million slot race. It was a case of less is more.
“We know him pretty well, and we know you need to use kid gloves with him,” Moody said.
“He has always been well looked after at Waikato and Te Akau before I got him, and, being a naturally fit horse, we don’t have to overdo it with him.
“We had the big break and then he was great in the TJ Smith [when third to Chain Of Lightning]. He went to Queensland and won a group 1 and probably should have won two.
“Once we had the slot again, it has been about bringing him to his peak for this day. He doesn’t have a beautiful action, so he could quite easily go sore, and we always have that in mind.”
I Wish I Win followed his usual pattern when getting back in the Moir Stakes before running into fifth a length from the winner, and he was finding the line down centre of the track in the Manikato Stakes behind Southport Tycoon and Growing Empire.
“They were the perfect lead-ups and his work since has been good,” Moody said. “We’ll get up there and give this race a shake on Saturday.”
Chittick was delighted to see barrier nine revealed for I Wish I Win on Tuesday, which should allow jockey Luke Nolen to find the right horse to follow.
“Drawing in with a horse like him, you can get dictated to, so out there he will be able to find his place in the field and have clean air in the straight when he needs it,” Chittick said.
Meanwhile, every horse in The Everest has been passed fit to run by Racing NSW stewards, but they will all be inspected again on Friday.
