Inside draw for I Wish I Win in Doomben 10,000
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.
More Racing News
Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa share up for grabs
A share in last month’s Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa is being offered on Inglis Digital. The five percent share is one of the headline lots that form a Halo Racing unreserved reduction, offered on behalf of the late Colin McKenna, who died last month. Also up for grabs is five percent...
Despite rating, 2024 WA Guineas hope high for Andrews
As a three-time champion of the WA Guineas (1600m), top line trainer Trevor Andrews has a good handle on what it takes to win the Group 2 feature. Trevor Andrews will have two bites of the cherry at winning his fourth WA Guineas on Saturday and despite what the market says he...
Cranbourne Cup 2024 wait and see for Maher quartet
The Ciaron Maher stable is still deciding which of their quartet of acceptances it will take up the challenge with in the Listed Cranbourne Cup. Three of the runners in Saturday’s 1600m contest are also among acceptances for the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) on Sunday. Nugget, Cosmic Vega and Flash Flood have accepted for Kilmore...
Sydney form to pay off for trainer Chris Waller
To run or not to run is a question hanging over many stables as a heavy track presents itself at Doomben. The two listed race features – the Recognition Stakes and the Tattersall’s Classic – could yet be impacted by scratchings but it is in another race on the card where...
Air of confidence surrounds Maher’s The Gong squad
Big Dance winner Gringotts is the clear top pick of Ciaron Maher’s squad for the $1 million The Gong, but the leading trainer won’t be surprised to see the horse’s biggest threat comes from of a stablemate. Gringotts had three-quarters of a length to spare over barn mate Vivy Air in the Big...
Rey shooting for stars in The Meteorite
From the time two slot races were announced by Southside Racing, the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable knew they wanted to be a part of it. Griffiths was born and bred in the Cranbourne area and was one of the first to establish a barn at the Cranbourne Training...
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
