CAV COMPARISON
Nolen feedback strengthens Moody Newmarket bid
CHAMPION trainer Peter Moody has revealed the startling feedback jockey Luke Nolen gave after finishing runner-up in the $1m Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes on I Wish I Win.
I Wish I Win (right), now equal favourite to win the $1.5m Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on March 11, was the standout at Flemington on Saturday outside of winner Coolangatta.
“He’s a serious, serious horse,” Moody said.
“Luke got off and said I’ve only ridden one that quickens better, you can guess which one that was.”
The one, of course, being the unbeaten legend Black Caviar.
Nolen rode Black Caviar in 22 of her 25 consecutive wins including her three Lightning Stakes 2011-13.
I Wish I Win rocketed from last to close within a long head of the winner with the day’s fastest last 800m, 600m, 400m and 200m sectionals.
While Coolangatta’s second Group 1 has connections mulling a Royal Ascot “dream”, Moody stopped short of international declarations for his charge.
“I’ll take him anywhere in the world you can guarantee me I’ll get a firm track, 1200m to a mile (1600m), but I want the firm track and I want my money back if it rains,” he said with a smile.
“He’s a gelding, he’s only four, to be honest there’s a lot of racing for him here, a lot of good money, there’s no upside for him going over there, unless they (owner/ breeder Mark Chittick, of Waikato Stud) really chose to do so.
“It’s probably something they have got out of their system but he’d (I Wish I Win) love that deck there (Ascot racecourse), the climbing 1200m would be an ideal scenario for him, one would think.”
Group 1 mare Glamour Puss, trained by Danny O’Brien, represented Waikato at Royal Ascot in 2006.
I Wish I Win has joined In Secret as $4 equal favourite with TAB for next month’s Newmarket Handicap.
“The Newmarket was the race I want to run him in, I was going to run him in it first up, if I knew he was going to handle the straight like that I probably wouldn’t have even run him (Lightning),” Moody said.
“We had to come here and have a barrier trial in the Lightning Stakes and nearly pulled it off.
“I was either going to be a d--khead or a genius, and I was a head off being a genius and not quite a d--khead.”
Meanwhile, Coolangatta managing owner John O’Neill echoed trainer David Eustace’s “dream” to take the dual Group 1 winner to Royal Ascot.
Six Lightning winners have won at Royal Ascot – Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast, Black Caviar and Nature
Strip.
“We love her at the 1000m, Ciaron (Maher) and Dave love her at the 1000m,” O’Neill said.
“I know Jamie (Kah) is pretty keen to go ... I would say, if they’re (trainers) happy, we’ll be going.”
O’Neill and several partowners, including Ozzie Kheir, have Light Infantry set to race at Royal Ascot.