From being hidden behind the hedge as a foal due to being born with his left near-fore leg sitting at a stark angle, to proudly representing Waikato Stud and it’s white, green and royal blue colours on the world stage, the decision to retire I Wish I Win (ex Make A Wish) from racing has been made with the son of Savabeel having granted many wishes in his dazzling career.
“We’ll always do what’s best for the horse,” said stud principal Mark Chittick. “This decision wasn’t easy but on the advice of Peter and Katherine we all felt the time was right for Wishy to hang up the reigns.”
“He will come home and have a paddock right outside our house for the rest of his days. He will be looked after like a king, because he is one.”
Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Wishy’s final start came in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes on Saturday, 22 February finishing .3 lengths in third to Mr Brightside and Tom Kitten.
“You don’t have a horse like this, an experience like this without so many people helping,” he says.
“It wouldn’t have happened without out the staff here, Jamie and Chanel Beatson who broke him in, Jamie Richards (first trainer), of course Moods and Katherine and all the jockeys who looked after him so well. And especially to Gio Spiga his strapper for his special care and attention. We have loved it and I wish I could go on but the horse comes first. So, he is coming home.”
The six-year-old raced on 25 occasions having won or placed on 21, he amassed A$ $12,844,303 in prizemoney for three stakes wins including the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1200m), plus an exciting win in Golden Eagle (1500m).
Other highlights include a phenomenal second in the 2023 The Everest (1200m) along with placings in a further eight Group 1 events.
“He’s retiring at the top of his game,” said co-trainer Peter Moody.
“He ran third a margin in weight-for-age and it’s a shame we didn’t win, but he’s been a fabulous horse for the stable and given Katherine, myself and the stable the ride of a lifetime over the last two-and-a-half years.”
“Our stable are extremely grateful to the team Waikato for giving us this opportunity.”
I Wish I Win is out of the Pins mare Make A Wish (NZ), who produced the stakes winner Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), and is from the family of Group 1 winner Savy Yong Blonk (NZ) (Savabeel).
“Did we think that foal would take us on this ride? Definitely not, we were hugely disappointed to have a foal born with that leg out of one of our favourite mares but we gave him every chance and he returned that to us big time. We’re looking forward to getting him back home that’s for sure,” concluded Chittick.
With his racing days behind him, I Wish I Win now returns to where it all began. From an uncertain start to a dazzling career rated the best sprinter in the world, he leaves the track as a horse that defied expectations, captured imaginations and took Waikato and all of New Zealand on the ride of a lifetime and cemented himself as a champion in every sense of the word.
A wish granted, indeed.
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