The money continues to roll in for Peter Moody’s progressive New Zealand expat I Wish I Win to keep the wins coming with an elite level victory in Saturday’s Group 1 $1 million Toorak Handicap (1600m) on Caulfield Guineas Day.
Trainer Peter Moody saddles-up clear favourite, I Wish I Win (pictured), in the 2022 Toorak Handicap field on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The in-form Savabeel four-year-old is the firming $2.60 favourite in Toorak Handicap betting at Ladbrokes.com.au having been well-backed early in from opening odds of $3.20.
Luke Nolen sticks aboard the consistent gelding who has his first Australian Group 1 run in the event.
He was third back in March across the Tasman in the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at a mile before travelling down under to post back-to-back wins in Melbourne.
First-up he was a four-length victor over Gentleman Roy at Caulfield over 1400m before his one-length success in the Listed Tesa Rossa (1300m) at Sandown as the odds-on favourite.
Sure to appreciate the mile third-up and fit, I Wish I Win gets the chance to stamp himself as a genuine turf star in the making in the Toorak.
Despite the size of this year’s Toorak Handicap field just one other runner is currently at single-figures for the win with Lindsey Smith’s rails-drawn Tuvalu ($8.50) considered the danger.
The consistent Kermadec five-year-old has won seven of his 12 starts to date, the latest of which was over the mile at Flemington by two lengths back in July in the Listed Winter Championship (1600m).
He was good returning on September 17 in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) run in the wet when only a quarter-length back third behind Callsign Mav with improvement to come back up to 1600m on Saturday.
The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Callsign Mav also runs in the Toorak Handicap, but the Danny O’Brien-trained Atlante six-year-old is only rated a $21 outsider in betting carrying the 58kg top-weight.
On the drift out to $10 having being as short as $7 earlier in the week is the Ben & JD Hayes-trained son of So You Think, Gentleman Roy.
The six-year-old has his 14th start on Saturday chasing win number eight having improved on his distant second to I Wish I Win here two back to win the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) by three quarters of a length on September 25.
A superior miler (6:4-2-0), he is ultra-consistent with upside and the benefit of a last start win ahead of his rematch with I Wish I Win for which he looks to represent potential value for an upset.
Co-trainer JD Hayes remains confident their horse can turn the tables on I Wish I Win based on the horse’s improvement since, his favourable 53kg weight and gun barrier four draw for jockey Jye McNeil.
“Gentleman Roy has really improved,” he told News Corp this week.
“From where he was at in his prep, to do what he did at Sandown showed that he is a horse of quality.
“He gets his chance at Group 1 level and we’re thankful that we’re in light at the handicap.
“He’s going to really hold a good account of himself.”
The Annabel Neasham-trained Military Expert ($11) and Pinstriped ($13) who ran second and third respectively in the Sandown Stakes are the other best in betting ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
The Toorak Handicap 2022 is scheduled to run as Race 9 at 5:10pm (AEDT) as the penultimate event on the Caulfield card on Saturday.
