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By Ray Hickson

Team I Wish I Win want to “put things right” and claim once and for all the classy sprinter’s spot as the best in Australasia this year’s $20 million TAB Everest.

That team is New Zealand’s Trackside Media, the broadcasting arm of Entain Australia and NZ which again obtained the Inglis slot for 2024, trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman and Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick who owns the gelding in partnership with Moody.

Mark Chittick (Pic: Trish Dunell)

I Wish I Win, runner-up to Think About It in the 2023 TAB Everest, is the second horse confirmed for this year’s eighth edition of the world’s richest race on turf which is due to be run on October 19.

“Wish has given us one hell of a ride from life as a foal through to performing at the elite level,’’ Chittick said.

“Joining forces again with the Trackside Media team to put things right sets the scene nicely.

“I’ve seen plenty of racing fans around the country wearing the I Wish I Win caps from last year’s quest, and I have no doubt New Zealand will get behind him again.”

The rising six-year-old has only raced three times since his near miss in last year’s Everest for a close third to stablemate Chain Of Lightning in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, a narrow second to Bella Nipotina in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 before turning the tables on that mare to claim the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup on June 1.

Moody has been one-eyed about returning to the TAB Everest from basically the moment they crossed the line last spring and he’ll have a smoother preparation in 2024.

A year ago the gelding went into the Everest second-up after tackling the Group 1 Memsie Stakes over 1400m six weeks earlier.

This time around he’ll likely have two runs including the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) which is now run three weeks before the TAB Everest.

"We're fired up about re-joining the journey with Trackside Media,’’ Moody said.

“I've been affiliated with Entain for a long time, and that relationship was only made stronger with the terrific experience we had last year.

“We went so close in 2023, and I am hopeful that we can go one better in just under three months."

Cameron Rodger, managing director of Entain Australia and NZ, said after watching New Zealanders embrace the Everest last year it made sense to return for another attempt and bring the Kiwis along for the ride once again.

“Turnover on The Everest doubled from 2022 to 2023, with turnover on the race easily setting a new record, while the number of customers engaged on the race was also twice that of 2022,” Rodger said.

“We’re delighted to be involved with Wish again, together with the team at Waikato Stud and Moody Coleman Racing.

.@WaikatoStud's I Wish I Win will be out for redemption as he looks to climb The Everest again in 2024!

Running in the Trackside NZ slot, the whole of NZ will be behind him in his attempt to go one better in the A$20 million feature at Royal Randwick on Saturday, October 19! pic.twitter.com/I4CZnCQuPp

— Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) July 31, 2024

“His win in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup in Brisbane showed us he’s going to be perfectly primed to climb the Randwick mountain in October and we’re sure he’s going to have plenty of Kiwi fans cheering him on too.”

I Wish I Win joins recently acquired former WA sprinter Bustling, now trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, in the $20 million TAB Everest after the youngster was locked in by the Max Whitby & Neil Werrett slot.

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