The past two winners of the Gr.1 T.J. Smith Stakes gave notice on Tuesday that they are firmly on track for feature-race returns, with stablemates I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) and Chain Of Lightning enjoying comfortable jumpout victories at Pakenham.
I Wish I Win cruised in his 800-metre heat to record a soft win, as later did Chain Of Lightning, who was wearing the bottle green colours of her new owners Yulong Investments for the first time.
She was purchased at public auction late last season by Yulong for $2.5 million but was returned to trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman to prepare for the new season.
Moody said on Tuesday he was most pleased with both sprinters as he prepares for their returns to racing over the next few weeks.
I Wish I Win is being aimed for his debut at The Valley in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) on September 7, before running over 1200 metres at the same track in the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes as his final lead-in run to October’s The Everest.
Also, in I Wish I Win’s trial was a new edition to the Moody-Coleman stable in the former Kiwi mare Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), who was most recently seen when unplaced in her Australian debut in the All-Star Mile.
