By David Nagel
Pakenham trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen have climbed the highest mountains in racing, but I Wish I Win’s triumph in the $10million Golden Eagle provided them with their biggest ever pay day.
NOVEMBER, 2022
Pakenham trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen are going to have plenty to reflect on when they finally pull up stumps on their magnificent careers.
They’ll be many stories to tell over a few beers for the knockabout pair.
They rode a magic-carpet ride with superstar mare Black Caviar, between 2009 and 2013, with trainer, jockey and undefeated world-champion sprinter creating a storyline that is already the stuff of legends.
Who will ever forget Nolen dropping his hands in the shadows of the post at Royal Ascot in June 2012, in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, with Black Caviar scraping in by a whisker in the twenty-second of her 25-win career.
Fast-forward just over 10 years and Moody and Nolen created another special memory on Saturday, when I Wish I Win scored a narrow victory in the $10million XXXX Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill.
The Golden Eagle, run at set weights for four-year-olds, carries a rich first prize of $5.25million.
Not even the mighty Black Caviar can claim that type of return from one race!
Nolen rode a beautiful race on I Wish I Win, hitting the front in the straight before holding off Hugh Bowman and the fast-finishing Fangirl.
The Savabeel/Make A Wish gelding won by a short-half-head on the line, with the David Vandyke-trained Gypsy Goddess finishing close behind in third place.
Moody, who spent years away from racing, and Nolen, who has had to overcome many injuries to stay relevant in the sport, were delighted to be back on racing’s biggest stage.
They embraced as Moody led Nolen and I Wish I Win back to a buzzing winner’s enclosure, with Nolen wearing the white, green and royal blue Waikato Stud logo.
I Wish I Win had bounced back after finishing fifth, as a $2.20 favourite, in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield three weeks earlier.
“It’s a great thrill and congratulations to the team at (owners) Waikato Stud,” Moody said post-race.
“We had faith in this horse, people felt he was disappointing in the Toorak, but the track just didn’t suit him that day.
“Luke gave him a gun run today, presented him at the right time and got the job done, God bless him.
“This is the second biggest turf race in the world, isn’t it, so we’ll take it.”
Moody said it had been a hell of a journey with I Wish I Win, with the gelding having now won three of his four starts since joining the Moody stable in the middle stages of this year.
“It’s tremendous, it’s been a great thrill, a great ride, and Mark and Pippa and the team back at Waikato, congratulations team, it’s tremendous, and thanks for inviting me to be a part of this horse,” Moody said.
Moody had three runners in the race, with Chain of Lightning fading to run 14th, ridden by star-jockey Jamie Kah, while Tom Sherry piloted Lightsaber to be one spot further back in the field.
Chain of Lightning ($5) was the most well-fancied of the Moody runners, but Nolen had other ideas.
“We left it too Luke ultimately (to choose), but I think they were both (Nolen and Kah) pretty happy with where they landed,” Moody said.
Nolen was chuffed after the race, explaining it was nice for the southern raiders to finally get one back on their northern rivals.
“Bloody oath, you’ve been raiding ours a bit at the moment so we thought we’d get a bit back,” he told presenter Emma Freedman post-race.
“I’m really, really pleased, it’s really rewarding and more special I get to share it with Moods.
“He was a great loss to the sport so it’s great to have him back, he’s long been a big part of my career and I’d like to thank Deane Lester as well.
“Between Chain of Lightning and this bloke, I was really lost with which one to go with, he gave me some very good tutelage and I’m very thankful for it.
“He’s very good at what he does Deane, he’s done my form for metro meetings at home and every now and then I ring him to pick his brain and he’s very forthcoming and very matter of fact with his opinion.
“I must thank Deane a great deal.”
The winning jockey said I Wish I Win had shown his true colours after bouncing back strongly from the Toorak.
“We thought he was a real chance in the Toorak, but he didn’t get track conditions to suit, but today we blended into the race really quickly and it took me by surprise.
“He floated around and let the second horse into the race a bit, but he was really good, he’s a nice horse that we’re going to have a lot of fun with.”
Nolen was keen to enjoy the biggest pay cheque of his career.
“I always say it’s not how you win them, it’s how you celebrate them, and I’m going to be nice and bloody pissed after this one,” he said laughing.
I Wish I Win has now won five and placed in 11 of his 13 starts.
