A decade after Black Caviar won the second of her two T J Smith Stakes titles, Peter Moody and Luke Nolen have turned back the clock, combining with I Wish I Win to trump the country’s best sprinters.
Chasing a record fourth win in Sydney’s flagship short-course race, Nature Strip went to the front and shot clear at the top of the straight, briefly looking as though he might pull of the unthinkable.
But around the 100m mark, the challengers had him covered, I Wish I Win ($9 unibet) and Giga Kick ($6.50) storming down the outside with the former holding the Everest winner on the line to score by a half-length, Mazu ($7) a gallant third another three-quarters of a length away.
Moody said he was confident in I Wish I Win early on Saturday morning but that waned when the rain came.
“I’ve got to say, I laid down there at 10.30 this morning, the track was a good four and I was a very happy man,” Moody said.
“I got up at quarter past twelve and it was a heavy eight and I didn’t want to come to the races.
“I’m very proud, he’s a bloody good horse.”
The T J Smith is a special race to Moody, who started his training career working for its namesake.
The fact Black Caviar’s regular jockey Nolen was also involved made it moreso, the pair both having faced career battles in recent years.
“I said this ten years ago and probably twelve years ago, it’s always special winning this race because as a 15-year-old I arrived in Bowral Street, Kensington at the master’s stables, T J Smith,” he said.
“I think I’ve won it three times now, twice with the obvious and now this.
“My little mate ‘Trumby’ (Luke) Nolen. We’ve both hit a few dry creeks along the way but it’s nice to bounce back on a nice green track at Randwick.”
Moody said I Wish I Win was unlikely to go to the All Aged Stakes as connections eyed an Everest start in the spring.
Nature Strip held on for fourth and Chris Waller said they would let the dust settle before making any decision on his racing future.
“Obviously he is not quite as dominant as he has been,” Waller said.
“I had a quick chat with James (McDonald) post-race, he said the horse feels find but is just a bit off his A-game
“There is no suggestion the horse is calling for retirement but Nature Strip comes first, he will tell us where he is at.
“He has looked after us so we will look after him.”
