Horse racing: Superstar sprinters I Wish I Win and Imperatriz may divide loyalties by clashing next month

Imperatriz winning the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley under Opie Bosson

The two superstar sprinters who have been flying the Kiwi flag so high in Australia this spring could be set to divide New Zealand loyalties by clashing next month.

I Wish I Win’s trainer Peter Moody says the $10 million earner could have one more start this campaign after his fast finishing second in the Everest in Sydney on Saturday.

Moody won’t make any decisions until he gets the five-year-old back to Victoria and sees how he comes through the race but if he does extend his campaign his two most likely options are either the Champions Sprint or Champions Mile at Flemington on November 11.

If Moody chooses the sprint I Wish I Win, who raced in the TAB Trackside slot in the Everest, would resume his rivalry with New Zealand’s sprint queen Imperatriz.

The pair used to be stablemates when trained by Jamie Richards and raced each other twice, Imperatriz winning both.

She beat I Wish I Win into second over 1200m in the Northern Breeders Stakes at Te Rapa in September 2021 while she won and I Wish I Win finished third in the group 1 Levin Classic at Trentham in March last year.

Ironically the stablemate who split them that day On The Bubbles, races in the $50,000 open sprint at the Ashburton meeting today, the remainder of that programme transferred after Saturday’s meeting there was called off because of the gale force winds.

With doubts over which Everest contenders will head to Melbourne coupled with Imperatriz’s two stunning wins this campaign she is the $2.75 favourite to win the Champions Sprint.

She is even tighter for the Manikato at The Valley on Cox Plate day rated a $1.50 chance as none of the Everest starters are expected to run in that.

Imperatriz isn’t the only Matamata mare how heading a huge money market in Australia with Legarto into $4 favouritism for the A$10million Golden Eagle at Rosehill on November 4 .

That move comes after long-time favourite Amelia’s Jewel produced a career-worst performance in the Toorak at Caulfield on Saturday, leaving her spring plans uncertain.

Worth the wait

Not many special condition maiden winners leapfrog multiple group 1 heroines in the market for a $1million race but Adam I Am pulled off that unusual feat on Saturday.

The four-year-old won the $65,000 MAAT (maidens at time of nomination) race and while it was a strong field it still might be something of a bookies over-reaction that he now finds himself second favourite for the $1million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic on Karaka Millions night.

That means Adam I Am is now the $8 second elect behind Legarto and rated a better chance of winning the new four-year-old race on January 27 than group 1-winning mares Prowess and Skew Wiff.

Whether he can reach those heights remains to be seen but the big son of Almanzor, the stallions who had a huge week domestically with three impressive winners, is shaping as trainer Glenn Old’s next top horse.

“We usually sell a lot of them but the owners are keen to keep him and that suits me,” says Old.

Old says Adam I Am had always shown ability but ended his three-year-old career by injuring himself in his box after finishing third on debut in January.

“He was so big and raw but we knew we had something there so we put him straight in the paddock.

“We might as well aim high so the new four-year-old race will be the goal but I am not quite sure what races we will use to get him there yet,” he says of the 536kgs powerhouse.