The horse which couldn’t be sold owing to a severe angular limb deformity as a foal looked an exciting prospect having been unbeaten in two starts since moving to Australia to the care of Peter Moody for his 4-year-old season.
Chittick admitted that it was beyond his wildest dreams that he would go on to take out last Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle just two starts later. Knowing how rarely such results come around, even for large-scale breeders such as Waikato, he made sure he was leading the charge when it came to celebrations.
“We drank Matamata out of champagne,” Chittick told TDN AusNZ. “I just want to thank both Peter (Moody) and Luke (Nolen) for being top-class - it means so much to everyone here at Waikato Stud.”
The eye-watering first-place prizemoney of $5,250,000 doesn’t, however, give Chittick any reason to head for an early retirement, as there’s still plenty of pressing work to get through on the farm.
“It’s life-changing, but it won’t change our lives,” he quipped. “We’ve still got 50 mares to foal and another 300 mares to put in foal.
“It’s (the $5,250,000 prizemoney) life-changing, but it won’t change our lives. We’ve still got 50 mares to foal and another 300 mares to put in foal.” - Mark Chittick
“Though funnily enough, I bought the last block of land off Garry (Chittick) on Friday, and was very, very fortunate to pay for it on Saturday,” he laughed.
Despite not holding Group 1 status, Chittick is aware of the importance of rich prizes such as the Golden Eagle and was full of admiration for Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V’Landys in encouraging a wide audience, and indeed participation, by facilitating them.
“Drawing an international field and international jockeys - it’s just quite incredible, we must all take our hats off to him and his team,” he said.
“I got his number this morning (Monday) and let him know how proud we are to be winners of a Golden Eagle. And proud also that we were able to direct so much money towards our chosen charity, Muscular Dystrophy NSW.”
I Wish I Win (NZ) beat home Fangirl (pink cap) to claim victory in the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Peter Moody said to me that night: ‘If you could have seen some of those affected by this disease after the race, it was just priceless.’ So, it’s great to be able to help people that are in an unfortunate situation enjoy it with us.”
Savabeel’s versatility
Whilst the exploits of Tivaci and Ocean Park (NZ) prove that Waikato’s stallion roster is no one-man band, Chittick can’t help but note that the exploits of I Wish I Win further prove the versatility of their eight-time Champion Sire, Savabeel.
“We’ve always said that that’s the most amazing thing about him; from 2-year-olds to older horses, fillies or colts, sprinters to two-milers - he really is a sensational stallion. I hope he’s not a once in a lifetime, but I think it’ll be very hard to repeat his versatility and his excellence, but we’re trying our best.
“We’ve always said that that’s the most amazing thing about him (Savabeel); from 2-year-olds to older horses, fillies or colts, sprinters to two-milers - he really is a sensational stallion.” - Mark Chittick
“So, which way do we head with I Wish I Win? Do we head to a mile or 2000 metres, or do we look towards 1200 metres and go see Mr V’Landys again?”
Despite allowing himself to dream, Chittick impressed that the most important thing is that the horse is healthy and sound after the weekend’s exploits.
“He’s been checked over and x-rayed, and everything’s spot on,” he reported. “The really exciting thing about him is what he’s done whilst he’s only 4-years old. Hopefully, he’s got a big future.
Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud
“He’s going to the paddock now for a good spell. I spoke to Moods this morning and I’m talking him into bringing the trophy over on the plane. I said he should have a couple of nights here but one night’s probably enough!”
A decades-old Waikato family
I Wish I Win is out of the Pins mare Make A Wish (NZ), who, aside from I Wish I Win, produced another stakes winner in Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}). However, sadly for Chittick and the Waikato team, this breeding season has served as a reminder to enjoy the successes whenever possible.
“We were very fortunate to get a nice filly out of her, but unfortunately Make A Wish received a uterine tear during that foaling. At 16-years old, and a mare very close to us, sadly she lost her life within 24 hours of having that filly.
“That’s the twists and turns of this game. There’s definitely highs and lows, that’s why you’ve got to enjoy the occasions like Saturday; because when there’s a high, there’s always a low round the corner.”
Reflecting on the extended family of I Wish I Win, Chittick modestly posited how fortunate he is to be adding to a pedigree established decades ago by his father. The horse’s third dam, G3 Queensland Guineas and G2 QTC Sires’ Produce S. winner Star Of The Knight (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) was purchased by Garry Chittick almost 35 years ago.
“It was just when Centaine was hitting his straps so he thought he’d buy a nice mare to send to him. He paid NZ$250,000 for her, and although her first couple of foals had problems, she then produced two fillies.
I Wish I Win (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“One of those was Starcent, who we raced ourselves. She ran second in the 1000 Guineas and should have won it. Then she had the filly that we sold as a yearling, called Professionelle.”
Professionelle (NZ) (Centaine) would go on to be an excellent producer of 11 winners, four of them stakes winners, and is the grandam of Windsor Park Stud’s resident stallion Vanbrugh.
The results have been no less impressive in the family Waikato kept too, since Starcent (NZ) (Centaine), despite producing nothing herself that would have much impact on the racecourse, is the grandam of I Wish I Win. She’s also the great-grandam of Group 1 winner Savy Yong Blonk (NZ), with her influence also extending to a host of other stakes winners.
“I’m in a very fortunate position that the breeding of these horses started some 30 or 40 years ago, and we’re lucky with an incredible family like that to still be reaping the benefits.
“I’m in a very fortunate position that the breeding of these horses started some 30 or 40 years ago, and we’re lucky with an incredible family like that to still be reaping the benefits." - Mark Chittick
“We’ve only got a couple of fillies out of Make A Wish. The one she’s just produced, who’s now with a foster mare, and Trevi Dreams who we bought back out of Australia before I Wish I Win showed promise.”
Organising yearlings
Not only has it been a busy time with breeding at Waikato, but Chittick has also recently finished putting the final touches to organising their drafts for the upcoming yearling sales. Have recent events changed any perspectives?
“Anything with bad knees we’re keeping to race ourselves,” he laughed.
“Anything with bad knees we’re keeping to race ourselves.” - Mark Chittick
Whilst around 65 of Waikato’s yearlings will head to Karaka, 25 or so will make the journey across the Tasman for sales in Australia. Describing how they make decisions on which yearlings go where, Chittick was plain that the strength of Australian racing factored in how they look to develop families.
“We love taking a horse over there that’s out of a young mare with a bit of family behind her. If you take a horse to an Australian sale, there’s a 99 per cent chance that it’s going to stay in Australia.
“As we say, it’s the best racing in the world. When we’re sourcing stallions we’re looking for stallions that have performed in Australia and hopefully will leave a product that’s going to suit the Australian environment.
The Waikato team at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale
“When you take a nice type over there out of a young mare, she gets her first chance in Australia. It might be a family that doesn’t have a real Australian influence, and we’re trying to create that.”
Following this mantra, yearlings from some of Waikato’s more established families will be staying to sell in New Zealand, including I Wish I Win’s half-brother by Ocean Park (NZ).
“At Karaka we’ve got a full brother to Noverre, we’ve got a half-brother to Mo’unga by Super Seth and we’re fortunate to have a half-brother to I Wish I Win.
“At (New Zealand Bloodstock's) Karaka (Sale) we’ve got a full brother to Noverre, we’ve got a half-brother to Mo’unga by Super Seth and we’re fortunate to have a half-brother to I Wish I Win.” - Mark Chittick
“When you’ve got three brothers to three high-profile, recent racehorses like that, it’s pretty exciting.”
