Tassie champ Mystic Journey has cruised into Melbourne for her biggest assignment to date in the 2019 Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Tassie star, Mystic Journey, is set to peak in the 2019 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Adam Trinder said that Mystic Journey arrived at Tony McEvoy’s Flemington stables on Friday morning in great shape after crossing Bass Strait in the Spirit Of Tasmania.
“She’s lovely and bright and buoyant about herself,” Trinder told racing.com.
“She’s a little bit bug-eyed at the moment but she usually just takes an hour or so to settle in.
“She came aboard the Spirit Of Tasmania. The docks are only five minutes away from our stables and she arrived at Port Melbourne, which is only 10 minutes away from where she’s staying at Tony McEvoy’s stables.
“She’s done well in the feed bin. She’s eaten well and drunk well.”
Mystic Journey is the winner of eight of her eleven starts and has done the trip from Tasmania to Melbourne before with winning results during the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival in the Listed $120,000 Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and in the Group 2 $200,000 Fillies Classic (1600m) at The Valley.
Mystic Journey has had two runs in Tasmania in preparation for the Australian Guineas with wins in Launceston and Hobart and Trinder is expecting the filly to peak on Saturday and be fighting out the finish.
“Everything has gone along without any hitch whatsoever,” Trinder said.
“She comes here third-up and at the peak of her powers, I believe.
“She’s going to go there and give a fantastic account of herself. She’s had one start at the mile, which she was fantastic at. She is going to run really well.”
Mystic Journey has drawn the rails in the sixteen horse Australian Guineas field with regular rider Anthony Darmanin in the saddle again.
A win by Mystic Journey against the colts and geldings in the Australian Guineas will almost certainly be enough to gain a widecard entry for the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 16.
“Hopefully we go home Sunday and be back less than two weeks later for The All-Star Mile,” Trinder said.
Pre-post betting for the Australian Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au has Mystic Journey as the equal $4.60 alongside of the ex-Darren Weir trained Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite who is now prepared by the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
On the second line of betting at $6 is Amphitrite’s stablemate Hawkshot just ahead of Chris Waller’s Ringerdinding.
