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Sydney will have to wait at least 12 months if it wants to see super filly Mystic Journey in action.
The wonder from Tasmania is returning home for a spell with her spring program focused on Melbourne and the WS Cox Plate.
Trainer Adam Trinder confirmed his plans for Mystic Journey on Sunday in the wake of her dominant win over Godolphin stars Hartnell and Alizee in the inaugural $5 million All Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday.Trinder’s plans for Mystic Journey for the rest of 2019 do not include a visit to Sydney, ruling the filly out of an immediate trip north for rich Group One races at the Randwick autumn carnival.
Mystic Journey held entries for the $3 million Doncaster Mile on April 6 and $1 million Coolmore Legacy on April 13 – both run over 1600m – but Trinder said her campaign would not be extended to Sydney.Trinder said Mystic Journey, who has won her last six starts, is returning to his Devonport stables before she goes out for a two months spell.
When she returns in the spring her target will be the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October with Melbourne offering the most suitable program of lead-up races.“Sydney is off the table now,” Trinder said.
“If she had not been able to get into the All-Star Mile we would have taken her to Sydney for the Coolmore Legacy but she’s done her job now.“She can go to my farm and have eight weeks out. That gives us plenty of time to build her back up for three or four runs leading up to the Cox Plate.”
Mystic Journey raced three wide for the entire 1600m trip in the All Star Mile before powering away from her top class rivals over the last 150m, a performance that raised Trinder’s confidence in her ability to cope with the 2040m of the Cox Plate.“I’m really confident she can but we obviously need to see her do it,” Trinder said.
“She’s never been weak the last 50 yards of a race, she’s galloped through the line and beyond it and she’s bred to get a journey.“She's a filly on an upward spiral and we don't know where the bottom of her is.”
Meanwhile Sydney star Happy Clapper has to be cleared by vets before he can continue his autumn campaign after finishing eighth in the All-Star Mile.The popular gelding pulled up with a pulmonary hemorrhage with trainer Pat Webster dismayed by his performance.
Webster said he will wait to get Happy Clapper home to his Randwick stables before contemplating his immediate plans with only three weeks to the Doncaster Mile – a race the 8YO won last year.
