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All-Star Mile is Mystic Journey's main mission.
It has been almost two years since Mystic Journey raced in Tasmania but in Launceston on Wednesday night the Adam Trinder -trained mare makes her long-awaited return to racing on home soil.
Mystic Journey will line up in the $50,000 Ladbrokes Stakes, a weight-for-age event over 1200 metres and it will be the first time she has contested a local event since she won the $100,000 Thomas Lyons Stakes in Hobart in February 2019 as a three-year-old.
The champion mare went on to win the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington and ended her campaign with victory in the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile over 1600m at the same venue.
Mystic Journey contested the Cox Plate the following season and all her racing since that event has been in Victoria.
Trinder said the mare will appreciate racing in her own state leading up to her first main mission which is this year's All-Star Mile, but getting into that race, which is based on a popularity voting system, will most likely depend on what she does on the track at her first two starts this preparation.
"The mare is in really good order as she heads to the Ladbrokes Stakes and I'm sure she will appreciate having to travel only an hour to the races to race instead of having to go through the ordeal of travelling interstate," Trinder said.
"The best part about racing in Launceston is that she is back home in her box in just over an hour after she races, and she enjoys being in her comfort zone."
Mystic Journey, affectionately known as Betty, hasn't started since late October when she finished seventh in the Group 1 Empire Rose at Flemington at the end of October and that followed a win in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley over her pet distance of 1600m in late September.
Trinder says Betty will be vulnerable first-up.
"We have had this race in mind for a while and while I am mindful that she is vulnerable because she doesn't have a good record over 1200 metres first-up, but it is a good starting point, and we are hoping she can build off it."
Mystic Journey has had 22 starts for 12 wins and one minor placing for $3.89 million in stakes, so strolling around in a $50,000 race in Launceston clearly has nothing to do with prizemoney.
"The stable is terribly excited to have the mare racing in front of a local crowd because it has been a long time since they have seen her in the flesh.
"She is a Tasmanian racehorse, and we are proud Tasmanians, so hopefully there will be a good crowd to see her race on Wednesday night."
If Mystic Journey is vulnerable, a point to which Trinder has openly eluded, then seasoned weight-for-age sprinter Blaze Forth or this season's Newmarket Handicap winnerGee Gee Secondover could spoil the party in the small field of six.
The main feature race on the card is the Launceston Guineas for three-year olds over 2100 metres in which Swoop Dog and First Accused will battle it out for favouritism.
Swoop Dog defeated First Accused the last time they met in the $100,000 Tasmanian Guineas (1600m) in Launceston 12 days ago, so the John Blacker-trained gelding is likely to start the popular elect.
