RAIN’S NO PROBLEM

Melbourne weather won’t stop Mystic’s journey

A FORECAST of heavy rain tomorrow and showers on Saturday has not fazed Mystic Journey’s trainer Adam Trinder, who says his star four-year-old goes into the Cox Plate in the best shape of her career.

Mystic Journey is the $6 second favourite in some markets to win the $5 million Group 1 event behind the Japanese entry Lys Gracieux ($3.80).

Trinder says a heatwave expected in Melbourne today should firm the track, but tomorrow’s forecast rain and similar on race day will hopefully do little more than ease the firmness.

“We know Mystic Journey is best served on a firm track, but the rain forecast shouldn’t do anything drastic to the track, so I am not worried about what the weather might bring,” Trinder said.

“The mare is the best she’s been in her career and provided nothing goes pear-shaped between now and race time, I couldn’t be happier.

“The mare has had a faultless preparation as far as I’m concerned, even though she hasn’t won her past two starts.”

Mystic Journey was second in the Makybe Diva (1600m) two starts back and she was a fast-finishing fifth in the Turnbull Stakes at her first start over 2000m.

Trinder admits the Cox Plate favourite Lys Gracieux is the logical horse to beat, given her performances at Group 1 level overseas, but he says the barrier draw may have levelled the playing field.

“We’ve drawn perfectly in gate six from where I expect Anthony [Darmanin] will be able to have her placed better than midfield off the rails, with cover.

“The Japanese mare, on the other hand, has drawn poorly and will potentially find it difficult to get in from that wide gate (13) and will probably have to go back and be ridden for luck.”

Trinder says Mystic Journey is better than she was in the autumn, which netted her the Group 1 Australian Guineas and inaugural All-Star Mile over 1600m at Flemington.

“She is definitely better than she was last preparation.

“She has matured and furnished into an exceptional four-year-old, just as we thought she would.”

Trinder is not over-confident about winning on Saturday but says having one of the favourites in a Cox Plate is exciting. “If you can’t get excited about having a Cox Plate runner then you are definitely in the wrong game.”

Trinder opted to keep Mystic

Journey at home this week instead of travelling to Melbourne early to partake in the pre-race events such as trackwork at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.

“I was intent on keeping everything as normal as possible and that included travelling to Melbourne by sea on Thursday night as that’s a routine she likes and has given us great results.”