Trainer wants better from dasher Journey

STAR Tasmanian galloper Mystic Journey will have to make further improvement if she is to return to racing in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in a fortnight.

That’s the word from her trainer Adam Trinder after the mare’s second in a trial over 900m at Elwick on a rain-affected track yesterday.

It was the four-year-old’s first public appearance since finishing fifth in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October last year.

“I thought the trial was sound enough, but I was hoping for a little bit more, especially at the end of the trial,” Trinder said. “Darma [jockey Anthony Darmanin] gave her a really good report as we were only there to allow her to fully extend the last furlong [200m] where he brought her to the middle of the track to finish off.”

Trojan Storm led and set a slow pace for the first half of the trial, but the leader quickened sharply and at the top of the straight Mystic Journey was six lengths off the leader.

“Obviously the bird had flown as far as winning the trial was concerned and I would have preferred to see her track up a bit better than she did through the corner, but overall it was very much a worthwhile exercise.

“The rider said her action was good and her enthusiasm was great from start to finish.

“The stimulation of being in a trial will bring her right on in terms of fitness and exhilaration, but I believe she needs to go home and improve a little bit.”

Mystic Journey was being aimed at defending her AllStar Mile crown that she won in March last year, but a subcutaneous infection from a vet’s injection interrupted her campaign that left connections with no option but to scrap all previous plans and look at other suitable races.

“The William Reid is a nice race for her as the 1200m first-up suits and she will be racing on a track where she has a reasonable record. But she is going into a tough assignment as it is at Group 1 level and there will be nowhere to hide against a strong line-up,” Trinder said.

Trinder won’t make a decision on taking her to Melbourne until after her final track gallop at Spreyton on Tuesday week.

“I brought her down to Hobart last night and stabled her at Brighton, so it was just a short road trip to the track this morning and that’s pretty much normal practice for her when she races interstate. The trip and the trial should bring her back to racing weight, the trip away should lift the blood count, so she should improve off that exercise.

“There is a little bit of water to flow under the bridge before we say she’s a certainty to head to Melbourne in a fortnight, but she is sound and she is well so all we have to do is make sure she is at the top of her game.”