Currie hops aboard Mystic
TRAINER Adam Trinder has confirmed Victorian-based jockey Luke Currie will partner his stable star Mystic Journey throughout her summer campaign in Tasmania.
Mystic Journey, who won the Group 2 Stock Stakes at Moonee Valley recently before having no luck in the Group 1 Empire Rose at Flemington last Saturday, is home and in the spelling paddock for a short break.
“The mare arrived home early this week in good order and she is in the paddock at home and will be back in work soon to prepare for her Tasmanian campaign,” Trinder said. “I’ve spoken to Luke Currie and he has confirmed he will travel to Tassie to ride the mare in all of her local assignments.
“I’m quite looking forward to the mare racing back in Tasmania and I’m sure she will appreciate not having to endure the travel that goes with racing interstate.
“She didn’t have any favours in the Empire Rose, but the important thing is she has emerged from that race intact and in really good order and goes out for a short break feeling well.”
Trinder has targeted the Ladbrokes Stakes in Hobart on January 24 then on to the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons over 1400m at the same venue on Hobart Cup day before ending her Tassie campaign in the weight-forage Group 3 Vamos Stakes for fillies and mares over 1400m in Launceston.
“The Tassie program gives her an ideal pathway to the All-Star Mile in March which will more than likely end her campaign.”
While Mystic Journey is the clear star of Trinder’s stable, he also has unearthed another two that could figure in feature races during the upcoming summer carnival.
Easy Road has been very impressive in winning by a big margin at his past two starts in benchmark 66 grade and Tr in der is keen to head him to the $100,000 Ladbrokes Devon port Cup in early January.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with what Easy Road has done in his races this time in and if I’m right he should measure up in a Devonport Cup.”
The trainer is not aiming as high with well-bred threeyear-old Distanza (Needs Further-Grisbi) that debuted in Launceston on Wednesday night with a brilliant maiden win over 1220 metres with Brendon McCoull aboard.
It was also a Tasbred Bonus race that netted the owners an additional $16,000 for a $27,650 result.
The owners, who include the wife of Racing New Zealand CEO and former Racing Victoria boss Bernard Saundry, paid $52,500 for the gelding at the 2019 Tasmania n Magic Millions Yearling sale and Trinder says it was money well spent.
“We’ve been patient with this horse and from what he showed on debut the owners can look forward to much of the same going forward .”
Distanza was backed from $4 to start the $2.20 favourite. McCoull had the gelding settled on the rails and when a gap appeared the gelding barged through and went on to score well from Skilendra and race leader Kohima.