HOPES HIGH FOR MARES
PETER STAPLES
THE trainers of Tasmanian gallopers Mystic Journey and Still a Star are upbeat about the chances of their respective mares finishing top three in the Group 2 Rose of Kingston Stakes over 1410 metres at Flemington today.
Mystic Journey comes off a fastfinishing second in the Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington three weeks ago, the race in which Still a Star was a game third after vying for the lead throughout.
Both mares were first-up in the Let’s Elope after which they returned to Tasmania to be freshened up for this assignment.
Mystic Journey’s trainer Adam Trinder said his mare has come on since her first-up outing.
“The mare has come through her last run well and I’ve only had to maintain her heading to Saturday’s race,” Trinder said.
“I took her to Launceston for a gallop on Monday and I was very happy with that because she feels lovely and buoyant in herself.
“I would be disappointed if she wasn’t a winning hope.”
Bill Ryan’s mare Still a Star went to a trial in Devonport on Tuesday, and she presented in magnificent order and won the trial easily against reasonable opposition.
“I expect Minnie (Still a Star’s stable name) to run her usual courageous race and I know she has definitely not gone backwards since her first-up run,” Ryan said.
“She went onto the Let’s Elope a but underdone because I would have preferred her to have had one more trial before that race. “She had a slight respiratory infection when she came home from running in the Let’s Elope but that was quickly sorted out and after her trial on Tuesday, I am very confident she will be very competitive on Saturday. My mare doesn’t have to improve much on her Let’s Elope run to be a big winning chance.”
Tactics generally play a pivotal role in most Group events and the
Rose of Kingston is likely to be no exception.
“My mare will go forward from a widish gate (10), but she has such good tactical speed that Luke (Currie) should be able to place her where he likes,” Ryan said.
Mystic Journey has drawn gate seven which is ideal because she races best when able to sit three-wide with or without cover as she rejects being cluttered up inside other horses.
While Mystic Journey is the prepost favourite at $4.40 and Still a Star on the third line of betting at $7.50, another Tasmanian horse Clara Karen, prepared by Yassy Nishitani, will go around in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1610m) as the rank outsider at $251.
Clara Karen has had only one start for a fourth in a maiden in Devonport won by Incriminate, which is a far cry from the class this three-year-old filly will meet today. “We bought this filly at the Gold Coast Magic Millions sale for $42,500 and we always knew we would have to give her time and she has developed into a very nice threeyear-old,” Nishitani said. “I know we could win a maiden anytime here in Tassie with this filly but the owner, Mr Koyama, is hoping to aim her at an Oaks, so we wanted to give her this run for the experience and also see where she fits into the big picture.”