MYSTIC’S AUDITION

Tassie filly’s Guineas run will decide All-Star tilt

STAR Tasmanian three-year-old filly Mystic Journey will need to win or place in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington next week to remain a chance to secure a berth in the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 16.

The Adam Trinder-trained filly and stalwart Tasmanian sprinter-miler Hellova Street failed to gain enough votes to make it into the top 10 to contest what is the richest thoroughbred race run over 1600m in the world.

The All-Star Mile is the only race in Australia where public votes shape the make-up of the majority of the field of 14.

Racing Victoria yesterday announced the 10 horses that polled the most votes from the 130 horses nominated for the race.

The top 10 are Balf’s Choice (SA) with 9743 votes, Urban Ruler (Qld), Grunt (Vic), Alizee (NSW), Amphritite (Vic), Foundry (Vic), Material Man (WA), Man of his Word (Vic), Moss ‘N’ Dale (Vic) and Money Bags (Vic).

RV also announced its first of four wildcard entries in Happy Clapper that was a gallant second to Winx in the Apollo Stakes in Sydney last Saturday, a worthy inclusion. The second top vote scorer with 9771 votes was the Chris Waller-trained The Autumn Sun, but he was a confirmed nonstarter before voting concluded.

Mystic Journey polled just under 4000 votes to finish 15th in the pecking order while Hellova Street collected 1471 votes to finish in the top 24.

Mystic Journey remains the $4 favourite to win the Australia Guineas (1600m) tomorrow week and with three wildcard spots remaining she can still make her way into the most talked about race to hit the Australian racing calendar since Racing NSW introduced The Everest two years ago.

Trinder was philosophical about his stable star not polling enough votes to make it into the top 10.

“We gave it our best shot and it wasn’t for lack of promotion that she has missed out on a top-10 spot in the All-Star and to be honest we feel privileged that she was considered worthy of a place in the race by so many people and not just Tasmanians,” Trinder said.

“But we are hopeful her effort in the upcoming Australian Guineas might still get her into the All-Star Mile.”

Serious markets for the All-Star Mile cannot be framed until the last wildcard entry has been confirmed but if Mystic Journey gets into the field, there is little doubt she will be one of the favourites.