‘Betty’ is ready for tilt at Turnbull
ANTHONY Darmanin is confident Mystic Journey — the horse that changed his life — will regain her mantle as the one to beat in this year’s $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate with a big victory in Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
The Australian Guineas and inaugural All-Star mile winner had her colours lowered in a race for the first time in more than 12 months when she finished second to $101 outsider Gatting in the Makybe Diva Stakes last month.
But Darmanin says “Betty” is ready to bounce back, buoyed by news of a strong track gallop during the week and the fact she is nearing peak fitness.
“I think the four weeks between runs might have cost her last time, but [trainer] Adam [Trinder] said she worked really well during the week,” Darmanin said.
“Adam has poured the work into her and I have all the confidence in him and in Betty, so I can’t wait for the Turnbull on Saturday.”
Mystic Journey is $2.80 favourite for the Turnbull Stakes, a race Winx used as her Melbourne kick-off point in the last two of her four successive Cox Plate wins.
Her first-up win in the Peter Lawrence Stakes was outstanding, but Gatting’s boilover win in the Makybe Diva Stakes had critics questioning the four-year-old mare’s Cox Plate credentials.
She remains TAB’s $5 Cox Plate favourite alongside James Cummings’ Avilius.
Mystic Journey’s defeat — only the fourth of her 15-start career — brought out some social media haters.
But Darmanin said: “I just block it all out … I stay away from it as much as I can. There is always going to be negativity win, lose or draw.
“I thought she would run well [in the Makybe Diva], but Gatting was just better on the day.
“I know Adam has her spot on [for Saturday].”
He is convinced Mystic Journey will be suited by the rise to 2000m this week.
Darmanin, 37, can “never repay [Mystic Journey] back” for all she has done for him, including helping him pay his mortgage off following the autumn riches she plundered.
“She has been a superstar to me,” he said. IT’S been 26 years since his last fight and retired AFL legend Barry Hall is out to make up for lost time ahead of the “Code War” against NRL star Paul Gallen.
The two former footballers will get in the ring for a heavyweight stoush at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on November 15.
Hall has taken leave from work and shifted his young family north to train daily with renowned cornerman Angelo Hyder, who previously trained Danny Green. Green is the promoter of the event and says he is undecided who will win but he thinks it will come in a knockout.
Aged 42, Hall hasn’t fought since he was 16 — a year after he won the Victorian age title.
He dropped boxing for football and went on to play with St Kilda, Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs.
A noted hardman on the AFL field, Hall was famously suspended for seven weeks for knocking out West Coast Eagles defender Brent Staker with a blow to the head.
Four years younger, Cronulla great Gallen retired from the NRL last month after 19 seasons but has fought nine times since making his debut in 2014 for nine victories — five by KO. Despite his time out of the ring, Hall said he felt confident about his chances.
He said he weighed about the same as his playing days, despite retiring in 2011, and had kept up his fitness.
“A lot of people will say I’m too old but I know my body and I know what I’m capable of,” Hall said.
“It’s a long time between drinks but I’m training twice a day and I’m enjoying it so far.
“I’m very comfortable in the ring.”
He said he’d been sparring regularly with boxers of Gallen’s burly build, given he holds a 14cm height advantage over the rugby league great.
Hall admitted it would be hard to take Gallen down.
“He will get to me at some stage but I’m not going to stand there and cop it.”