BIG SHOES TO FILL

Tassie champ seeking help for All Star Mile

TASMANIA has already produced one All Star Mile champion, and now it is on the push for a second but the quest needs Tasmanians to get behind it.

Mystic Journey was the inaugural winner of the $5 million race — the world’s richest mile race — and while she’ll be back to defend her title, Mandela Effect is also in the running but needs public votes to be part of the big race on March 14.

Mandela Effect currently sits 17th on the list for votes, with the top 10 automatic entries and a further five wildcards to be allocated for a final field of 15.

Mandela Effect’s trainer, Scott Brunton, said his fiveyear-old gelding would thrive in the step up in quality.

“He’s never been to that level before but every time we’ve upped the bar, the horse has cleared it,” Brunton said.

“He’s had 20 starts for 10 wins and six seconds.”

“He’s a competitor and he’s brave, he’s got a couple of little issues and a couple of quirks (he suffers from equine asthma), but he’s a lovely horse.

“He’s in a rare vein of from where he’s either winning or running second every time he steps out and every time we ask something of him he gives more.”

But Brunton said he would need help from the public to make it to the starting line.

“It was extremely fulfilling for me to see a fellow Tasmanian win it, it was fantastic,” Brunton said of Mystic Journey’s fairytale 2019 victory.

“If southern Tasmania was to get behind us I reckon we would be an exceptional chance of getting in the field.

“That would be great for the state to have the possibility of having two horses in a great race is a great thing and I would safely say Caulfield is Mandela Effect’s favourite track.”

Mandela Effect would have the perfect lead into the All Star Mile as he’ll race in the 1400m Thomas Lyons at Elwick on Hobart Cup Day (Sunday, February 9) followed by the 1600m George Adams at Mowbray on Launceston Cup Day (Wednesday, February 26).

Brunton said he would love to take on Mystic Journey in the Thomas Lyons.

“We were hoping to for the sheer fact we think we’ve got a seriously good horse,” he said.

“You’d rather go down swinging than not knowing.

“I would like to come up against her but at this stage I don’t know what (Mystic Journey trainer) Adam Trinder is going to do.”

Votes can be lodged at allstarmile.com.au up until midnight, February 16.