Tassie two for big race

Still A Star in Plate bid

TASMANIAN Hall of Fame trainer Bill Ryan has confirmed he will nominate his outstanding three-year-old filly Still A Star for this year’s W. S. Cox Plate.

Still A Star won four Listed races this season ranging from 1100m to 2100m and ended her season with victory in the $150,000 Tasmanian Oaks, with her career record standing at seven wins and five seconds from 12 starts for more than $400,000 in prizemoney.

Tasmania’s queen of the turf, Mystic Journey, who ran fifth in last year’s Cox Plate, also will be nominated for this year’s event.

Ryan believes his filly, who is soon to turn four, will be well suited to the Cox Plate journey of 2040m.

“I know my filly can excel at 2000m because she’s proven that by winning at her last three starts over 2100m here in Tasmania and all of those were in top-class Listed races,” Ryan said.

“With these COVID-19 pandemic restrictions likely to cause all sorts of issues with overseas entries for the Cox Plate, there is a real opportunity for a horse such as Still A Star to be a genuine contender.

“This isn’t something I’ve just thought of overnight.

“It’s been on my mind for some time because I know how good my filly is and I want her to be given every opportunity to show that to the rest of Australia.”

Ryan will give Still A Star the chance to make an impression in Melbourne when she lines up in a benchmark 84 handicap over 1400m at Caulfield on August 15.

“I will more than likely send her to Tony McEvoy’s stable in Melbourne and I’m arranging that through my godson Luke Currie (jockey) who has a great relationship with that trainer,’’ Ryan said.

“If we are still operating under the same coronavirus border restrictions as we are at present, then the filly will head across a couple of days before the race and return as soon as practicable, but I won’t be allowed to go with her.

“I’m very serious about this project and I can hardly wait to see how she performs over there.”

Still A Star (Toronado-Lita), who hasn’t raced since late February, has had one trial at Devonport for a close-up second last week and Ryan plans to give the rising four-year-old two more trials there.

Meanwhile, Adam Trinder says plans are locked in to run Mystic Journey first-up in the P. B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on the same day as Still A Star is expected to make her interstate debut.

Mystic Journey, a winner of 11 of her 18 starts for over $3.7 million in stakes, won the P. B. Lawrence Stakes last year.