Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey makes statement on return
Anthony Darmanin and Adam Trinder have sounded ominous warnings to Mystic Journey’s rivals after the Tasmanian champion tightened her grip on Winx’s vacant Cox Plate throne. WATCH THE RACE
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Anthony Darmanin and Adam Trinder have sounded ominous warnings to Mystic Journey’s rivals after the Tasmanian champion tightened her grip on Winx’s vacant Cox Plate throne.
Short of peak fitness and pitted against four Group 1 winners, Mystic Journey extended her unbeaten streak to seven with a resounding PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) triumph, prompting bookmakers to trim her Cox Plate price.
The All-Star Mile and Australian Guineas winner is now $5 favourite for the October 26 showpiece, firming from $6 before the Lawrence.
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While Trinder and Darmanin continue to plot a conservative path with the fairytale galloper, it was left to Mark Zahra, rider of runner-up Cliff’s Edge, to put Mystic Journey’s performance into context.
“I said to Ciaron (Maher) that I've never been so confident coming into the home straight and still been run down,” Zahra said.
“He was rolling in front and gave me a really good kick on the turn and I thought ‘they'll struggle to beat me' but sure enough the white blinkers rolled up beside me.
“She (Mystic Journey) is something special but he's in for a good preparation."
Mystic Journey surged over the final 400m in 22.39secs, yet is still at only “80-85 per cent” fitness, according to Trinder.
He hinted Mystic Journey would next target the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 14 because he prefers to space the mare’s runs.
“You need to see them back at the races and do it under race-day pressure,” Trinder said.
“That’s probably a little bit of pressure off, that she is where I feel she needs to be.”
Trinder said Peter Moody and Tony McEvoy had given him advice on how to deal with outside distractions around star gallopers.
“I’ve taken a lot of advice from Peter Moody and Tony McEvoy in regards to the really good horses,” Trinder said. “They have both got a really good understanding and I feel like they have given me the right advice.
“They have said don’t get ahead of the game, keep your eye on the ball, enjoy it but don’t believe it.”
Darmanin scotched suggestions Mystic Journey would be suspect at the Cox Plate’s 2040m.
“I think the further the better actually,” Darmanin said. “She is so relaxed in her runs, that’s her main attribute. She just keeps delivering, she is a star.
“She exploded but didn’t really love that (Soft 5) going, but she got through it.
‘The leader was kicking away from me a little bit so I had to give her a bit of a shake and let her know it’s game on.
“Today is a bit of relief, there is so much media and so much attention she is getting a Winx-like little fan club going at the moment,” he said. “She is nowhere near Winx at the minute but obviously Winx is gone so everyone wants to find another horse to follow.”
TAB BETTING REVIEW
CAULFIELD
RACE ONE
Pippie defied a big betting drift on the day to romp away with the MRC Foundation Supports Legacy Handicap (1100 metres). The John & Chris Meagher-trained runner had opened up $2.70 favourite on Wednesday and was jumped on straight away by punters. Traders had the mare as a $2.30 chance this morning but she got the blows as money came for Diamond Effort and Gododdin. By jump time, punters could have secured $3.40. Jockey Ben Melham went straight to the front and never gave anything a chance as Pippie bolted clear to score easily over Diamond Effort ($5-$3.80-$4.40) and I’m Telling Ya ($14). Of the others, Gododdin ($6.50) had good support and was the second most popular horse outside the winner while Exceltara ($14), Suplex City ($10-$8) and Tony Nicconi ($13-$11) had admirers.
BETS: Pippie $3,000 @ $3.40, $2,000 @ $2.50, Suplex City $1,000 @ $8.50, Gododdin $5,000 e/w @ $7/$2.30, $1,000 @ $7
RACE TWO
Benitoite ($4.40) was a losing result for TAB when it was successful in the Black Caviar Tribute Handicap (1700 metres). Although drifting out from $3.70 in the morning, Benitoite went around with more money than any other runner bar Rat With Goldtooth and after being aided by a rails hugging ride by Damien Oliver, finished best to score. Room To Rhyme ($101) ran a cheeky race out in front to hold second in front of Paint The Town Two and Toryjoy ($4.60). The latter wound up third after winning a protest in the stewards room. Collectable was specked from $9.50-$8 and finished on the heels on the placegetters.
Rat With Goldtooth, which had been the early morning favourite, went out to $4 at the jump.
BETS: Benitoite $1,250 @ $4.40, $1,500 e/w @ $3.60/$1.50
RACE THREE
Guizot had admirers and firmed up late in the Nitto Denko handicap (1600 metres). Opening the day as a $9 chance, Guizot jumped at $7.50 and in what was a fairly wide open betting affair, was responsible for nearly 10 per cent of the market. Linda Meech got the best out of the Aaron Purcell runner to beat Sylpheed ($15) and King Of Leogrance ($12-$8.50). Beau Balmain ($6.50-$4.60-$5.50) was the subject of a good move early in the afternoon while Snitzepeg ($5-$4.60-$6) had backing but got out late.
BETS: Beau Balmain $2,200 @ $5
RACE FOUR
Age Of Chivalry was heavily tried and went around as one of the best backed runners across the country. Opening the day at $2.30, he touched $2.15 briefly before getting back out to the $2.30 quote. The Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra-trained runner accounted for 65 per cent of the total investment and was heavily tried through multis. Leading throughout with Damian Lane in the saddle, Age Of Chivalry went on to beat Rox The Castle ($10) and Shot Of Irish ($4.40).
BETS: Age Of Chivalry $8,70 @ $2.25
RACE FIVE
Bivouac defied the betting drift to be a brilliant winner of the Vain Stakes (1100 metres). A member of the powerful Godolphin stable of James Cummings, Bivouac opened the day at $2.40 but got out to $3 at the jump after good backing for Dubious and also Excess Funds ($5-$3.80). Jockey Hugh Bowman had the son of Exceed And Excel just off the speed being set by Sebrakate but on straightening, the colt showed a sensational turn of foot to race straight past the leader and score easily. Sebrakate ($10-$12) held second while Dirty Work ($26) rounded out the trifecta in front of Dubious ($2.70-$3.20)
BETS: Bivouac $1,000 @ $3, $5,000 x $6,000 e/w @ $2.80/$1.60
RACE SIX
Punters didn’t mind the price about Exhilarates who attracted good money to take out the Beck Probuild Quezette Stakes (1100 metres). The James Cummings runner was $8.50 on Wednesday when the field was finalised and was still $7.50 this morning, however, sheer weight of support saw it come into $6 at one point before going $6.50 at the jump. While fellow Godolphin runner Lyre ($4.20-$3.50) was a popular elect and held the most money, Exhilarates was the second pick in terms of money taken. Showing an explosive turn of speed, Exhilarates charged past the leaders to salute for Kerrin McEvoy. Absolute Flirt ($9-$8.50) wound up second while Pin Sec ($13-$23) rattled home for third, a nose in front of Lyre.
Of the others, Rumble Doll ($14-$9.50-$10) had been tried at odds while Sizzlefly ($6.50) had admirers.
BETS: Exhilarates $1,000 @ $6, Lyre $10,000 @ $4, Sizzlefly $2,000 @ $6.50
RACE SEVEN
Favourite backers were on the money in the Regal Roller Stakes (1200 metres). Begood Toya Mother had sustained support for 48 hours prior to the race, getting out to $3 at one point in betting and bottoming out at $2.60. Jumping at $2.70, Declan bates took the Daniel Bowman runner straight to the front and the pair were never headed, racing away to land a number of big bets. Haunted ($6.50-$8.50), which looked a chance halfway down the straight, tracked the winner and finished second in front of Fundamentalist ($7). The second pick in the market was Behemoth ($4-$3.50) which had big money riding on it too but after getting shuffled back in the pack, the four-year-old hit the line for fourth after the bird had flown. Begood Toya Mother held 36 per cent of the total investment.
BETS: Begood Toya Mother $4,000 @ $2.60, $2,000 @ $2.60, $1,500 @ $2.60, $1,000 @ $2.60 MULTIPLE TIMES, Behemoth $5,000 @ $3.90
RACE EIGHT
Mystic Journey went around as one of the most popular horses in Australia today. The Adam Trinder-trained runner held 60 per cent of the total investment in the PB Lawrence Stakes (1400 metres) and was four times as popular as the next pick in the market, Hartnell ($4.40). Producing a whirlwind finish under Anthony Darmanin, Mystic Journey ($2-$1.95-$2) was too good at the finish for the leader Cliff’s Edge ($9) and Hartnell.
BETS: Mystic Journey $5,000 @ $2, $3,010 @ $2, $2,500 @ $2, $2,000 @ $2 MULTIPLE TIMES, $1,500 @ $2
RACE NINE
N/A
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