Tasmania’s all-conquering three-year-old filly Mystic Journey defies odds

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS: They just won $2.25 million in the world’s richest mile horse race. Here’s how the Tassie owners and trainers celebrated.

Anthony Darmanin riding Mystic Journey and owner Wayne Roser after winning in Race 8, The All-Star Mile at Flemington Racecourse on March 16, 2019 in Melbourne. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

WHEN the Spirit of Tasmania berths in Devonport this morning she will be carrying royalty — but not the two-legged variety.

Tasmania’s all-conquering three-year-old filly Mystic Journey was making the trip across Bass Strait as she has done in the past from interstate sojourns, only this time she returns as the winner of the richest 1600-metre race in the world.

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Mystic Journey gave her rivals a galloping lesson to take out the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday defeating some of the best gallopers in Australia.

The Tasmanian filly has captured the imagination of the general public as well as racing tragics.

Jockey Anthony Darmanin rides Mystic Journey to win Race 8, the All-Star Mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. Picture: AAP Image/George Salpigtidis

Anthony Darmanin riding Mystic Journey after winning in Race 8, The All-Star Mile at Flemington Racecourse on March 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

In winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas and the All-Star Mile in successive outings she becomes the highest ever Tasmanian-bred three-year-old stake earner with Saturday’s take of $2.25 million taking her overall earnings to $3.28 million.

On Saturday night, after the filly had been bedded down for the evening and given an extra carrot or two as reward for her making some of the best weight-for-age horses in Australia look ordinary, it was time for the connections to let their hair down.

Owner Wayne Roser, trainer Adam Trinder, the owners of Armidale Stud that bred the filly and some close friends, along with this writer, sat down to enjoy one of the owner’s favourite cuisines, at the Fuji Teppanyaki restaurant at Melbourne’s Moonee Ponds.

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However, the celebrating was far from raucous and more on the subdued side — but that’s the way Mystic Journey’s connections choose to play the game.

Mystic Journey cost Roser only $11,000 at the 2017 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling sale and bought on the advice of Trinder’s fiancée’ Leah Goodrick, a former talented Tasmanian jockey who was forced to retire from riding through injury.

Mystic Journey now will be sent for a spell at the Devonport property of trainer Adam Trinder, grandson of Ray Trinder, who trained and owned Tasmania’s last Melbourne Cup winner Piping Lane (1972).

Her next major challenge will be the Cox Plate on October 26.