Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey will forego a start in the weight for age Memsie Stakes on Saturday and have her next outing in the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 14.

Mystic Journey, above, will have her next run in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Mystic Journey, above, will have her next run in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield this weekend was an option for Mystic Journey but Tassie trainer Adam Trinder is happy to wait an extra fortnight before stepping his stable star out again.

Mystic Journey is the $4.80 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the 2019 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 26 and confirmed her spot at the top of the market order with a dominant first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 17.

“I’m happy with her presentation. She’s slotted straight back into her routine here in Tasmania,” Trinder told the Herald Sun.

“She’s been really good in her appetite and lovely and full about herself. Really happy with that.

“That being said, she won’t take her opportunity in the Memsie next Saturday. I just feel, moving forward, she is better off going straight to the 1600 metres of the Makybe Diva at Flemington.

“That will just give her a good foundation. There are options to shorten-up her preparation post that run but, just at the start of the preparation, with us having missed the Bletchingly (Stakes) and changing plans to go to the Lawrence, I feel she is better placed with a month between runs straight out to the mile.”

Mystic Journey took all before her during the 2019 Melbourne Autumn Carnival and was undefeated from four runs during the Autumn as a three year old filly and gained everybody’s attention with wins in the Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas (1600m) and in the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington.

Pre-post betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the 2019 Cox Plate: $4.80 Mystic Journey, $7 Avilius, $8 Lys Graceieux, $10 Danceteria, $12 Verry Elleegant, $15 Te Akau Shark, $16 Kluger, $18 Humidor, $19 Japan, Latrobe, $21 Hartnell, $31 Circus Maximus, Count Octave, Anthony Van Dyck, Johannes Vermeer, Rostropovich, Yucatan Ire, $41 or better the rest.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.