On what will go down as one of the greatest days in Australian racing history, a filly bred and trained in Tasmania stood up and made herself known at Moonee Valley.
Mystic Journey, a daughter of Armidale Stud's
stallion Needs Further was a dominant victor in the Group 2 Aquis Farm Fillies
Classic over 1600m.
Trained at Devonport by former successful jumps jockey Adam Trinder, the pride of Tasmania, Mystic Journey was simply too good for her well credentialed rivals despite being trapped three wide with no cover.
"She was fantastic," Trinder said.
"We bypassed the Group 1 (Thousand Guineas) but we're more than satisfied with the Group 2 on Cox Plate Day.
"She was strong and solid through the line and it's easy to say after the fact but whilst she was three-deep without cover she continued to build into the race and I grew in confidence the more they went."
Now the winner of 6 of her 9 starts and over $317,000 in prizemoney, Mystic Journey showed her talent early on when winning the Listed Elwick Stakes as a 2YO. She was impressive when victorious in the Listed Jim Mooney Stakes at Caulfield in the lead up to her Group 2 victory on Saturday.She will now return to the apple isle for a spell and will be set towards feature races during the Melbourne Autumn including the Group 1 Australian Guineas.
In winning on Saturday, Mystic
Journey became not only the first Group winner for her astute trainer Adam
Trinder but also for her young sire Needs Further.
Needs Further is a Group winning son of the champion Encosta De Lago and a half brother to dual Group 1 winner Hallowed Crown, now at stud himself standing at Darley in the Hunter Valley.
Mystic Journey is Needs Further's second stakes winner after the gifted filly Pateena Arena won multiple stakes races as a 2YO. He has had 17 total winners including the two exciting 3-year-old fillies Triple Strip and Our Long Sali. Triple Strip showed her brilliance winning at Launceston last week and is now the winner of 3 of her 5 careers starts and is on a path towards the Tasmanian 3-year-old fillies classics. Our Long Sali, winner of the Tasmanian Magic Millions 2YO Classic is now in Melbourne with Patrick Payne who has big wraps on her ability.
Bred by long time supporters of Armidale Ralph & Peta Zito, Mystic Journey was foaled & reared on the irrigated pastures of Armidale Stud in Carrick, Tasmania. She sold for a modest $11,000 at the Tasmanian Magic Millions Sale. She again highlights the value and quality that is offered at the Tassie sale year after year.
"While she was a well put together uncomplicated style of filly, I have to admit that I never thought she would be a stakes winning 2yo, I always thought she needed time…" recalls Armidale Stud's David Whishaw.
"Big credit goes to Adam Trinder for identifying her as a standout filly and we are thrilled for him and owner Wayne Roser, these are the people that support us year in and year out and we love to see them get these results not just for our stallions but it's a flow on effect for the whole state."
Mystic Journey is the sixth foal from her dam White Gold, a 2 time winning daughter of Colombia. Bred using the Rasmussen factor, Mystic Journey carries a 4 x 4 cross of Lady Giselle.She descends from the family of the great Eight Carat.
Needs Further stands this season at Armidale Stud for a modest fee of $5,500. Extremely popular with the local Tasmanian breeders, interstate breeders have now taken note and Armidale are welcoming an unprecedented number of mares from Victoria.Limited spots are still available to Needs Further and also Armidale's other outstanding young stallion Alpine Eagle.
