The Mystic Journey Fairytale Continues in All-Star Mile

Mark Smith - Saturday March 16

The inaugural running of the $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday got the fairytale finish organisers dreamed of when the pride of Tasmania, Mystic Journey, swept down the middle of the track to down Godolphin's multiple Group 1 winning pair, Hartnell and Alizee .

The winner of the Group 1 Australian Guineas over the same track and distance two weeks ago, Mystic Journey has made such a meteoric rise up the ranks connections believe that only Winx can be rated above her.

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With regular rider, Anthony Darmanin in the saddle, the 3yo daughter of Needs Further came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the gallant Hartnell (GB) (Authorized) by one and a quarter lengths with Alizee (Sepoy) a nose back in third. (photo Grant Courtney).


It advanced the record of the Adam Tinder-trained filly to 10 wins from 13 starts with earnings of $3,262,600.

"It's unbelievable. It's amazing. She is a filly that keeps raising the bar every time I ride her," Darmanin told racing.com.

"She just keeps trying and giving her all."

Adam Trinder has ambitious plans for Mystic Journey and has no doubt where she ranks.

"The Group 1 (Australian Guineas) was obviously a pinnacle a fortnight ago but to win the richest mile race in the world only two weeks later, she's a filly on an upward spiral and we don't know where the bottom of her is," he told racing.com.

"We'll protect her, look after her and she might be able to take over the mantle of Winx."

Mystic Journey was purchased for $11,000 by Trinder from the 2017 Magic Millions Tasmanian yearling sale and is expected to be spelled with the long-term goal of the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26.

"It's unbelievable," the filly's owner Wayne Roser said.

"She always gives 100 per cent every time she races and today was no exception. Three wide and still finishes off like she does."

The luck of the Irish ward must go to Damien Murnane who picked up $250,000 as ambassador owner of Mystic Journey.

Murnane voted for Moss 'N' Dale, who made the field, but when Murnane wasn't picked out of the draw for the Peter Gelagotis-trained gelding, he was among the group that weren't assigned a horse that became eligible to be an owner ambassador of the wildcard horses.

"I was getting excited, I saw her looming up on the outside and I thought, 'She's got a chance here and I just went berserk from then on," Murnane said.

Mystic Journey is the best of three winners from four to race out of the Colombia mare White Gold who is a sister to the stakes-placed Oronero.

Bred by Ralph and Peta Zito, Mystic Journey is a three-quarter sister to the Listed winner Mystic Pursuit (Needs Further) who is out of White Gold's unraced half-sister Oh So Gold (Savoire Vivre).

A full-sister to Mystic Journey made $55,000 to the bid of Ross Wilkinson at last year's Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. She has been named Emerald Crown.

White Gold was not covered in 2016 but had a Fighting Sun filly last spring and was bred back to Fiorente.

Armidale Stud's Needs Further is a Group winning son of the champion Encosta De Lago and a half-brother to Darley Stud's dual Group 1 winner Hallowed Crown.

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