Mystic Journey winning The All-Star Mile (Image: Racing Photos)
Mystic Journey's Cox Plate preparation begins this week, with the star three-year-old filly returning to work with trainer Adam Trinder.
The inaugural All-Star Mile winner has enjoyed six weeks in the paddock but Trinder has ensured he has kept a close eye on his prized possession.
"She is in the paddock outside, straight outside the homestead, we see her from the loungeroom window, we see her from the bedroom window," he said.
"She has let down really well in a short period of time, she has just had six weeks off and filled out, really blossomed through her barrel and so forth, she didn't go out dented because we only gave her four runs.
"She is probably ready to come back in and do something, just the last fortnight I've noticed she is a little bored and a little agitated.
"She is a filly that does like an assignment and her job, I wanted to give her the full six weeks before the depths of winter come about, timing looks to have worked perfectly."
WATCH: Mystic Journey's All-Star Mile win
Trinder has identified the Cox Plate as her main spring target and pencilled in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield on July 27 as her likely return date.
"My main thought process is the Cox Plate, I would love to see her in that next distance range up to a mile-and-a-quarter, just where she can relax build and finish," he said.
"We have seen her so dynamic over a mile there at Flemington, I feel once she steps up another distance band she is going to be a little better again in my opinion.
"The first two runs of the preparation, 1200m and 1400m, will tell the story as to how she has come back and give us some clarity in the spring, The Golden Eagle is there as a Plan B but our initial and main mindset is to get her to a Cox Plate."
Mystic Journey is already as short as $5 for the Cox Plate with BetEasy, with Arcadia Queen at $8 and Avilius next at $9.
"She will have a quiet eight weeks, she will jog for a month and then start to build in to some evens, then probably the last three weeks we will get serious with her," Trinder added.
"She will cart away for grass gallops and start to get some stimulation, that really brings her on, that really lifts her blood count when she is travelling and move around.
"She has a good 11 weeks heading towards the Bletchingly, we have plenty of time up our sleeve but it tends to come around quickly and off that time frame we don't want any hiccups."