Mystical Pursuit (Image: Armidale Stud)
Melbourne racegoers last week missed the chance to see Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey return to race at Caulfield but this Saturday, they get the next best thing as her three-quarter sister attempts to keep her unbeaten record in tact on Saturday at The Valley.
Mystical Pursuit, a winner of all four races as a two-year-old in Tasmania, will appear as a three-year-old for the first time this Saturday when she tackles a fillies’ handicap over the 1000-metre trip.
She will be ridden by stable apprentice Chris Graham, who will be able to claim 3kg and has been aboard in all of her victories.
"She’s obviously nowhere near as good or in the same class or category by any means," Trinder said on Monday.
"She shares a lot of the blood but they are two totally different fillies. She (Mystical Pursuit) is a very highly strung filly which could potentially be to her detriment.
"I am very keen to see how she copes with the travel. Just taking her out of her comfort zone and out of a familiar situation to see if she settles.
"She’s a filly with a really big stride and extension and a great will to win.
"I think she’s going to be best suited up to a mile and we’re hoping that she could potentially end up in a race like the Thousand Guineas but it’s all up to her now."
Trinder knows from past experience that no Saturday race in Melbourne is an easy race.
"When we dipped our toe in the water with Mystic Journey, we ran into Brutal so there’s nowhere to hide during their three-year-old career on a Saturday."
"But she’s in good order and got a good record so it will be interesting to see where she fits in. It will give us a good assessment of her.
"It’s as short as she wants it but it will allow her to flow first-up and I just hope she can be competitive and she can build off it."
She was purchased by owner Wayne Roser for just $28,000 from the Tasmanian yearling sales just three days after Mystic Journey won her first listed event – the Elwick Stakes in February, 2018. Already, the filly has earned over $200,000 with two stakes wins to her name.
The Mystic Journey story is even better. Purchased by trainer Adam Trinder on behalf of Roser for $11,000 as a yearling, Mystic Journey has now earned $3.2 million from just 13 starts.
Mystic Journey is expected to be on the boat to Melbourne in the middle of August as she is due to kick-off her spring campaign in the G2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 17.
WATCH: Adam Trinder discuss Mystical Pursuit on July 2