Tasmanian filly Mystic Journey has beaten the might of global powerhouse Godolphin to win the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile in Melbourne.
Bought for just $11,000 as a yearling, Mystic Journey is taking her connections on the ride of a lifetime.
The Adam Trinder-trained and Wayne Roser-owned three-year-old added Saturday’s feature at Flemington two weeks after becoming the first Tasmanian-trained horse in the modern era to win a Group One race in the Australian Guineas at the same track.
Ridden by her regular jockey Anthony Darmanin, Mystic Journey, the $3.60 favourite, defied a three-wide run to storm down the outside to win by 1-1/4-lengths.
The James Cummings-trained Godolphin-owned star Hartnell ($13) was second with his stablemate Alizee ($4.20) another nose away third after bursting through half-way down the straight to looking the winner.
Group One winners Le Romain and Grunt filled the top five in the field of 14 which was made up of horses voted in by the public and also a selection of four wildcards of which Mystic Journey was one.
“Every time we race her she raises the bar and goes to another level and we just witnessed that again today,” Trinder said.
“It was a fantastic galloping performance.
“I don’t know where the bottom of her is to be honest. She’s only a young filly and she’s on an upward spiral.
“It’s very special. She was the first Tasmanian-trained Group One winner and she’s now won the richest mile race in the world.”
Her All-Star Mile victory and the $2.25 million first prize took her career earnings to $3.26 million with 10 wins from 13 starts.
Trinder will now spell the winner of her past six starts and target the 2019 Cox Plate this spring.
The Cox Plate has been won the past four years by undisputed champion Winx who is expected to be retired after the Sydney autumn carnival.
“We’ll protect her and look after her and she might be able to take over the mantle of Winx,” Trinder said.
An elated Darmanin said he was happy to be three-wide with galloping room to give Mystic Journey the opportunity to show her acceleration in the straight. And the filly was up to the task.
“It’s just amazing. I just can’t describe it,” he said.
“Her turn of foot again is just unbelievable.
“She’s taken me on a journey I’ve never been on before. It’s unbelievable.”
Hartnell’s jockey William Buick felt the eight-year-old was possibly unlucky not to get clear galloping room when he wanted but he hit the line with gusto.
“It was a great run from a very courageous horse,” Buick said.
