Tasmanian trainer Adam Trinder is comfortable with the decision to bypass the Thousand Guineas with Mystic Journey in favour of the Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley.
And he believes he can be rewarded on Saturday when the filly attempts to cap her campaign in the Group Two race.
Mystic Journey was a convincing winner of the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes at Caulfield last month which prompted connections to consider making a late entry for the Group One Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 13.
“We decided against that, just for the filly’s benefit,” Trinder said.
“I just thought that while she won very well and looked to have an easy run, she ran time and she was probably just still a little bit hollow after that event.
“I thought the timing of the Thousand Guineas was probably a little bit too soon for her so we elected to take a step back and give her another fortnight and head to this Group Two race.
“It’s a decision I’m happy that we made and she’s in really good order.”
Mystic Journey was a luckless fifth in a 1200m race for fillies at the Valley two starts ago before winning at Caulfield, a performance Trinder believed took her to a new level.
“I was really impressed with the way she lowered and lengthened and really attacked the line,” he said.
Mystic Journey steps up to 1600m for the first time on Saturday and was holding slight favouritism on Thursday at $4.80 ahead of Group One winner El Dorado Dreaming and Thousand Guineas runner-up Fundamentalist at $5.
“She’s five weeks between runs by design and she was a month between runs from her luckless Valley run to her win at Caulfield,” Trinder said.
“I’m really content that she’ll present well and I think she gives herself the best opportunity to go there and win a good race.”
