Six weeks after combining to win the inaugural $5 million All-Star Mile with star filly Mystic Journey, trainer Adam Trinder and jockey Anthony Darmanin will link again in Melbourne to try to win the VOBIS Gold Distaff with Twitchy Frank.
Trinder and Darmanin scaled some of the heights of Australian racing in the recent Melbourne autumn carnival when Mystic Journey gave them their first Group One win in the Australian Guineas at Flemington and two weeks later claimed the All Star Mile at the same track.
Tasmanian-based Trinder’s only Victorian starter since has been Twitchy Frank who ran third to Miss Siska in the Bendigo Gold Bracelet last month.
The former Darren Weir-trained Twitchy Frank, who has had three starts for Trinder, has made the trip across Bass Strait again for Saturday’s $150,000 VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m) at Caulfield and was the $2.90 favourite on Friday.
Darmanin won the Vamos Stakes (1400m) narrowly on Twitchy Frank at Launceston in February but missed the Bendigo race because he was in Dubai to ride Illustrious Lad in the Al Quoz Sprint.
“That was the first time I had ridden her when I won the Group Three on her and she was very keen in the run but they did go quite slow,” Darmanin said.
“I thought it was a tough win because she didn’t get around the corner that well but once she fully straightened she was strong and won quite well.
“Adam is a pretty good judge and when he brings them over they are always competitive.
“So I’m pretty sure she’s spot-on for Saturday and hopefully she can get the job done.”
Darmanin has ridden Mystic Journey in 12 of her 13 starts for 10 wins and is obviously looking forward to the rising four-year-old’s next preparation.
Mystic Journey is equal favourite with Avilius in an early market for this year’s Cox Plate and is scheduled to return to work next week.
“She keeps getting better and better each time I ride her so I’m just looking forward to when she comes back and seeing what she can produce,” Darmanin said.
“Hopefully the Cox Plate is the main goal in the spring, so fingers crossed everything goes well from now until then.”
