Tassie champ Mystic Journey is set to begin her 2019 Cox Plate countdown in Saturday’s Group 3 $160,000 The Big Screen Company Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Mystic Journey, above, heads up the nominations for the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Mystic Journey is one of twenty hopefuls nominated for weight for age Bletchingly Stakes and the entries include Group 1 winners Scales Of Justice and Trap For Fools.
The Adam Trinder trained filly took all before her during the 2019 Autumn Carnival with four undefeated runs which came on the back of three wins from four starts during the 2018 Spring Carnivals.
The improving filly quickly climbed her way up through the grades and proved to be the best three year old of the Autumn Carnival with her win in the Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 2 followed by her win in the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) two weeks later over the same course and distance.
Mystic Journey has been installed as the $4.40 favourite for the 2019 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 26 and the rising four year old looked in great shape for her return to the racetrack with a solid win in an 800m barrier trial at Devonport on July 9.
“The initial mindset at this stage is that we’ll (then) go the month into the Memsie Stakes at 1400 metres, but that may potentially be her kick-off point, we’ll just monitor that ground there for the Bletchingly,’’ Trinder told racing.com.
“If the ground is suitable then she’ll take her opportunity in the Bletchingly, if not we’ll just wait (until the Memsie) and start off over 1400 metres.’’
Trinder also has his eyes set on an early Spring Carnival Group 1 assignment and will aim Mystic Journey towards the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.
Trap For Fools also looks set to kick off his 2019 Spring Carnival in the Bletchingly Stakes following a short break after finishing third to Self Sense in the Listed $350,000 Ladbrokes Mornington Cup (2400m) at Mornington on March 23.
The Jarrod McLean trained Trap For Fools claimed Group 1 glory with an all the way win in the Group 1 $2m Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington during the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival but hasn’t found the winner’s stall again from his next five starts.
The re-located former Western Australian trainer Lindsey Smith has nominated Scales Of Justice for the Bletchingly Stakes which will be the six year old’s first run back after finishing third in the Group 3 $150,000 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) at Ascot in Perth in November last year.
Scales Of Justice was one of the stars of the 2016 – 2017 Perth Summer Carnival with his win in the Group 1 $1m Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot.
Nominations for the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63×8719820 | ALL ABOUT NICCI | M | 6 | Kym Hann | 81 |
| 2 | 68×6311416 | BANDIPUR | G | 4 | Richard Laming | 101 |
| 3 | 4×80345112 | BEAUTIFUL FLYER | M | 6 | Len Jarvis | 78 |
| 4 | 58x071516x | CLIFF’S EDGE | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 105 |
| 5 | 115040×333 | HOLY BLADE | G | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 90 |
| 6 | 2260824132 | JUNGLE EDGE | G | 8 | Mick Bell | 105 |
| 7 | 193426x2x7 | KEN’S DREAM | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 95 |
| 8 | 11x041650x | MAHAMEDEIS | G | 4 | Nick Ryan | 91 |
| 9 | 5×04284514 | MISS IANO | M | 5 | Mark C Webb | 82 |
| 10 | x422142241 | MISS VIXEN | M | 4 | Cindy Alderson | 87 |
| 11 | 1511x1111x | MYSTIC JOURNEY | F | 3 | Adam Trinder | 115 |
| 12 | 8273×57756 | QUEEN ANNABEL | M | 5 | Rebecca Kelly | 77 |
| 13 | 1x2730x53x | SCALES OF JUSTICE | G | 6 | Lindsey Smith | 109 |
| 14 | 72154x17x1 | SESAR | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 100 |
| 15 | 30×1228232 | SPIRIT OF AQUADA | G | 4 | Gareth Andrews | 77 |
| 16 | 28863x226x | SPIRIT OF VALOR (USA) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 108 |
| 17 | 79305520×5 | SYLPHEED | M | 5 | Matt Cumani | 89 |
| 18 | 5216x5233x | TRAP FOR FOOLS | G | 5 | Jarrod McLean | 110 |
| 19 | 4x4993305x | TRUE EXCELSIOR (NZ) | M | 4 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 84 |
| 20 | 131x4109x5 | TSHAHITSI | G | 7 | Chris Crook & Imogen Miller | 103 |
The post Mystic Journey heads up high class 2019 Bletchingly Stakes nominations appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
