Mystic Journey is the new found Queen of the Apple Isle after giving her rivals a sound beating in the All Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday.

Her Sydney visit has been aborted, she has done enough, let’s leave a bit in the tank, don’t drain it dry.

That’s what Adam Trinder is doing; he is giving her a break while she is bucking her brand off, instead of having to scrap it off.

The aim is the Cox Plate over 2000 metres at weight for age, surely that would be the pinnacle; Winx will be well gone by then.

She most likely won’t race in Tasmania again, obviously; however, exhibition gallops would be more than possible as she campaigns for the Cox Plate.

Mystic Journey has done everything asked of her, she has had enough, there is no more to give at this stage, any thoughts of going to Sydney to take on Winx would be an act of lunacy.

There is nothing to be gained by matching the two together, Adam Trinder has acted wisely, there is nothing to prove.

It’s a good story really, Adam Trinder, a former jumps jockey, who rode with a fair amount of  success, jumps riding is sadly depleted, there had to be an alternative if he wanted to remain in the racing industry.

Mystic Journey will spell until it is time to prepare her for the Cox Plate, she may be boxed during the winter, Adam will know when.

Her win is a great boost to the Tasmanian bloodstock breeding industry, her sire, Needs Further, was represented by 21 lots, 15 were sold for $409,000, the average being $27,266.

Needs Further is by Encosta de Lago, there are two immediate crosses of Northern Dancerin his pedigree, he is a winner at Randwick of the Carbine Stakes at Group 3 level, he won 3 of his 5 starts.

Mystic Journey winning  the All-Star Mile

 Jim Cassidy to Ride Again

Jim, ‘The Pumpa’, Cassidy is considering riding again, and if they are only thoughts that’s alright, unless he is not serious about it.

Few jockeys, if any, have come out retirement and made a success of it, many of the trainers they rode for have retired, there is new brand of trainers.

Jim had his last race ride on Oaks day 2015 at Flemington, four years ago, however, four years ago is a long time to be out of the saddle, he is now 56, you don’t improve with age.

Born in New Zealand he came over to ride Kiwi in the Melbourne Cup, which he duly won in 1983, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

He won the Cups double on Might And Power in 1997, and returned the following year to win the Cox Plate on Might And Power.

Racing has been good to Jim, and if it hasn’t, it is too late now, father time will beat us all.

A flying visit to Adelaide paid off for Bendigo trainer, Mick Sell, when his mare, Penny To Sell, scored a nice win at Morphettville last Saturday.

He hit the road at 8 pm from Bendigo Thursday night, there was no dawdling along the way or any sightseeing trip either, this was a business trip, man on a mission.

Mick, who had recently vacated Kyneton in preference for Bendigo, has trained about a dozen winners since he has made the changeover.

Penny To Sell is no champion, Mick is the first to admit that, however, if you select the right races she can be pretty handy on her day.

Mick picked the right race for her on Saturday, whilst she was last for most of the race she was still in touch with the leading group, her rider, Talia Hope, carried out riding instructions to the letter, she is making the best of her riding opportunities.

                                                         *    

The Autumn Sun opened up his autumn campaign hardly in a blaze of glory, but what did you expect?

He is not yet fully wound up at this stage, he had to overcome an awkward position on the rails and he did win first up after a break.

His mission is the Randwick Guineas, from there,that is in the unknown, whether John Messara brings him back for another season, or the colt goes to stud.

Messara does have the midas touch, he has been so successful, he has made Redoute’s Choice and he will make The Autumn Sun.

                                                               *

Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling sales proved successful, with a turnover of $2.999.000, with an excellent average of $27,769 for 108 lots sold.

Lot 63, a well presented colt by Fiorente, topped at $115,000 he was out the Savoire Vivre mare Love The Moment, she won the Tasmanian Oaks, the buyer was Spicer Thoroughbreds.

The Melbourne Cup winner is on the verge of siring a Stakes winner, it could be at Flemington on Saturday.

                                                           *

 Lot 116, the colt by Charge Forward, changed hands at $100,000, his dam comes from a very stout female family that John Singleton had a lot of success with.

Charge Forward formerly stood at Arrowfield, he has since been relocated to Murrulla Stud at Wingen.

                                                             *

National Defence, France’s leading two year old colt of last season will stand at Sun Stud in the 2019 stud season.  

The 2016 European 2 Year Old Colt’s Classifcations , 122 Churchill (Ire) European Champion, National Defence (GB) 118, and Caravaggio (USA) 116, he was unbeaten as a two year old.

National Defence is described as an attractive bay horse, very well balanced and a great mover, with lots of speed and energy, by Henri Bozo,Stud Manager”.                                            

He has a proven speed pedigree, his sire, Invincible Spirit, his sire is noted for that, evidence is I Am Invincible.

National Defence is a striking bay entire; he lacks for nothing, he is sure to make a great impression.                                                       

Winx would hardly blow a candle out after her easy win in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, over 1400 metres last Saturday.

The Accolades continue to roll in, and they will until her final race the 13^thof April, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Royal Randwick, when she finally bids the turf farewell.

She has been great for racing, those that don’t frequent racecourses, or have a bet; she has captured them, illustrated by a crowd of 15,330 to witness the wonder mare.

She has now won 34 races, the last 30 all in succession, when Chris Waller originally set the itinerary for the mare it included four more races, she has already had one, there is no point in altering the plan that was set.

Chris Waller is a very thorough man, he doesn’t walk backwards, or change his mind either, he is a highly professional horse trainer.

He hasn’t allowed the pressure to take over, it could have at times, but he has been able to rein it in.

Desert Gold was the first horse , a mare in fact, the best mare since Wakeful, she established a record of 19 straight wins up to 1917, to lay claim to the most wins in succession until Gloaming appeared on the scene, he was by The Welkin, he equalled the record, but could not pass it though.  

In 1939 Ajax threw out a determined challenge, he had won 18 races in succession when he faced up to Spear Chief, and Allunga, in the Rawson Stakes at Rosehill.

There was little betting on the race, Ajax was 40-1 on Spear Chief and Allunga 33-1, however, there were few takers at those odds.

Darby Munro rode Allunga, he always expressed the view that Ajax was a corn beef champion, he could be rolled.  

Hence, Ajax being a natural front runner, but not for long, Munro soon had Allunga at the girth of the favourite, Spear Chief came along and beat both of them.

Winx - 30 Wins on the trot

I Am Invincible was right on the ball on Saturday week siring Crack The Code, the first winner at Caulfield, and it just got better as the meeting progressed.

When I Am Immortal won the Blue Diamond Preview for colts and a geldings, things were then really hotting up and the show was far from over.

The Blue Diamond Preview for fillies saw the Sydney trained filly, Catch Me, defeat Jedastar by a slender margin, both by I Am Invincible.

To complete the day I Am A Cool Kid won the second race at Randwick, the Highway Handicap.

I Am Invincible - Outstanding Sire

Record Sale Entries

When entries closed for the 2019 Karaka Yearling sales, 103 entries were received and catalogued on behalf of Waikato Stud Ltd. at Matamata.

One hundred and three lots is a great record, and how well the stud is organized to handle that number of horses.

From 1930 to 1940 Percy Miller’s Kia-Ora Stud, at Scone, regularly sold an average of 90 yearlings, in 1941 he sold a record 105 lots at the Sydney Easter Sales.

During the war years petrol was heavily rationed, there was no petrol for transporting horses, they were walked to the nearest railhead, possibly Scone, and travelled by train.

On arrival at Central Railway Station they had to be walked individually to the sales complex at Randwick.

Some great sires have stood at Kia Oro including Magpie, Midstream and Delville Wood, and numerous others, Percy Miller hardly stood a colonial sire, however, he made an exception, he could not resist Chatham, he was a great miler.

Long Leaf has the Pedigree

Long leaf gave a dashing display in winning the Karaka Millions; he will be wrapped in cotton wool from here in, as he is a very expensive colt for racing and breeding purposes.

He was purchased for $750,000 as a yearling out of the Curraghmore’s draft by BBA Ireland, and looks certain to stand at Coolmore in due course.

The win was a welcome return for James McDonald, who had not ridden at Ellerslie for three years, he noticed a lot of changes to New Zealand’s leading racecourse.

McDonald had Long Leaf well positioned when he drew along side of Media Sensation at the 800 metres, and soon after had to fend off a desperate challenge from The Real Beel half way up the straight.

Long Leaf is by Fastneck Rock from Frustrating, he has a sensational dam line, he will get every chance at Coolmore.

Peter Liston is a guy that wanted the best for his family, there is nothing wrong with that, he could always ride with the punches, he could weather the storm, he was born and raised in the Mallee, they don’t give in easily up that way.

He and his wife, Pauline, with their family, moved to a horse stud known as Lakewood Stud, South Australia, in the distance was Narrung Stud where the sensational thoroughbred sire Adraan stood, his first and only season, and further on, the waters of Lake Albert.

It didn’t take long for Peter to realise he was pushing a barrow uphill, he gave up the ghost but not the ambition.

After what was a short period Peter and his wife, Pauline, with their family, wanted to return to Victoria, it offered more security and an improved lifestyle.

Above all it had to be horse country within reasonable reach of the capitol city that is where much of the racing and breeding industry is centred.

The family took their time looking about, they knew what they wanted, it may take a little time, they were prepared to wait for the right property.  

It didn’t take that long for the Liston family to settle on “Three Bridges” on the Loddon River, where the gums grow as tall as they do along the Murray.

A place of peace and tranquillity where time seemed to stand still, as you walked through the lush pastures that were to be known as Three Bridges, not that far away from the small hamlet of Eddington.

When the stud got up and running all new stabling was built, holding yards and paddocks, a veterinary facility, modern feed sheds and a brand new home with all modern cons.

Pauline Liston is a remarkable woman, she is a true horse women, she wouldn’t ask a man to do a job she could not do herself.

Stryker was the first sire to stand at Three Bridges, he was by Fastnet Rock, he proved a very handy sire, however, he wasn’t really commercial, you needed to do better to remain a going concern.

You don’t find them under gooseberry bushes, the market is extremely competitive, there are a lot of players with the same intentions.

Peter Liston thought he had struck a pot of gold, the horse he was able to secure was the outstanding two year old colt, Unencumbered, who had just won the Magic Millions Classic, it was better than winning the lottery.

Unencumbered produced winners from his first crop to race, he was up and away, he was in for a marvellous season.

He was leading first season sire with progeny earnings of $1.9 million, and that was just the beginning, his first crop of yearlings sold up to $150,000.    

Sadly Unencumbered died just after a couple of seasons, there will be no replacement for him, he had 59 runners for 32 winners .

Peter Liston