Futurity option for Mystic Journey return

Star mare Mystic Journey is recovering from a setback ahead of her defence of the All-Star Mile.

Mystic Journey is recovering from a setback with next month’s Group One Futurity Stakes now a possibility for the mare’s return ahead of the All-Star Mile.

Trainer Adam Trinder told Victorian stewards on Wednesday the defending All-Star Mile champion had a soft tissue infection in her left front limb and was undergoing veterinary treatment, meaning she would miss several days track work.

The Tasmanian mare is one of three horses on the second line of early betting for the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on March 14.

“Unfortunately she’s developed a subcutaneous infection, which is an infection under the skin,” Trinder told RSN927.

“She presented with a lameness on Tuesday morning and inflammation in her near-fore limb so we just backed off.

“She’s just hand-walking at the moment and on antibiotics which have settled it down really quickly.

“She’s lovely and even in her action this morning so we’re getting on top of it quickly, but it’s just a little setback which has been untimely, obviously.

“The veterinary team was on to it really quickly so I trust we’re moving forward, and we have advanced quite quickly in 48 hours. So hopefully we’ve nipped it in the bud real quick.”

Trinder said she was a clean-winded horse and he would not be concerned if she went to the All-Star Mile off a start in the Futurity (1400m) at Caulfield three weeks earlier.

“We’ll be conservative but that being said we’ve still got a little time to breathe and a bit of time up our sleeve,” Trinder said.

“I would say at this stage it would be Futurity into the All-Star Mile, very similar to her last preparation.

“She kicked off there (Caulfield) over 1400 metres in the P B Lawrence and won and then went straight to the mile in the Makybe Diva Stakes and obviously ran second but she performed really well.

“I would suggest at this early stage, without getting ahead of ourselves, that would be the plan which was probably a loose plan prior to this scare anyway.

“We’ll just get over the next 48 hours and hopefully be moving forward.”