Saturday afternoon, across Tasmania racing fans will be crowding into their local TABs or sitting at home, glued to their television sets or computer screens, excitedly anticipating cheering on the much loved Betty - Mystic Journey - in the Group I WS Cox Plate.
Second favourite for the $5 million weight-for-age contest, Mystic Journey is nicely primed for her biggest test and owner Wayne Roser could not be happier.
"She has the ideal gate (6) and she is in fantastic order; we have been delighted with her ever since the Turnbull."
Describing the Cox Plate as "the ultimate... the greatest race in Australia attracting the best horses," Roser said, adding that the test lies in how tough and versatile the winner has to be... "the horse has to be both a stayer and a sprinter."
Mystic Journey's breeding holds her in good stead for just that sort of challenge, her exciting young sire Needs Further seen at his best over a mile whilst his sire Encosta de Lago, a Group winner from 1200m to 1600m, has sired Group One winners from 1000m to 2400m!
Plus Mystic Journey is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of the wonderful broodmare Lady Giselle, dam of Zabeel (and third dam of Needs Further) who has made such a mark on Cox Plate history as the sire of Maldivian, Savabeel, Might And Power and Octagonal, grandsire of Pinker Pinker and dam sire of Ocean Park.
Just as proud of Mystic Journey as Roser is the Armidale Stud family, the Whishaws excited to again be part of racing history with the mare the third W.S Cox Plate contender sired by one of their stallions.
It is a great achievement for Needs Further, from just his second crop, to be represented in the big race - as it was for Savoire Vivre whose gallant son The Cleaner took his place in two Cox Plates - and for St Briavels, sire of the grand galloper Sydeston contested three consecutive Cox Plates in the great era that was the early 90s; finishing second to superstar Better Loosen Up and third to Surfer's Paradise.
"It is an amazing race to be a part of," David Whishaw said, "and each time the progeny of an Armidale stallion has lined up in the race every one here has been so proud... we are fully aware of just what an important race the Cox Plate is."
