The Cox Plate meeting will be held at Mooney this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with light showers forecast for Melbourne leading up to the weekend, Mooney Valley could border on Good/Soft condition on raceday.
John Thompson-trained Battenburg is on the Victoria Derby trail and he is the highest rated horse in the Drummond Golf Vase (Melbourne Race 6 , 2040m). The Reliable Man 3YO has been improving as he stepped up in distance over his three runs this campaign. The colt put in an eye-catching performance last start in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), beaten only a length by Shadow Hero and Castelvecchio and that is terrific form. Beautifully drawn in barrier 2, James McDonald will be box seating on the fence with a cushy run. Battenburg will be too good for this field in the run home.
Tough miler Dreamforce looks the horse to beat in the Schweppes Crystal Mile (Melbourne Race 8, 1600m). This Fastnet Rock gelding ran a mighty 2nd to Brutal in the Doncaster Mile in the autumn and has continued his good form this campaign winning the Tramway Handicap 1st up before finishing 2nd to Avilius in the WFA George Main Stakes over 1600m. The 7YO did fail last start in the Epsom Handicap after having to work hard to find the lead under 57kg. John Thompson will add tongue tie on the horse so that could also help. The in-form Nash Rawiller will go straight to the lead from barrier 4 and with the short straight at Mooney Valley, Dreamforce could be hard to catch.
Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey has not disgraced herself in her three runs this campaign even though she lost favouritism for the Group 1 Cox Plate to the Japanese mare Lys Gracieux (Melbourne Race 9, 2040m). Mystic Journey won the Australian Guineas and the All Star Mile before her spell and she resumed with victory in the Lawrence Stakes on 17th August. The 4YO mare then finished a close 2nd in the Makybe Diva Stakes and she missed the start slightly last run in the Turnbull Stakes and was forced to settle further back than anticipated. Mystic Journey will be primed to peak when 4th up on Saturday. And she has no problem handling the tricky Mooney Valley track as she had won at the venue before. Drawn nicely in barrier 6 (into 5 with emergencies out), Adam Darmanin will park just behind the leading bunch and Mystic Journey will be full of running in the last furlong.
By Owens Wong, Editor
