Star Tassie Mares To Clash in Empire Rose

With a two/three finish in the Gr2 Let's Elope Stakes on Saturday, star Tasmanian mares Mystic Journey (Needs Further) and Still A Star (Toronado) will clash again in next months's Gr1 Empire Rose Stakes, reports tasracing.com.au. "I was very pleased with my mare's sectionals, in particular the last 400m, so provided everything is well with her she will proceed as planned," said Mystic Journey's trainer Adam Trinder. "Depending on how she comes through the Rose of Kingston, my mare could tackle the Tristarc but that will only be if I think she needs another one going into the Empire Rose." Meanwhile trainer Bill Ryan was impressed with Still A Star's effort for third. "I was very pleased with my mare's sectionals, in particular the last 400m, so provided everything is well with her she will proceed as planned." Ryn enthused, "It was great to see Tassie's two best mares looking winning chances in the home straight at Flemington and no doubt they both will take plenty of benefit from their first-up runs. My mare will go back for the Rose of Kingston in three weeks but that will be her last run before tackling the Empire Rose." Back home, Ryan won on Sunday with Red Letter Lady (Wordsmith-Redbougg, by Tobougg) who made it four wins from nine starts. "She trialled well against the state's two best mares in Mystic Journey and Still A Star leading up to this race so you would have thought she'd be very competitive and that's how it played out," trainer Bill Ryan said. "This mare is only a class three horse, but I expect her to progress far enough this prep to be competitive enough to tackle the feature mares' races during the summer carnival."