Star mare Mystic Journey will begin her new campaign in a 1400m race - the same as last preparation - and there is still a chance it will be in Tasmania.
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Connections had hoped to run Mystic Journey first-up over 1200m at Mowbray in a fortnight but scrapped that option when the programming didn't suit.
That decision looked like depriving Tasmanian racegoers of a chance to see her in action this campaign - but that may no longer be the case.
Trainer Adam Trinder is now tossing up whether to give the mare her first-up run in the $500,000 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 or the $100,000 Thomas Lyons (1400m) in Hobart the following day.
"We'll see how she's going before we decide whether to kick off at home or go straight to the group 1 race," Trinder said.
"She'll have a quiet trial prior to then.
"Racing first-up over 1400m won't worry her - she did it last year.
"I did want to run her in Tasmania to give local racegoers a chance to see her and that may still happen.
"But there is still a fair bit of water to go under the bridge."
Mystic Journey began her last campaign with a win in the group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield before a second in the group 1 Makybe Diva (1600m) at Flemington.
She followed up with a luckless fifth in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington before being the second Australian-trained horse home when fifth in the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
Regardless of where she resumes, Trinder's plan is to give Mystic Journey her second-up run in the group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 22 before she chases a second successive win in the $5 million All-Star Mile at the same track on March 14.
NEWITT HIT WITH WHIP SUSPENSION
Craig Newitt will miss the Mowbray meeting on Saturday night due to a whip suspension.
Newitt offended twice at Spreyton on Cup Day. He escaped the first offence on Kwai (one strike over the limit) with a $600 fine but was suspended for one meeting for the second offence (two strikes over) on Newhart in the Devonport Cup.
He fulfilled his commitments at Mowbray on Friday, where he won the $30,000 3YO Vase on Deroche then rode on King Island on Saturday where he also had a winner.
Newitt will miss the $100,000 Launceston Guineas and $30,000 Brighton Cup at Saturday's meeting which starts at 5.33pm and, with only 30-minute gaps between most races, finishes at 9.10pm.
NEWHART TAKING WELL-EARNED REST
Meanwhile, trainer Leanne Gaffney has sent Newhart for a break.
"He pulled up really well after the Devonport Cup but he's gone to Armidale Stud for a well-earned spell," Gaffney said.
Newhart was having only his ninth start in the $100,000 feature and Newitt said the four-year-old was "out on his feet" in the closing stages.
Managing owner Denise Martin believes Newhart will reach the highest level in Tasmania and doesn't want to ask too much of him too soon.
"He's an outstanding prospect - the Devonport Cup had a good field but I'm confident he will turn out to be the best horse in that race," she said.
Newhart, who was surprisingly given six rating points for his second in last month's Sheffield Cup, got 15 points for his Devonport Cup win and now has a rating of 89.
GOLDEN DAY FOR TASMANIANS
Tasmanians were well to the fore at the Magic Millions extravaganza on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Former Launceston jockey Luke Currie, who is building an impressive record in feature races, took out the $2 million 2YO Classic on Victorian filly Away Game.
It was his second win in the race in three years, having also scored on Sunlight in 2018.
Currie, 38, is closing in on 1300 career wins (including nine group 1s) and his mounts have won almost $50 million in prizemoney.
Earlier in the day, Denise Martin watched Invincibella carry her Star Thoroughbreds colours to victory in the $1 million Filles & Mares Classic.
Invincibella has won the same race three years in a row.
Martin, originally from Devonport, established Star Thoroughbreds in 1994 and her success, firstly with Gai Waterhouse and now Chris Waller, has been phenomenal.
Star's many high-class horses have included five-time group 1 winner Theseo and Golden Slipper winner Sebring.
IT'S A HAPPY TEAM AT HAWTHORN
Dual-code trainer Adrian Duggan landed his 300th harness winner in Hobart on Sunday night.
He brought up the milestone when Wattabout Spangher landed his third career win in the Rating 58-62 Pace.
It was a fitting result, given that Duggan is an unashamedly one-eyed Hawthorn supporter and the horse bears the name of a Hawks premiership player.
Duggan, who started training in 1994, said he had been unaware of his career tally.
"I didn't know till I saw it on social media - it's a nice little achievement and good to get it with a nice little horse like him," he said.
"He had been knocking on the door and had the race run to suit. He has to be driven with a sit."
Duggan was a lot more aware of the chances of his galloper Foreeva when she landed a $21 to $10 plunge at Mowbray on Friday.
"We had something on her," the owner-trainer said.
"She seems to go well fresh so we backed off her after her last run (in early November) and came here a little bit confident.
"Troy (Baker) was very confident she'd handle the conditions."
The track was downgraded to a heavy 8 just before Foreeva's race.
