Yellow Sam too strong in The Mystic Journey

Trainer Lindsey Smith enjoyed a quick hit and run mission to Hobart on Friday with progressive mare Yellow Sam taking out the Group 3 Mystic Journey Stakes.

A winner of five of her 11 starts, Yellow Sam has gone to a new level this preparation and had no concern justifying her favouritism in the feature.

“We always thought we’d try and get some Black Type with her, we always felt she was up to that level,” trainer Lindsey Smith said post-race.

A dominant winner at Geelong in the lead up, Yellow Sam appreciated the drop back in trip when powering to the line under Fred Kersley.

“It is a testing 1200m and she’s a mare that is looking for 1400m, so it looked a suitable race, I just didn’t want to ride her upside down,” Kersley said.

“The good tempo allowed her to find a good rhythm and she travelled like the winner a long way out.”

Smith was full of praise for Kersley’s handling of the mare post-race and suggested she will stay down in Tasmania for Launceston Cup day.

“I’ve said it back on the mainland, he’s an underrated rider, he proves it time and time again,” Smith said.

“He look calculated, he looked still and looked like the winner a fair way out.

“She’ll stay here with Imogen and Brendan [Miller], they done such an amazing job with her and I’ll only come over a couple of days before.

“I love this place, it reminds me so much of Western Australia, pretty laid back, nice conditions and the people are great.”