By Lachlan Mitchell
Veteran trainer and driver John Justice is hoping his six-year-old Mufasa Metro can tick off his first Group 1 victory in Queensland this winter.
The square gaiter made his first public appearance since winning the Cranbourne Trotters Cup back in February at the Melton trials on Monday.
The field of four comprised globetrotter Aldebaran Zeus, with Mufasa Metro finishing third in a quick mile rate of 1.55.3.
“He went really good. I would have preferred they didn’t go quite so hard,” Justice said.
“He probably wasn’t ready to go that speed.”
The 64-year-old is not sure if the gelding out of Paris Metro will target a lead-up race in Victoria before heading off to the Sunshine State.
“He is probably not ready to race for another three weeks,” he said.
“Whether we take him to Queensland and give him a lead-up race up there or give him a race down here (Victoria), I haven’t quite decided.”
Justice is set to target two of the trotting features as part of the Queensland Constellations series.
The Toolern Vale horseman will aim for the Sunshine Sprint (July 20) and the Queensland Trotters Cup a week later (July 27).
“He will probably go up three to four days before the sprint race and have a quiet week at Vic and Gail Frost’s place,” he said.
“I will probably take him to the beach a couple of times, and he should be ready for the Group 1.”
Mufasa Metro finished second in the 2023 Inter Dominion Grand Final behind the Jess Tubbs-trained wonder horse Just Believe, and Justice thinks the winner of over $370,000 has what it takes to tick off an elite level feature.
“I think he is a Group 1 horse. It would be nice at some stage in his career if he could win a couple,” he said.