"He did have good wet form, so we thought we'd send him down the highway and now he's here in Melbourne and has got a ticket.
"There's a great ownership group and now they're in the Cup.
"The next month and a bit, when you get one in the Cup is the most thrilling time for the owners.
"The build-up, it's nearly better than the race.
"The Metrop was his aim, but when the weather came, on Wednesday, at acceptance time, that's when we travel our horses and that's when we made the call and thankfully, we did."
Maher praised Johnstone for his ride on Mr Monaco which provided the Tasmanian apprentice with his first Stakes race win on the mainland.
"He's a little ripper," Maher said of Johnstone.
"He's been a revelation since coming across.
"My General Manager Sam Lefebvre follows the Tassie racing having worked down there and he said 'this kid is going places, and we need to get him'.
"He works hard. I get on with him quite well. He's usually a man of few words and I don't mind that either.
"It was a good positive ride and he's strong."
