Horse Racing News Update: Trainers Messara and Gavranrich Gear Up for Pivotal Weekend Races
This weekend’s race results will be crucial for trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranrich, as two of their most promising horses face important tests in different states.
In New South Wales, unbeaten mare Clear Thinking will look to stake her claim for a Kosciuszko slot when she steps up to the Highway Handicap (1200m) at Randwick. Meanwhile, in Queensland, Know Thyself will make his stakes debut in the Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast.
Messara, who combines training a select team with his duties as general manager of Arrowfield Stud, is excited about the prospects of his talented pair. “It’s easy to get up in the mornings when you’ve got a couple of good ones,” he said. “They’re both nice horses with a fair bit of upside, and we don’t know where the ceiling is with them at this stage.”
Clear Thinking, a mare bred by the late Queen, was initially purchased as a broodmare prospect. However, after undergoing surgery to correct a stifle cyst, her Australian connections decided to put her into training. Messara described her as a “funny horse” who remains “very relaxed, verging on lazy” in her demeanor, but has been incredibly impressive in her two race wins to date.
“There’s nothing flashy, but when you take her to the racetrack, she couldn’t be more impressive in her two starts,” Messara said. If Clear Thinking can handle the step up to the Highway Handicap on Saturday, Messara is hopeful it will put her in contention for a slot in the prestigious Kosciuszko race this spring.
Know Thyself, on the other hand, was an emphatic last-start Highway Handicap winner on a heavy track. Messara is hoping the horse can continue on that upward trajectory in the Winx Guineas. “He couldn’t have won the Highway more impressively than he did, and on a wet track,” Messara said. “I think you’ve just got to give these horses their chance.”
The trainer almost achieved a similar feat two years ago with Shalstar, who won a Highway race in September 2022 and then finished a narrow second in the Alinghi Stakes. Messara believes Know Thyself has the potential to make the jump to stakes grade, if not this preparation, then in the near future.
With the stakes high for both Clear Thinking and Know Thyself, the weekend’s races will be ones to watch for horse racing enthusiasts. Stay tuned for updates on the performances of these talented Messara and Gavranrich-trained horses.
🔗 Source