Messara faces tricky scenario with Country Championships favourite Clear Thinking

Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking is equal favourite for the Country Championships Final but could find herself ineligible for the $1m race.

Clear Thinking will be ineligible for the Country Championships Final is she wins the Group 3 Triscay Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking could race herself out of the lucrative $1m Country Championships if she wins at Royal Randwick next Saturday.

Clear Thinking, one of the best-bred horses in training, has won her only four starts so impressively she is commanding her chance at stakes level.

Trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich are setting the talented mare for Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Triscay Stakes (1200m) knowing if she wins it will mean she is ineligible for the Country Championships series.

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“With Clear Thinking, given her pedigree and residual value, as much as the Country Championships has big money, chasing stakes races and black type is the most important thing for this mare,’’ Messara said.

“If she is stakes-placed in the Triscay, she could still go to the (Scone) qualifier, but if she wins then she is out of the series.’’

Clear Thinking is equal favourite at $6 with stablemate Know Thyself and the Matthew Dunn-trained Fukubana for the $1m Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 5.

Undefeated in four starts, Clear Thinking is England’s super sire Dubawi out of Sweet Idea, the Arrowfield Stud-bred sprinter who won the 2015 Group 1 The Galaxy and was third in the 2013 Golden Slipper.

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When Sweet Idea was retired from racing, she was sold to Queen Elizabeth II and exported to England where the mare was based at the Royal Stud at Sandringham.

When the Queen died in 2022, some of her racing and breeding interests were put up for sale and Arrowfield Stud supremo John Messara seized the opportunity to buy the unraced Clear Thinking.

Clear Thinking splits the middle to win the third at Randwick for @Paulmessara and @LGavranich with @Aaronbullock90 on board! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EM3iCaKtDK

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 25, 2025

But if Clear Thinking doesn’t get to the Hunter and North West heat, the $150,000 Country Championships Qualifier at Tamworth on March 9, the Messara-Gavranich stable will still have a strong representation including Know Thyself.

The four-year-old son of Arrowfield’s outstanding stallion The Autumn Sun, Know Thyself has had five starts for three wins and two placings, including his third in the Group 3 Winx Guineas last winter.

Know Thyself hasn’t raced since but has already had two barrier trials ahead of his return to racing

“He will resume next week then it is two weeks to Tamworth,’’ Messara said.

“I think he is probably looking for a mile so I am trying to keep him on the fresher side.’’

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Messara said improving mare Intervarsity and tough five-year-old Rematch are also likely to go to the Tamworth qualifier.

After Messara’s Tarangower finished second to Artlee in the inaugural Country Championships Final a decade ago, the trainer hasn’t been in the frame in the big race since but he is hoping that will change this year.

“Tarangower should have won,’’ Messara said.

“I said to Joao Moreira that day to stay off the fence but he went inside and it was like quick sand that day.

“I haven’t had the right type of horse for the Country Championships since but I feel this year is my best chance.’’

Originally published as Messara faces tricky scenario with Country Championships favourite Clear Thinking