Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking looks to continue her winning streak at Randwick on Saturday

Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking, once owned by the late Queen and unable to race in England due to leg issues, will be striving to maintain her unbeaten record at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

IF it wasn’t for Clear Thinking’s royal bloodlines and the confidence trainer Paul Messara had in her she would never have competed on the racetrack.

But the trainer saw something in Clear Thinking that others couldn’t and now she is rated as one of country racing’s most exciting sprinters.

The brilliant Clear Thinking, bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, puts her unbeaten race record on the line in the TAB Highway (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

FIELDS AND FORM FOR RANDWICK ON SATURDAY

Clear Thinking has won her only two starts at Scone by a combined margin of nearly 11 lengths and her boom reputation precedes her city debut with TAB Fixed Odds price assessors rating her a dominant $1.80 favourite.

The rising five-year-old mare is by England’s super sire Dubawi out of Sweet Idea, the Arrowfield-bred sprinter which won the 2015 Group 1 The Galaxy and was third in the 2013 Golden Slipper.

Sweet Idea was later sold to Queen Elizabeth II and exported to England where she was based at the Royal Stud at Sandringham.

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

Trainers Paul Messara is eyeing a two state double this Saturday with exciting types Clear Thinking (Randwick) and Know Thyself (Sunshine Coast) Picture: Grant Guy

“The one horse we were interested in was Clear Thinking,’’ John Messara said.

“We wanted to try and get the family back to Arrowfield. They put a price on Clear Thinking, we agreed and were able to purchase her.’’

Clear Thinking was unraced in England and Messara admitted he had secured the mare for breeding purposes only.

But after she arrived in Australia, the mare spelled well in the Hunter Valley and Messara’s son, Paul, suggested they put the mare into work.

“Clear Thinking had a leg issue which prevented her from racing in England,’’ Messara said.

“When she got here, our plan was to breed from her but she looked so well, there was no problem with her leg and Paul thought we should put her into work and see how she went.’’

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Clear Thinking has never shown much ability on the training track, in fact she is described as a lazy trackworker, but when she is lined up against other horses in a barrier trial or race, she becomes fiercely competitive.

“We can’t work out how good she is,’’ Messara admitted.

“She is such a casual worker, she does only what you ask, and she doesn’t really give the jockey much of a feel.

“Paul said ‘Dad, I don’t know how good she is, I can’t tell you anything because we can’t get a line on her from trackwork’.

“But when she comes out on race day she goes bang! It’s quite something.’’

Messara said there are plans to aim Clear Thinking at the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Royal Randwick in spring if she runs up to expectations on Saturday.

Aaron Bullock riding Know Thyself to victory at Rosehill last month Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Promising three-year-old Know Thyself, also from the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich stable, continues his rapid rise through the grades when he contests the Listed $300,000 Winx Guineas (1600m) at Sunshine Coast.

Know Thyself, by Arrowfield’s boom young stallion The Autumn Sun, has won three of his four starts including a runaway TAB Highway win by more than five lengths at Rosehill three weeks ago.

John Messara, who races Know Thyself, said the talented young sprinter-miler galloped brilliantly last Saturday morning before he was sent interstate.

“Paul was very happy with Know Thyself’s work and the horse went up to Queensland last Sunday where he’s settled in well,’’ Messara said.

Know Thyself is jumping up sharply in grade but bookies are taking no chances and have installed him as the $2.30 favourite for his stakes debut.

“We realise this is a big test for Know Thyself but he’s obviously a horse with talent,’’ Messara said.

“He handles wet tracks so a heavy track isn’t a concern for us. He gets through heavy going but it might eliminate some of the others.

“If he wins Saturday, then potentially he’s a very good horse for the Melbourne spring carnival.’’

Originally published as Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking looks to continue her winning streak at Randwick on Saturday