Exciting juvenile Know Thyself will be on trial for a Winx Guineas berth at Rosehill on Saturday

Paul Messara has flagged the Winx Guineas as a possible destination for Know Thyself if he runs up to expectations at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Paul Messara

Trainer Paul Messara’s promising three-year-old Know Thyself can join stablemate Clear Thinking as two of NSW country racing’s most exciting horses by winning the TAB Highway (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

In the same week superbly-bred mare Clear Thinking won her debut at Scone by more than eight lengths, Know Thyself can make a statement at his Sydney Saturday debut.

Know Thyself, a son of Arrowfield Stud’s boom young stallion The Autumn Sun, has only had three starts, winning twice before a luckless first-up second at the Canterbury midweeks.

FIELDS AND FORM FOR ROSEHILL ON SATURDAY

But the Rosehill race, albeit a restricted race at a low-key Sydney winter meeting, could propel Know Thyself into stakes races.

“I’m hoping he can win on Saturday and then we would like to take him up north to the (Listed) Winx Guineas over a mile third-up at the Sunshine Coast,’’ Messara said.

“Know Thyself is a promising horse who has always shown ability. He has always been a big horse so we had him gelded early on.

“He won a couple of barrier trials well before his first start at Newcastle in February where he struck trouble and should have lost but found a way to win. We spelled him after he won again at Scone.

Paul Messara has earmarked the Winx Guineas as a possible destination for exciting talent Know Thyself

“At Canterbury, he was there to win but didn’t have much luck in running before finishing second.

“We feel he’s a very progressive young horse. He will go for a break after the Winx Guineas and then we will aim him up for the spring.’’

Messara, who trains in partnership with Leah Gavranich, also provided an update on Clear Thinking, the superbly-bred mare by Dubawi out of Sweet Idea, who was stunning at Scone last Tuesday.

“Clear Thinking was very impressive - you don’t often win 1000m races by big margins,’’ Messara said.

“She did it very easily at first start in a race but she has done everything easily so far. Until they are under pressure you don’t really know where they fit in.

“The plan is to give her another run in the country or provincial area, either Scone or Newcastle, then go to a TAB Highway before we also get her ready for the spring.

“We bought Clear Thinking as a broodmare prospect only but she really might turn into something.’’

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

KNOW Thyself, the $1.85 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the Highway, brings together the trainer-jockey combination with the best winning strike-rate in NSW racing.

The Messara-Gavranich stable and jockey Aaron Bullock have combined to win 21 races this season at an extraordinary strike-rate of 41 per cent of winners per runners.

Bullock is also leading the NSW jockeys premiership with 127 wins at a lofty strike-rate of 21.9 per cent.

Messara and Gavranich also boast the best-strike of winners to runners in NSW racing his season with 35 wins at 31 per cent.

MAHER BURSTS THROUGH 300 WIN BARRIER

CHAMPION trainer Ciaron Maher smashed the 300-win barrier for the season when Queen Of Deels won at Echuca on Thursday.

With six weeks of the 2023-24 season remaining, Maher is set to win the National Premiership as he has a clear lead over Chris Waller (257 wins).

Maher has stable runners at five venues on Saturday – Rosehill Gardens, Newcastle, Eagle Farm, Sandown and Bendigo.

The stable’s brilliant mare Bella Nipotina, Nugget and Semana gives Maher a strong representation in the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.

GODOLPHIN BLUE FRONT AND CENTRE FOR BRISBANE G1 DOUBLE

GODOLPHIN’S Broadsiding and Vilana are favoured to complete a stable Group 1 double at Eagle Farm.

Broadsiding, trained by James Cummings, is into $1.70 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds for the $1 million JJ Atkins (1600m).

If Broadsiding win the feature two-year-old race, he will join the legendary Luskin Star (1977) as the only horses to win the Group 1 1600m two-year-old double of the Champagne Stakes and JJ Atkins (formerly Malboro) Stakes.

Vilana is lining up for his third attempt at the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and is the firm $5 favourite after his dominant Moreton Cup win last week.

But Vilana also needs to defy racing history as no horse has completed the Moreton Cup-Stradbroke double.

A confident Cummings feels with luck in running Broadsiding and Vilana will be fighting out the finish.

“Broadsiding just keeps maturing, he’s an unbelievably talented two-year-old,’’ Cummings said.

“He can cope with the scenarios that get thrown at him. That puts him right up there with the better two-year-olds, there’s no question he’s the real deal and the horse to beat in the JJ Atkins.’’

Cummings said Vilana has “got that spark about him” since his monstrous Moreton Cup win last Saturday.

“The preparation has been ideal, he arrives in the race fourth-up and on the short back-up, and he’s ready to run his best race,’’ Cummings said.

"He's the real deal!"

How do they beat Broadsiding in the JJ?@bernadetecooper@[e-mail]/KCy7QFqzNk

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 2, 2024

CURTIS PAYS EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE

LEE Curtis, who prepares speedy mare Flightcrew, one of the chances in the Midway Handicap (1200m), has paid an emotional tribute to trainer Dave Mills.

“I’m sad to hear of the passing of my old mentor, Dave Mills,” Curtis wrote on social media.

“He taught me many things, particularly how to feed (horses). He was a fun man to be around. He will be sorely missed.’’

Mills, the former Canterbury and Warwick Farm trainer, passed away last Monday. He was 87.

He was still training up until six years ago when the only horse he had in work, Satirical Magic, won eight races, including three in succession at Canterbury during the 2017-18 summer.

Satirical Magic was Mills final starter, finishing unplaced at Rosehill in May 2018 before the trainer retired.

Curtis, who trains in partnership with his wife, Cherie, will saddle up Flightcrew at the Rosehill meeting with the mare at generous odds of $14 despite her consistent recent form.

BUCKLEY SIDELINED AFTER MOUNTING YARD FALL

TOP jockey Grant Buckley is facing an extended period on the sidelines after fracturing his pelvis in a mounting yard incident at Wyong on Thursday.

Buckley was injured when his mount, Cunning Calle, reared pre-race, then landed on the jockey.

Sky Racing presenter Chantelle Buckley said her husband has broken his pelvis in three places but otherwise is in good spirits.

Buckley, who has ridden more than 2500 career winners, will require two operations in the next week to stabilise his pelvic fractures.

I WISH I WIN HITS WORLD’S TOP 10

I Wish I Win has moved into the world’s top 10 after his win in the Kingsford Smith Cup, according to the latest update of the Longines Global World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained I Wish I Win earned a 120 rating from the international handicappers which brings the sprinter in as equal ninth on the world rankings.

He joins Private Eye and Pride Of Jenni as the highest Australian-trained horses.

Pride Of Jenni’s earned her figure after that spectacular Queen Elizabeth Stakes win at Randwick during The Championships and she remains the highest-rated mare in world racing.

Laurel River, trained in the UAE, remains the highest-rated horse in world racing after his eight-and-a-half length win in the Dubai World Cup earned a 128 rating.

English Derby winner City Of Troy is now equal second with Godolphin’s Rebel Romance on 123 and Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior is up to equal fourth on 121 after his last start win in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen in Japan.

It's his day today! 🥇

I WISH I WIN turns the tables on BELLA NIPOTINA to score his second G1 win in the Kingsford Smith Cup! 💨pic.twitter.com/V2j0MFPlpr

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) June 1, 2024

LOOKING BACK IN HISTORY

5 years ago

Destiny’s Kiss, the veteran Joe Pride stayer, created some sort of record when he won the Winter Cup at Rosehill – six years after he won the race previously. Destiny’s Kiss, ridden by Sam Clipperton, shouldered 58.5kg to beat Yogi and set a race weight-carrying record that only stood for 12 months before Wu Gok won under 59.5kg. At Eagle Farm, Godolphin sprinter Trekking was well-ridden by Kerrin McEvoy and scored a career-best win in the Stradbroke Handicap defeating Tyzone. Prince Fawaz scored narrowly in the JJ Atkins but never won another race.

10 years ago

Trainer Natalie McCall prepared her first Group 1 winner when River Lad, ridden by Hall of Famer Damien Oliver, edged out Spirit Of Boom and Srikandi to win the Stradbroke. Gai Waterhouse’s Almalad maintained his unbeaten record when he held off Brazen Beau to win the JJ Atkins. The Chris Waller-trained Secessio, ridden by Tye Angland, outstayed stablemate Hoylonny to win the Winter Cup.

20 years ago

Bob Thomsen’s talented Thorn Park finally won his Group 1 when he finished brilliantly to beat Consular and St Basil in the Stradbroke. It was a timely win as Thorn Park was retired after the race and carved out a successful career at stud as the sire of Cox Plate winner Ocean Park. The Anthony Cummings-trained Outback Prince, ridden by Corey Brown, won the JJ Atkins. Itemise, trained by the late Guy Walter and ridden by champion jockey Darren Beadman, won the Winter Cup.

Originally published as Exciting juvenile Know Thyself will be on trial for a Winx Guineas berth at Rosehill on Saturday