Clear danger: Messara admits Kosciuszko winner vulnerable at Muswellbrook

Ruling Country Championships favourite Clear Thinking will be vulnerable when she kicks off her campaign to claim the big country double at Muswellbrook today.

The Kosciuszko winner has had a preparation co-trainer Paul Messara says is more rushed that he’d like. Coupled with a tricky barrier draw, as well as no cutaway in use, it all makes Clear Thinking’s job harder.

Clear Thinking, with Tyler Schiller aboard, wins The Kosciuszko last year.Credit: Getty Images

Clear Thinking does have some positives in the $150,000 Evergreen Turf Hunter & North West Country Championships (1280m), with champion jockey Craig Williams flying in to ride for Messara and Leah Gavranich.

“She’s very short considering we have an outside barrier, it makes things more difficult,” Messara said. “We’ll have to ride her a little bit quietly from the gate, we’ll try and slide in somewhere. She jumped well the other day at the trials so she will be as close as she can be without pushing her.”

Williams is replacing Aaron Bullock, who rode the mare in her recent trial and reported to Messara he felt she was in good order.

That gives the trainer some heart but from a timing perspective the turnaround is a lot faster than she’s used to. And, if she doesn’t qualify with a top two finish, it’s less than two weeks to the Northern Wild Card at Scone.

“I thought it was a little bit plain, but Aaron was happy with her,” Messara said of the trial. We weren’t out there to break any records because she had a 10-day back-up into the race. She’s a horse that likes three weeks between runs preferably.

“She jumped on the bridle, which is good, but I think she is going to improve on whatever she does on the weekend. If we had more time up our sleeve, it’d be wonderful, but we don’t so we’ve got to race.”

Messara and Gavranich won the 2025 Hunter & North West feature with Intervarsity who beat more fancied stablemate Know Thyself out of a placing.

Know Thyself bounced back to win the Northern Wild Card and gave Bullock and the Messara team their first win in the Country Championships Final.

The Messara-Williams combination starts the day with Autumn King in the Alex Bussell Property Handicap (1000m) and the trainer says he’s been asked a lot with 61kg first-up.

The son of The Autumn Sun has finished second at both starts to date including a Super Maiden at Newcastle in September.

“He’s still big in condition and I am rushing a little bit,” he said. “I’d normally give him another trial because he’s a big heavy colt. He trialled fine the other day but had a good blow.

“He’s going to take plenty of improvement from the run, I’m not sure what price he’ll be, but he’s no guaranteed winner with that weight on his back.”

Olympian, another by The Autumn Sun, is having his second race start in the TAB Plate (1280m) after going down as a $1.85 favourite on debut on his home track.

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Messara said he’s a horse with potential and will continue to improve as his races get longer.

“If it was 1400m or 1500m I’d be much more confident, the 1280m, is on the shorter side of what he wants,″⁣ he said.

“It’s a nice race, it’s local, he’s had the fortnight between runs so hopefully he takes benefit from that run and is a bit sharper.”

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