Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Paul Messara will have to wait a month to give Mainstay his TAB Highway chance if he keeps his unbeaten record intact at Muswellbrook on Monday.

Timing hasn’t been Mainstay’s best attribute to date given he did his best to delay his debut until late last month so it's in keeping with his career so far.

As much as Messara, who co-trains with Leah Gavranich, doesn’t love backing up quickly he says the Think Solutions Cleaning & Support Handicap (1000m) is as suitable an option as he can find.

The four-year-old started $1.24 when he easily accounted for his maiden rivals at Scone.

“Every time we were ready to go to the races he got a temperature or something held him back, and we’d have to spell him,” Messara said.

Leah Gavranich and Paul Messara (Pic: Mat Dockerty/Bradley Photos)

“He just found a way to prolong the time before he got to the track.

“I don’t normally like to back them up 10 days after their first start but there was nothing else around. It was either that or a trip to Kembla Grange and I thought it was better just going down the road.”

Mainstay, by The Autumn Sun, was able to sit third just off the speed in the 900m scamper at his debut and stretched away to win by almost two lengths.

Messara said he ran up to expectations after trialling well in the lead up but would be surprised if there wasn’t a deal of improvement into his second start.

“I think it was a good debut, he certainly did nothing wrong and all he could have done was put them away the way he did,’’ he said.

“The overall time wasn’t that fast but he ran a good last 600m.

“He’ll improve a lot fitness wise, when those older horses haven’t had race experience they normally take maximum benefit from each experience.”

It’s normal practice for Messara to wait until a horse has won two country races before looking to bring them into a TAB Highway and if he does win at Muswellbrook the next opportunity won’t be until November 7 when there’s a 1200m Highway at Rosehill.

Imelda, another of The Autumn Sun’s progeny, is also making her debut as a four-year-old in the John Watts Memorial Handicap (1280m).

She had her first trial back in January but Messara said she sustained a minor injury following that hitout and needed a bit more time.

He said it’s not beyond the mare to be competitive first-up.

“I think she’s a nice mile type, maybe beyond a mile. I like her, she’s a nice mare,’’ he said.

“It’s an ideal distance to kick off and in a normal run race she’d be a good chance.”

Meanwhile, Messara and Gavranich’s Kosciuszko contender Chains Of Love will round out her preparation for the $2m race on TAB Everest Day with a barrier trial at Scone on Wednesday.

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Muswellbrook meeting