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By Ray Hickson

Whether it’s through luck or good management or a bit of both, jockey Tyler Schiller considers himself a strong chance to make Newcastle’s The Hunter his own for the third year in succession.

Jockey Tyler Schiller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Two years ago he ran them into the ground on Coal Crusher while last year he kept Briasa in a rhythm despite a three wide run to stamp himself a star of the future, which the grey has proven through 2025.

Last month Schiller notched his third win in The Kosciuszko partnering Clear Thinking to victory and she’s the horse he’s pinned his hopes on for a hat-trick in the Group 2 $1 million Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m).

“Both years I had the right horse and they were both quite impressive the way they did it,’’ Schiller said.

“Coal Crusher was super tough running them along and Briasa had to sit three deep.

“I was lucky that I landed on the right horses at the right time.”

Schiller couldn’t have had a better introduction to Clear Thinking, trained by Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, in their win in the $2 million The Kosciuszko on Everest Day.

They overcame a wide gate, settled well back and weaved a passage through to win running away in a performance from both horse and jockey that was first class.

Though he was warned Clear Thinking could cause him some troubles in the run he experienced none of them and hopes that augers well for a tougher test away from a country restricted race.

The royally bred mare, and quite literally as she was bred by Queen Elizabeth II, is unbeaten against country opposition with her only defeats, among seven starts, coming in Group 3 mares company including a close second.

“She’s a very casual horse, she got a long way back in The Kosciuszko but she’s got a great turn of foot,’’ he said.

“It’ll be interesting to see how she measures up against this field but I wouldn’t be too worried about the distance because I thought she was quite strong through the line.

“I know Paul was worried she could lay in a bit and if I had to get her to the outside she’d have to come a couple of horses extra wide to pay for that laying in.

“But she was pretty straightforward with me, if we can get a similar run it would be great but those runs don’t happen all the time.”

From what Schiller knows about his 2023 Hunter winner Coal Crusher it tells him the race will be run at a genuine enough tempo. That, he says, will suit Clear Thinking, a $9 chance with TAB on Thursday.

He last rode the Joe Pride trained gelding on Everest Day in the Sydney Stakes two starts back and said if he’s in the same mood as he was two years ago he could make it a test.

“The pressure is always going to be there in these big races but how much pressure I’m unsure,’’ he said.

“Coal Crusher was in the race last year and he didn’t go as hard as he did when I won on him.

“He’s probably not a horse that is going to go a rapid speed but he’s going to put pressure into the race which other horses will need.”

Diamond Show surprised Schiller somewhat with her first-up win at Hawkesbury and he’s interested to see if the mare can go on with it in the Novocastrian Electrical Midway Handicap (1600m).

The Brad Widdup-trained four-year-old had finished near the tail in her two lead up trials but was a different horse on race day when scoring over 1400m.

“I thought she was quite impressive. Her trials didn’t impress me but she came out and was right on race day,’’ he said.

Clear Thinking wins The Kosciuszko

“The blinkers went on and she did everything she had to do and she did it with a big weight as well.

“She should run a good race, she’s got a bit of tactical speed to hold a position and I thought she was quite strong everywhere first-up and she should only improve.”

Tyler Schiller on Long Legs (race 7): “I thought she got a cheap enough lead on a rail out at Rosehill but she quickened up well and put them away quite comfortably so I wouldn’t underestimate her. While she’s full of confidence you may as well aim a bit high. If she’s good enough for it she’ll stamp her authority and if not she can always go back to those benchmark races.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Newcastle