The Championships Day 1: Paul Messara lands elusive victory in Country Championships Final with Know Thyself
Know Thyself’s success in the Country Championships Final meant a lot to trainer Paul Messara after a number of near-misses in the race.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Know Thyself, raced by the Arrowfield juggernaut, edged out the bush battler from Inverell, Lisztomania, in a Country Championships thriller at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The $1m feature sprint reserved for horses trained in the rural regions of NSW was an exciting contest with Know Thyself finishing fast to collar Lisztomania right on the line.
Pro Tips
View All
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
For trainer Paul Messara, it was relief to finally win the Country Championship Final (1400m) after a number of near-misses.
“We put 12 months planning into this and not often does it come off but we always felt Know Thyself was the right sort of horse for this series,’’ Messara said.
“It’s a relief to finally win this race, this means a lot to Leah (Gavranich, co-trainer) and all our team at Arrowfield.
“Leah rides this horse every day, she treats him like a Labrador. She’s there handfeeding him all the time, so really happy for her.
“Know Thyself is a very talented horse and we were confident we had him right for today, he loves a bit of give in the track, and Aaron (Bullock, jockey) gave him a great ride.’’
Know Thyself ($5) ran down Lisztomania ($15) right on the line to win by a nose with Fukubana ($8.50) 1 ¼ lengths way third.
Never doubt yourself!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025
A finish for the ages in the Country Championships Final, and Know Thyself wins it by a whisker for @Paulmessara and @LGavranich with @Aaronbullock90 aboard! ðŸ‘@aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/GPLIwD8z0Q
• What the jockeys said: Day 1 of The Championships
Favourite Gallant Star ($2.60) had the run of the race but just as he loomed as a likely winner, perhaps his 59kg impost told under pressure and he faded to run fourth.
Bullock has been an integral part of the Know Thyself story and he thanked owner John Messara and son, Paul, for giving him the opportunity to ride their horse in the rich Final.
“I wouldn’t be here on these horses if it wasn’t for John and Paul. They’ve had confidence in me here today to come and let me ride him half (a kilogram) over as I don’t ride these weights often,’’ Bullock said.
“It just shows how much loyalty they’ve got. There’s a lot better riders in that room than me, but I’m here all year round doing the hard work and they’ve rewarded me for it. So I can’t be any more thankful.
“The wasting was all worth it. It’s just so good to get the win. I’ve got 12 qualifying trophies at home, so now I can finally add a Finals one to the trophy cabinet.’’
Paul Messara said he is likely to set Know Thyself for the Scone Cup next month.
Lisztomania ran bravely for trainer Todd Payne who was naturally disappointed to lose by such a narrow margin but still proud of his horse’s effort.
Originally published as The Championships Day 1: Paul Messara lands elusive victory in Country Championships Final with Know Thyself
Baker magic delivers upset Sydney Cup win with Arapaho
With a legendary father to call upon for some tricks of the trade, Bjorn Baker used one of Murray Baker’s old techniques to have Arapaho primed for an upset win in the Group 1 Sydney Cup.
Treasurethe Moment snatches ‘incredible’ Oaks victory from defeat
Treasurethe Moment was expected to win the Australian Oaks with ease but gave trainer Matt Laurie some anxious moments before producing an improbable victory.
Tempted atones for Slipper defeat with gutsy Percy Sykes win
High-class Godolphin filly Tempted was forced to cover plenty of ground but ended a terrific two-year-old campaign with a commanding victory in the Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.
Costin wins thriller at wet and wild Doomben
Visiting jockey Winona Costin had one ride at Doomben and she sure made it count before the meeting was abandoned.
Heartbreak horse repays Ryan’s patience in $1m Final
Trainer Sara Ryan’s perseverance with injury-plagued galloper Matcha Latte was rewarded with success in the Provincial Midway Championships Final at Randwick.
THE LAST SAY: Tips, late mail for today’s racing, featuring The Championships Day 2 at Randwick
Tips, inside mail, market movers and the latest track conditions … Ray Thomas gives you all the information you need to back a winner not just on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick, but right around Australia today.