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By Ray Hickson

Unbeaten mare Clear Thinking’s position at the top of the TAB market for Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Robrick Lodge Triscay Stakes (1200m) has shocked trainer Paul Messara and he says he can only hope they’re right.

Trainer Paul Messara

The five-year-old, $3.90 with TAB on Thursday, steps out of country grade for the first time having won two country restricted races at Scone and two TAB Highways at Randwick in her four starts.

Messara has made no secret that he’s keen to chase some black type with the mare, a daughter of Group 1 winner Sweet Idea, who was bred by Queen Elizabeth II and he feels the Triscay is the right target.

But he didn't think she'd be a clear favourite.

“It’s a bit of a task but the horse is fit and well,’’ he said.

“She’s not a horse you can be super confident about, so long as everything is right you put her in the deep end and she seems to swim.

“I thought that was mad (that she is favourite), I was very surprised at that. It’s another step up in better company, against her own sex, and it's the right race to step into.”

Interestingly, her dam Sweet Idea won the Light Fingers Stakes at this meeting in 2014.

A win in the Triscay will rule Clear Thinking out of contention for the Evergreen Turf Country Championships, for which she shares the top line of betting, and that’s a price Messara is willing to pay.

However, if she runs below expectation he still has the opportunity to contest the Hunter & North West Country Championships (1400m) at Tamworth on March 9.

Clear Thinking carried 60kg to her first-up win over the promising Highway Strip at Randwick three weeks ago in a performance Messara said he could be nothing but impressed by.

“I think the second horse is a pretty good horse, we had to give him 4kg and we didn’t have a perfect run either,’’ he said.

“Although we didn’t cover extra ground we weren’t in the clear and balanced up until late in the piece. She was a touch soft going into the first run so we will definitely improve for that run.”

The only concern for Messara is where Clear Thinking might end up in the run in a race that could be dictated early by the front-running Bonita Queen.

He said he’d like to see a genuine tempo but at the same time is confident she could race closer if the opportunity presents.

“It probably helps if there is a bit of speed in there to get her to slot in,’’ he said.

“You’ve just got to get her to relax and get into her rhythm but the horse is well, she’s had no setbacks, which is all we can ask.”

Messara, who co-trains with Leah Gavranich, is unsure whether Dale will take his place alongside Tapa Kick in the TAB Highway (1800m) after he drew wide and says he would prefer a firm track.

The gelding, part owned by Matt Damon, is chasing a hat-trick after wins at Tamworth and Muswellbrook and Messara would like to give him one more run before a break and will make a decision closer to race morning.

However, he’s set Tapa Kick to peak third-up after finishing third behind Urafiki in a 1500m Highway at Rosehill two weeks ago.

“He’s working up to a win and I thought his last run was excellent,’’ he said.

Clear Thinking wins at Randwick on January 25

“I expect him to improve over 1800m. We did have this race targeted a long way out with him and I’m pleased we’ve got there. He’s trained on well and he’ll run well.”

Paul Messara on Genzano (race 10): “I thought it was a good run first-up, she definitely put in. Obviously the winner (Point And Shoot) was far too good, it looked like it was in a different race. She has improvement to come, she’s been off for a long time and up to a mile will be her best.”

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