In outstanding form, having won his last three in a row leading into the $500,000 The Coast 3&4YO Quality (1600m) at Gosford, the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich trained Know Thyself (The Autumn Sun) justifiably started the race favourite.
Recording a stunning win two starts back in the $1m Country Championship at Royal Randwick, Know Thyself then stepped up in trip to the 1600m at Randwick and once again proved too classy.
With Ashley Morgan in the saddle, the gelding jumped from the outside barrier of 10 at Gosford, where he stayed wide while the field sorted itself out before Morgan settled the 4yo in second position behind Townsend (Dundeel).
Ensuring a good pace upfront, Townsend started showing signs of putting up the white flag before the home turn where Know Thyself pounced.
With plenty of runs coming from back in the field it was the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archbald last start Group 2 Queensland Guineas winner Depth Of Character (Deep Field) who burst through the field to nab second ahead of Chris Waller’s Mare Of Mt Buller (Dundeel) who came from the tail of the field for third.
Taking his record to seven wins, his last four in succession from 10 starts, co-trainer Messara was happy with the performance.
“It was a tough win today,” Messara said.
“I thought the leader really ran along at a good clip and we planned to sit where we did.
“That went to plan but the winner went at a solid number so I thought he was really good to hold them off.
“We just got the blinkers on him and I just wonder if he waited for them to come up to him before he kicked on but he certainly held them at bay and it was a lovely ride by Ash (Morgan).”
Connections will monitor the 4yo over the next few days with a possible start at Friday’s $200,000 Listed Scone Cup on the cards.
"That (win) will definitely get him in," Messara said.
"The horse comes first and we'll just see how he comes through today. It was a solid run today and we want to make sure he's one hundred per cent before we make that decision.
"We might have a wet week this week in Scone so if it's a heavy track, we might be tempted to go around."
A $300,000 Inglis Easter yearling sale purchase for bloodstock agent Andrew Williams from the Arrowfield draft, Know Thyself runs for the Ladbrokes Racing Club in partnership with Arrowfield and is the second winner from blueblood import Mantra of Life (USA), but is her first in Australia.
In what was a great day for Arrowfield Stud’s The Autumn Sun who was earlier represented by his eight stakes winner when Private Legacy scored at Listed level in Adelaide, the son of Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice will stand at a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST) in the spring.
