MORGAN GETS THE COAST BOOKING FOR FAVORITE

THE Coast favorite Know Thyself will have a new rider at Gosford on Saturday.

Paul Messara, who trains in partnership with Leah Gavranich at Scone, has announced Newcastle’s Group 1 winning jockey Ash Morgan will partner the talented four-year-old in the $500,000 feature over 1600m for three and four-year-olds at the metropolitan stand-alone meeting.

Fellow Newcastle jockey Aaron Bullock has ridden Know Thyself at seven of his nine starts to date – and won all but one of them, including the $1m Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 5.

However, with Know Thyself tackling The Coast under Quality conditions, he cannot make the gelding’s 54kg.

Know Thyself, pending Gosford acceptances on Wednesday morning, dominates early betting on The Entertainment Grounds’ richest race.

He opened at $4.50 yesterday when nominations closed, and has shortened to $3.

Four horses – Depth Of Character, Lady In Pink, Wootton Verni and Mare Of Mt Buller – are next at $8.

A $300,000 Inglis Australian Easter yearling purchase in 2022, Know Thyself has already earned just over $963,500, and will add a further $287,000 if successful on Saturday.

The Autumn Sun gelding has reeled off three straight victories; the latest in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on April 26 with 61kg, and with Bullock aboard.

In confirming Morgan’s booking for The Coast, Messara said Know Thyself has trained on strongly since that Randwick triumph.

“He galloped well this morning, and is ready for The Coast,” Messara said.

However, a decision on whether a Brisbane winter carnival mission proceeds is on hold for now.

Know Thyself went to Queensland last year at the end of the carnival, and ran third in the Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast from an awkward draw and on a heavy track.

“We’ll be in a better position to make a decision after he runs on Saturday,” Messara said.

“We have to consider that if we go to Brisbane, it doesn’t leave much time to get him ready for spring.”

Know Thyself was spelled after last July’s Winx Guineas, and didn’t resume until March 9 when fifth to stablemate Intervarsity in a Country Championships Qualifier (1400m) at Tamworth.

Know Thyself then secured a start in the Final by bolting away with the Wild Card (1400m) at Scone on March 21.

Runner-up Lubrication won the $1m The Archer (1300m) at Rockhampton last Sunday.

Messara said Know Thyself had been a slow maturer, hence he didn’t race as a two-year-old and didn’t begin his career until well into his three-year-old season when he won a Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle in February last year.

Story John Curtis, May 6, 2025