Trainer Paul Messara is set to cut back his training operation to take up the position of Stud Manager for Arrowfield Stud at Scone.
Paul Messara with jockey Luke Nolen in the Arrowfield Stud colours. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Messara’s father John, the chairman and owner of the prestige New South Wales stud welcomed Paul to the team after long time employee Sam Fairgray took up a position with Inglis.
“It wasn’t a planned move but with Sam leaving just before the start of the breeding season, there was a need for the job to be filled,” Paul Messara told Racing Network.
“It is a full-time move. I wouldn’t be able to do both.
“I’m excited for the new challenge.”
Messara trains his team out of Scone and will cut his string back dramatically except for a small number of promising young horses.
Recent winners Scissor Kick and Panzer Division are two of a small number of horses that will stay under the care of Messara until at the least to the end of their current preparations.
“Basically we will be winding down the training side of things, I’ll be keeping my licence and will keep training Scissor Kick, Panzer Division and just a handful of others,” Messara said.
“There is no point moving those horses on mid-preparation, they are nice types who will hopefully progress in to some good three-year-old races.
“At the end of their campaigns a decision will be made as to where they progress to after that.”
Messara has held his trainer’s licence for eight years and has tasted Group 1 success with outstanding mares Alverta and Ortensia.
Alverta won the 2010 Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill while Ortensia was able to win three Group 1 races in three different countries for Messara.
At her second run for Messara Ortensia won the 2011 Group 1 $500,000 Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot before travelling to Dubai to take out the Group 1 US$1m Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) at Meydan.
Messara then continued onto England where the Testa Rossa mare took out the Group 1 £250,000 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (5 furlongs) at York.
Arrowfield Stud has an outstanding draft of stallions including it’s latest acquisition, six time Group 1 winner Dundeel who will stand his first season at $27,500.
The New Zealand bred stallion (High Chaparral – Stareel by Zabeel), who raced as It’s A Dundeel in Australia, was a Group 1 winner as a three and four year old and his wins included the 2012 $1.5m David Jones Australian Derby (2400m) and his last appearance on the racetrack, the 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), both at Randwick.
