Racing wrap: Scone fillies start Qld attack; Newcastle preview; trots and dogs

Messara and co-trainer Leah Gavranich have three-year-old fillies Gentileschi and Genzano entered for the Doomben Cup meeting, but only one was guaranteed a start late on Friday.

Genzano will resume in the 1110m Darby McCarthy but Gentileschi was relying on one more scratching to make the $300,000 The Roses (2000m).

Gentileschi has won all three starts this preparation, including a dominant Highway Handicap victory at Hawkesbury over 1500m last time out on May 4.

She is headed to the Queensland Oaks and needs a lead-in run to the 2200m group 1. With that in mind, the daughter of Dundeel, out of Artefiori - a daughter of multiple group 1 winner Ortensia, is also entered in an 1800m benchmark 65 handicap on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

"We've got her in there as a safety," Messara said of Sunday's race. "We're heading to the Oaks in two weeks' time, so she needs to run somewhere. I'd prefer to run her on Saturday, even though we've drawn the carpark [gate 17] there as well.

"Distance won't be an issue, but it's a bad track to draw wide, so it forces your hand. You've basically got to go back and ride for luck."

Genzano is first-up since winning the Spring Stakes at Newcastle in November, after her Sydney autumn campaign was aborted because of an elevated temperature.

A daughter of Maurice, out of Ortensia's Infiorata, she was a $13 chance from gate 10 on Saturday.

"She'll need the run," Messara said. "Her best form is over a mile really. We are looking towards the Sunshine Coast Guineas with her and tomorrow will just be a starting point.

"She's going well. She trialled last week but she'll need a run or two to get up to her best."

"I just think it's too short tomorrow and she'll be right out the back, making up ground late."

Clear Thinking, a four-year-old mare bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, makes her eagerly awaited debut at Saturday's Newcastle Jockey Club meeting.

If breeding and her outstanding trial form are any indications, Clear Thinking could be something special.

The mare's sire, Dubawi, is recognized as the second best in the world behind Frankel, and her dam, Sweet Idea, was a star on the track when trained by Gai Waterhouse. Sweet Idea had eight wins and eight placings from 19 starts before retiring after victory in the 2015 The Galaxy. She was sold to the Queen, but when the latter died, Clear Thinking was bought by John Messara and Hong Kong-based Hermitage.

On Saturday, Clear Thinking debuts in the 900m maiden handicap from barrier one with Aaron Bullock in the saddle. She has genuine speed and has won her two trials, at Tamworth and Muswellbrook, by 4.03 and 3.67 lengths respectively. The prospect of a soft track won't be a problem as the Muswellbrook track was a Heavy 8 when she trialled.

Paul Perry-trained three-year-old Curl Curl, a brilliant first-up winner on this track on April 24, is another good mount for Bullock.

Curl Curl will contest the 900m Robyn Platt Memorial on a track where he has raced three times for a win and two placings. He sprinted away to win by 2.82 lengths first up on a Soft 5 track. There is speed galore in this and Curl Curl can unleash off a fast pace. Perry is having a successful season with 48 winners, including last week's Scone Cup with Sky Lab.

Wyong-trained three-year-old Magicon can notch up his third win on the trot when he steps out in the 1890m provincial benchmark 68 handicap.

The son of Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon is trained by Tracey Bartley, and he has won two of his three starts on his home track. He led all the way to win a 1350m maiden on April 11, and last start he settled fourth before racing away late to win over 1600m on a Heavy 10 track. Magicon had a quiet trial at Gosford on Monday, and he will carry 55 kilograms after apprentice Zac Wadick's 2kg claim.

Former Victorian So Sleek is set to win his first race for Kembla trainer Kerry Parker when he steps up to the tough 2340m trip in the opening event, the John Whitmore Memorial Class 1 and Maiden Plate. Formerly trained by Ciaron Maher, So Sleek has had two starts for Parker - both at Newcastle over 1890m. Last start on a Soft 7 track, the four-year-old came from the rear of the field to make up many lengths when beaten 1.51 lengths.

Maher's There There, a winner on the track in October, has not enjoyed the best of breaks in two starts this preparation and she is well placed in the benchmark 64 handicap (1250m) with Mitchell Bell in the saddle.

Saturday's race meeting is the annual Hunter Melanoma Foundation Race Ray. The foundation has benefited from this race meeting for close to 30 years with fashions, fillies, frocks and fundraising activities on the day.

Jack Callaghan was eyeing a spot in the running line with The Cid as he chases a top-five finish in the Regional Championship State Final (2030m) at Menangle on Saturday night.

From a back-row draw, The Cid delivered the Morisset-raised reinsman a third Hunter final win, and first for his father, trainer Mark Callaghan, at Newcastle Paceway last week.

The late surge down the inside to victory earned the combination a shot at another $100,000 race, the up to 70 grade series' state decider, where they drew gate three.

The Cid was an $11 chance with TAB on Friday in a race featuring $1.20 favourite Extreme Sea, which won the metro final last week in a slick 1:52:8 mile rate.

Jack was eyeing a finish in the prizemoney and hoped to cross at least one pacer to find a place in the running line.

"The draw is probably a little bit awkward with so many off the back line, so we have to commit to going forward, I guess, but hopefully we can sort something out there," Jack said.

"Heavenly Sign [in two] has got a fair bit of gate speed but the one [Joycies Lad] probably hasn't got quite as much, so hopefully we might be able to get into the running line somewhere."

Mel Elder's Man From Braavos (gate 11) and Roy Roots jnr's Major Reason (six) are also in the race after filling the placings in the Hunter final.

Jack said The Cid was on track for another strong run.

"He went awesome last week and all his runs for Dad this prep have been really good and he definitely peaked last week, which was the aim with him," he said.

"It was good to take that out and on that form, I can't see why I can't run top five with him tomorrow night.

"I've obviously won bigger races than that, but in terms of meaning, it was right up there with them."

Racing operations manager Michael Brady is one of two staff at The Gardens made redundant in cuts announced by Greyhound Racing NSW announced this week.

GRNSW released a statement on Monday outlining an "Operational Reset" aimed at slashing the organisation's budget by 30 per cent next financial year.

The Gardens at Birmingham Gardens and the Muswellbrook course are the only tracks wholly owned and run by the state body.

GRNSW told the Newcastle Herald that two staff at The Gardens would be made redundant. It was later confirmed Brady, who has been the leading administrator at The Gardens since March 2022 - when GRNSW took over operations at the track, was one of those made redundant.

Saxon Thomas has been given more responsibility at The Gardens in the wake of Brady's departure.

More than 30 staff statewide have lost their jobs in the cuts. GRNSW also announced a 20 per cent reduction in distributions to regional clubs next financial year, while its Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) rehoming centre at Wyee, which had 22 staff and 51 greyhounds, was closed on Monday.

On the track, trainer Leeanne Goodwin had a winning double on Friday at The Gardens with Kick On Kate and Zipping Hoff. The track hosts a 12-race card on Saturday night.