Fruitful season for Arrowfield’s home stable

It’s been a rewarding 12 months for Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich and their Arrowfield Training Centre team who end the partnership’s third season with 48 wins in 2025/26 at an outstanding strike rate of 27.7%.

The stable concluded the season with a flourish, posting 7 wins from 16 starts in July, by Avista (2 wins), Valedor (2 wins), Heathcliff, Joika & Maples.

The year’s highlight performance was Clear Thinking’s sensational victory in the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Randwick, where Arrowfield & Hermitage Thoroughbreds celebrated with slotholder (& Clarence River Jockey Club chairman) Graeme Green, his friends & family.

The stable won six other NSW metro races during the season with Mount Bona (2), Know Thyself, Autumn King, Lady Olenna and Chains Of Love, and notched up 11 city placings headed by Cormier’s 2nd in the J.J. Atkins G1 on 13 June and Chains Of Love’s 3rd in the Creswick S. LR at Flemington on 4 July.

Paul & Leah’s final city runner was the promising filly Maples (The Autumn Sun-Nevada), who capped her three straight wins at Scone & Muswellbrook with a second in the TAB Highway at Randwick on 25 July.

Champion NSW country jockey Aaron Bullock continued his highly successful association with the stable, riding 29 winners for Paul & Leah in 2025/26 to maintain the combination’s 40%-plus winning strike rate.

Nine other riders also enjoyed success with the Arrowfield stable: Ash Morgan (7 wins), Braith Nock (4), Craig Williams (2), Andrew Adkins, Grant Buckley, Zac Lloyd, Christian Reith, Tyler Schiller & Mikayla Weir (one win each). 

The stable’s mix of the Stud’s retained fillies and Arrowfield-breds passed in or purchased outright at yearling sales also produces downstream success for Arrowfield’s breeding operation and for purchasers of proven performers from the Training Centre.  

This season’s multiple Group winner Skyhook (ex Madame Pauline) & Listed winner Caffe Florian (ex Madame Andree) join an impressive list of top performers out of Arrowfield stable-trained fillies. Others on that list are Group 1 winners Super Seth (ex Salutations), Lady Shenandoah & Stronger (ex Star Pupil), Contentment (ex Jemison) and Kenedna (ex Miss Dodwell). 

3YO filly Full Of Fun and city-winning geldings Rematch & Tapa Kick were sold from the stable this season and have already won for their new owners, while the progress of Mount Bona, now with Grahame Begg in Victoria, and Autumn King, now with Frankie Lor in Hong Kong, will be closely followed in 2026/27.

Paul, Leah and their team have no shortage of talent to go on with in the new season, including these six rising 3YOs & 4YOs:

CORMIER
2023 colt
Maurice x Abbey Marie (by Redoute’s Choice)
Progressed in 4 weeks from a debut win at Scone to a fast-finishing second in the J.J. Atkins G1 and, bred on the same Maurice/Redoute’s Choice cross as triple Classic winner Hitotsu, from a G1 Oaks-winning mare, he can be expected to blossom at three. The Golden Rose S. G1 on 26 September is his first likely major target.

INTREPID
2023 colt
Maurice x The Broken Shore (by Hussonet)
A handsome half-brother to Champion Filly Shoals and not yet seen at trials or races, he’s one to watch for this Spring.

IMELDA
2022 filly
The Autumn Sun x I Am Queen (by Animal Kingdom)
Winner of her only trial, at Scone in January, and then given a break to recover from a minor injury, she will be ready to trial again soon. 

AVISTA
2022 filly
Maurice x Phyllis Maud (IRE) (by Halling)
From a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Hartnell, she has a 3-from-4 record and Aaron says, “She’s a ripper!” Blessed with natural speed, she is bred to race beyond sprint distances. 

CAPE COD
2022 filly
I Am Invincible x Shoals (by Fastnet Rock)
A full sister of Group winner Isthmus from 3-time Group 1 winner Shoals, she was placed on debut at Newcastle before winning a 1300-metre maiden by almost 3 lengths at Scone. She will target Sydney Highway company before attempting better-class races.  

CHAINS OF LOVE
2022 filly
I Am Invincible x Stay With Me
Her first stakes placing at Flemington was a solid effort after a slow start, and just reward for her consistent first season of 3 wins and two placings from six starts. A full sister of dual Listed winner Waltz On By, she will aim at a second Kosciuszko win for the stable on Everest Day, 17 October.