2014 National Sprint result – Messene on a 2014 Doncaster Mile path

Hawkes Racing's talented Messene took another step towards a start at Randwick during The Championships when scoring his maiden stakes success in the $120,000 Listed John McGrath Auto Group National Sprint (1400m) at Canberra's Thoroughbred Park on Sunday.

Resuming off a short break, the five-year-old Lonhro gelding was forced to do plenty of work after jumping from the outside barrier in the field of 15. Jockey James McDonald drove his mount forward in the early stages and took up a spot outside the lead.

There was no rest through the middle stages of the race with Glad You Called ensuring a solid gallop but on straightening Messene's class kicked into gear and he stole a break on the field before holding the late chargers at bay.

"Things were never going to pan out for him from that draw and he had to do it at both ends," McDonald said. "He's a good horse because that was a real test today and he had to carry plenty of weight for a horse that has never won at that level."

Messene ($1.80 fav) defeated the Anthony Freedman-trained Reparations ($9) by a neck with the David Payne-trained Centennial Park ($12) 1-3/4 lengths back in third.

Wayne Hawkes, who trains Messsene in partnership with his father John and brother Michael, said the horse continues to improve and will be given his chance to run in feature races during the upcoming autumn carnival in Sydney.

"We've got hopes of hopefully getting into the Doncaster," he said. "He's a horse that can race back, he can race forward.

"James gave him a gun ride from a bad barrier today."

The win was Messene's eighth from 11 starts and took his earnings to more than $280,000.

Messene was allotted 50kg in the Doncaster Mile and sits in 60th place in the order of entry. Sunday's win makes the gelding eligible for a weight penalty for the Doncaster Mile.