By Ray Hickson
If the same version of With Your Blessing turns up at Rosehill on Saturday as the one who enjoyed a career best campaign earlier this year then trainer John Thompson won’t hesitate in sending him straight back to Group company.
And it’s his belief, as the six-year-old resumes in the Schweppes Sprint (1100m), that he is dealing with the same, if not an improved, horse.
With Your Blessing, $7 with TAB on Thursday, won first-up at 1100m back in January and won again third-up before being narrowly denied the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup on March 1 where he finished ahead of Group 1 winner Gringotts.
“He’s been really good all preparation so fingers crossed he goes as well as he did last time in,’’ Thompson said.
“His trials would indicate that he is going as well.
“He didn’t do well the prep before at all but last time he didn’t miss a beat. He looked good, he ran well and was coming through his runs well.
“He seems to be in that sort of order at the moment.”
The Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) in three weeks is on Thompson’s radar if With Your Blessing picks up where he left off, or close to it, as he seeks his first win at Rosehill at his eighth attempt.
With Your Blessing wins a Hawkesbury trial on July 7
Thompson said Saturday’s race appears a good opportunity on paper following his two recent trial wins.
“It’s the right distance, I’m happy he’s drawn somewhat of a barrier,’’ he said.
“Hopefully he can keep going through the grades, he’s always shown above average ability. The quicker they go the better for him and if he ran well in this he’d probably go to the Missile.”
The Randwick trainer has wasted no time stepping stayer Impunity out in distance third-up in the Mostyn Copper Handicap (2400m).
It’s a simple case of the Dundeel gelding finding 1500m and 1800m way too short in his first two runs back and while he’s earned pass marks from those runs Thompson said he’s a lot happier with how the race is shaping up.
Impunity was a winner over 2400m back in February at his last run for that campaign.
“He’s an out and out stayer. He’s got a barrier and he’ll be a lot closer in the run with a better draw,’’ he said.
“He’s been looking for the trip and we would have got the same result, if he’d run over shorter, he doesn’t have a sharp enough turn of foot to be competitive in shorter races.”
The four-year-old, drawn barrier two, rises 2kg with Chad Schofield taking over from apprentice William Stanley.
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting