The rain in Sydney this week has been a welcome arrival for trainer John Thompson as he prepares to saddle up With Your Blessing (NZ) (Vadamos) on Saturday.
With Randwick rated in the soft range on Thursday, Thompson is looking towards the weekend with some optimism.
“Hopefully this rain stays around. I’ve got three runners on Saturday and they’re all wet trackers,” Thompson said.
“They’re horses that have been running well on good tracks, but a soft track will help them.”
With Your Blessing drops back to benchmark company in the Precise Air Handicap (1100m) after being beaten less than two lengths behind Recommendation (Shalaa) in the Listed Razor Sharp Stakes (1200m).
Prior to that he was an emphatic winner at Kembla Grange on Gong Day, and while Thompson says the slight distance drop isn’t ideal, the horse has continued to please him.
“He went up to stakes grade and he didn’t disgrace himself, he was only beaten a length-and-a-half,” Thompson said.
“He’s back in grade and he’s back in distance, which I hate doing, but that was the option, and he’s looking for rain.
“He won at Kembla well on the heavy, then on the firm track the other day he was OK, but softer conditions will enhance his chances.”
