Melanite finds perfect passage to strike

John Thompson has extended his strong start to the season with Melanite’s Midway Handicap victory at Randwick giving him his third metropolitan win this week.

After producing a double at Canterbury on Wednesday, Thompson parlayed it into a Saturday success at headquarters with Melanite ($6.50) scooting along the rails to take out the 1100m race by a neck over Cosy Corner ($19).

Bangkok Hottie ($2.10 fav) lost no admirers with her fighting third after enduring a wide run.

Thompson and Bangkok Hottie’s trainer David Payne watched the race together, and both thought the other was the winner at different points.

Melanite was given a Kerrin McEvoy special and proved too strong for Bangkok Hottie in the opener at Randwick!@kpmcevoy @jtracingrwik pic.twitter.com/x8WwfpT0O1

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 8, 2026

“We were giving each other commentary,” Thompson quipped.

“When mine sprinted through, he said, ‘I think you’ve got it’ and I said, ‘you’re still coming’.

“He (Melanite) got a dream run. Box seated. The perfect run up the fence and never went around a horse.”

The win was Melanite’s second from 10 starts and Thompson said he was a talented horse when he got the right scenario.

“He just needs everything to fall into place. He’s got more wins in him,” he said.

While Payne didn’t get the result he hoped for with Bangkok Hottie, he was happy with the filly’s return after she went into the race without an official barrier trial after dislodging her jockey at trackwork a day prior to her scheduled heat.

She had a good blow after the race, and Payne expected her to strip significantly fitter for her next assignment in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in a fortnight.

“She goes there. Maybe she will get a draw,” Payne said.

“I was very pleased. It will only bring her on and he (jockey Chad Schofield) didn’t punish her. She didn’t have an easy run.”