‘Hope they scratch’

Randwick lover With Your Blessing was never going anywhere other than Saturday’s Bill Ritchie Handicap, and his trainer John Thompson hopes rivals will take all the other options available.

There are 12 dual acceptors in the Bill Ritchie field of 20, including the emergencies, with the Tibbie Plate and Cameron Handicap giving sprinter-milers three different races to select from in 24 hours in NSW, not to mention the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes down south.

“I hope they scratch,” Thompson joked. “My bloke was always going to this race because he is at his best at home at Randwick. “I didn’t look at another race with him. He is in great shape.”

With Your Blessing has some of the richest form in the country heading into Saturday after splitting Lazzura, the subsequent Let’s Elope winner, and General Salute, the Theo Marks runner-up, when second in the G3 Show County Quality last month before chasing home Pericles and Private Eye in the G2 Tramway Stakes.

“They are Group 1 horses and there is nothing like that sort of horse there on Saturday,” Thompson said.

“My horse is going really well and I think 1400m is his trip – he doesn’t want it much further. If we lose a couple of horses from the race the draw [of gate 12] will get better and he will be right there again.”

Alysha Collett, who has developed a great bond with With Your Blessings, stays in the saddle. She has won twice on the seven-year-old after getting the ride at the beginning of the year, as well as the couple of stakes placings recently.

“She suits him because she lets him be himself,” Thompson said. “You can see the difference since Alysha has been riding and it is the best he has gone. “She just lets him roll and, as we have seen, he always has kick for her at the end.”