With Your Blessing ready to launch in July Sprint ahead of Missile Stakes bid

News.com.au

18-07-2025

Trainer John Thompson would be eager to put next month's Group 2 Missile Stakes on the agenda if With Your Blessing can fire first-up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
With Your Blessing has already shown he's up to stakes company after only narrowly being defeated by Iowna Merc at his final autumn run in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup.
'He just has to keep stepping up,' Thompson said.
'He nearly won that stakes race last time in so he isn't far away.
'If won on Saturday, you would say yes to a Missile Stakes.'
The Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) is Sydney's first stakes race of the new season on August 9.
With Your Blessing can earn his crack at the feature when he returns in the July Sprint (1100m).
The son of Vadamos has trialled up well and is a $6 elect with Alysha Collett continuing her association with the gelding.
Thompson is hoping With Your Blessing can break his Rosehill drought after only placing twice in seven starts at the venue.
'He will run really well and if was Randwick I would be really confident because he hasn't won at Rosehill,' Thompson said.
'I wouldn't read too much into it but he is going as good as ever so I am really happy with the horse.
'He has about seven runs at Rosehill and hasn't won there but hopefully we can change that.'
Thompson will be chasing a quick fire double with Impunity ($15) in the Mostyn Cooper Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m).
The son of Dundeel gets to his ideal trip third-up and is expected to relish the step up in distance with Chad Schofield aboard.
'He is just a real 2400m horse,' Thompson said.
'I didn't bother going again shorter because it is just too short for him but he's got a good draw there and a good jockey.
'He will be a lot closer in the run and should run well.'
Thompson had a winner last weekend with Bundeena before producing untapped talent Sea Admiral to salute at Kembla Grange on Tuesday.
I SHOW SPEED CAN LIVE UP TO HIS NAME
Trainer Todd Smart didn't know I Show Speed was named after a YouTube star but the name could prove fitting if his Canberra galloper can remain unbeaten in the 2YO Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
IShowSpeed is an American online personality with more than 42 million subscribers on YouTube and close to five billion views with videos with the likes of footballing superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
'I didn't know this until my son Harry told me,' Smart said.
'I thought he must have thought it was fast, calling it I Show Speed but he told me one day and told me he was a YouTuber.
'I didn't know much about it by he is by Peltzer, who has only had a handful of starters and I think he will run a credible race.'
I Show Speed made a terrific first impression in his maiden start, doing his best work late to score in a 1050m event at Canberra.
Smart was rapt with the victory but concedes his promising two-year-old's form is hard to get a guide on with that victory coming on the polytrack.
'I always say with the polytrack wins, you can't line it up at all,' Smart said.
'If you have decent horse that goes and wins on the poly, you go up to Sydney and they are long odds.
'You can only win but if he was to win on the grass somewhere you would probably think he was a better chance.'
'I think he is a good place chance and we will ride him in a similar way to first-up.
'There are a few horses in the race have trialled well but haven't had the race pressure but he has had a race and was strong through the line.'
I Show Speed is a $19 chance with Jean Van Overmeire aboard.
INDIA MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
Speedy sprinter South Of India can put a mid-prep setback behind him in a touch over 60 seconds at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Trainer Ross McConville had plans to take South Of India to Queensland for a $200,000 race over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast earlier this month but had to pull the pin after the gelding got a virus.
South Of India can claim a handy consolation prize in the $160,000 July Sprint (1100m).
'He had a bit of a virus so it took a week to get over but he's fine now,' McConville's assistant trainer Nigil Monahan said.
'His work was very good on Tuesday and he comes back with a lightweight too with Anna Roper riding him.
'The only other start he's had over the Rosehill 1100m was a win and sometimes it can play leaders bias on Rosehill.
'I think he should be a really good chance, especially with that In Flight form, but we are really happy with him.'
South Of India produced a strong first-up display when he led the field up and was collared late to finish fourth behind In Flight in the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick.
In Flight franked the form last weekend when the speedy mare produced a scintillating burst to score in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.
Bookies rated South Of India, a winner at the same track in trip in January, as an $8.50 chance to win the Schweppes Sprint with the lightweight of 52kg before he was supported into a $4.80 favourite.
The four-year-old will jump towards the outside of the field but apprentice Anna Roper is hopeful he can overcome it.
'South Of India has obviously drawn a bad barrier and we've got Storm The Ramparts so he is a horse you can't really hold up,' Roper said.
'He is horse that likes to roll along and get in his own mindspace out in front so he can be difficult in that way.
'As long as he gets a little bit of peace up in front and Storm The Ramparts can take a sit behind us, he's definitely a chance.'