Plan B turns into Plan A for Thompson pair

John Thompson’s team for Randwick has almost doubled following the abandonment of Thursday’s Kembla Grange meeting.

Two-year-old Hell’s Itch and stayer Deniliquin were both scheduled to run at the provincial track, although Thompson also accepted with them at Randwick on Saturday as a safeguard.

With Kembla a wash-out, Thompson’s decision has proven to be a prudent one and the pair will now join stablemates Jojo Was A Man, Mamaragan and Elusive Jewel at headquarters.

Hell’s Itch is by on-fire stallion Hellbent, who sits second on the First Season Sires’ table by number of winners with 11 overall, seven of them in July alone.

While Thompson doesn’t expect Hell’s Itch to enhance his sire’s strikerate at Randwick on debut, he does regard him as a horse for the future.

“He will probably want a little bit further (than 1200 metres) and he will improve with the run. He is a big horse and has only had two soft trials on the Polytrack,” Thompson said.

“But he’s a nice horse. He is a ‘black booker’.”

Deniliquin contests the Midway Handicap (1600m) on his way to longer races and will clash with Elusive Jewel, a last start fourth in the Listed Tatt’s Gold Crown (2150m) at Eagle Farm on June 25.

The mare stopped off in northern NSW for a short farm break on the way home from Brisbane, but it proved more adventurous than expected.

“She got flooded in because the rain hit and the float couldn’t get in to grab her,” Thompson said.

“She was only supposed to have a week or 10 days but that stretched out to two weeks because of the flooding. That is why we have come back to the mile because she was out longer than anticipated.

“But she has freshened up really well, I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Randwick remained a heavy 10 on Thursday and was expected to stay in that range for the Winter Challenge meeting.