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By Ray Hickson

It’s not being unfair to Purple Sector so say as he’s aged he likes things a certain way. Who doesn’t!

Trainer John Thompson (Pic: Steve Hart)

And trainer John Thompson hopes the re-addition of Nash Rawiller and the prospect of ideal conditions can aid the seven-year-old in breaking a run of outs stretching back to October 2020 at Randwick on Saturday.

Thompson has a strong hand in the Drinkwise Maroubra Mile (1600m) with Jojo Was A Man backing up from his easy win last weekend alongside his stablemate.

“He’s an older horse that’s had a few problems in the past,’’ Thompson said of Purple Sector.

“He doesn’t like a real hard track and he doesn’t like a real soft track. It just has to be just right so those showers predicted will help him a lot.

“I did expect him to be a lot closer the other day. I think a big plus for him is a senior rider, a strong rider, going back on.”

Purple Sector drew the outside last start when finishing midfield behind Superium over 1400m but he has run three seconds from six starts this preparation and those seconds have been to horses boasting very strong form lines.

He bumped into Old Flame first-up, that horse then won a Group 2 and was placed in The Gong, second-up he chased home Top Ranked, the subsequent Group 1 Epsom dead heater, and three starts back he was narrowly beaten by this week’s Summer Cup winner Diamil.

Rawiller has only partnered Purple Sector twice, the last time was behind Old Flame, and Thompson believes he needs a standover jockey to bring out his best.

“He rides them on a loose rein and they relax, then when he asks them to go he pushes them,’’ he said.

“The first two thirds of the race they get it pretty easy but when he asks them for an effort he asks them for all they’ve got and he gets them to produce.”

Jojo Was A Man backs up within seven days for the first time in his career and Thompson said as he came through the win over the same course last weekend it was the best option in the short term.

The gelding will come down 2kg for that win, after Reece Jones’ claim, where he safely held Mahagoni and Democracy Manifest after enjoying a nice run behind the lead.

“He went super, he’s been building to that,’’ Thompson said.

“The run before was very good, he just missed the kick and (Reece) panicked but he was still there at the finish in a strong race. The winner of that (Nugget) went and won a stakes race in Melbourne.

“If anything I thought he’d come on into last week, the main thing was he did everything right and it was a good win.

“He’s got a good constitution, he does very well, I think he is a horse that will handle a back up quite well.”

Thompson will also be relying on some Rawiller magic on promising four-year-old With Your Blessing to overcome a wide gate in the Furphy Handicap (1300m) as he chases three wins from four starts this campaign.

With Your Blessing, $3.80 favourite with TAB on Wednesday, came from near last to win first-up and graduated to Midway company with a strong win two weeks ago at Randwick.

“It’s a tricky draw but I reckon he runs well ridden a little bit quieter,’’ he said.

With Your Blessing wins at Randwick on December 17

“He’s versatile but I think his best win was when he came from the back. He shows a really good turn of foot.

“He’s on the up, he’s a promising horse. He will go through his grades, he’s fit and well.”

Rawiller has only partnered the gelding in trials and for whatever reason hasn’t been able to ride him until now.

“He knows the horse, he knows he goes well, he rode him on Tuesday in trackwork and he would have got some confidence from that,’’ Thompson said.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting