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By Ray Hickson

Trainer John Thompson handed out an 11 out of 10 to Rachel King for her ride on promising filly Fituese’s first-up win so he’s more than happy for the jockey to be master of her own destiny at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer John Thompson (Pic: Steve Hart)

Fituese, a winner of four of her six starts, overcame an outside alley to score on resuming and has drawn ideally in the Listed $112,000 Coolmore Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) and Thompson can only see that as a plus.

“I think it all helps, she’s a pretty straightforward racehorse,’’ he said.

“She does everything right, she’ll come out positive and make her own luck.

“We’ll be in the first four or five depending on tempo but I won’t give Rachel any instructions. She knows the horse better than me.’’

King gave Fituese a spin at trackwork on Tuesday and gave a glowing report to the trainer who says she’s in a much better place for her second attempt at stakes level.

Back in December, Fituese was a beaten favourite behind Hightail in the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) and Thompson puts that down to being out of tickets for the preparation.

She was a clear $2.50 favourite in TAB’s Denise’s Joy market on Thursday.

“She showed nice promise last time in and we probably went to the well one too many times and that’s probably the reason she failed at this level,’’ he said.

“The Gosford Guineas came up at the right time but she’s one of those horses that gives you no indication she’s had enough. She works well, she does well and is just a real professional,’’ he said.

“She wasn’t disgraced but wasn’t her normal self. She raced like a tired horse but she’s come back in better order and all indications from Rachel says she’s going better.

“Her win first-up was good and it was also good on the clock, she ran time, and she’s come through that well.’’

Fituese ran a last 600m of 33.45 (Punter's Intelligence) first-up, a time that was third fastest for the entire meeting, as she broke 57 seconds for the Kensington 1000m on a soft 5.

Thompson is adamant consistent mare Into The Abyss shouldn’t be underestimated in the Group 3 $160,000 Emirates Park Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) after a pleasing first-up fourth two weeks ago.

Into The Abyss, a $23 chance with TAB, ran fourth in the Dark Jewel last year at Scone at her fourth run in the campaign so is on fresher legs.

“It was at the end of her prep, she was good in the two runs before that but at Scone she’d probably had enough but still run fourth,’’ he said.

Fituese wins at Kensington on May 2

“She’s going into it this year on the up not on the way down. She always takes a run to get going and normally improves a lot second-up.

“All indications are that will happen, she’s come on from the run. She’s a big mare, quite gross, and nothing gets her fit like racing.’’

And Thompson rates lightly raced mare Wild Impact as a ‘nice stayer in the making’ who can make her presence felt in the Segenhoe Stud Handicap (2400m).

Wild Impact, $9 with TAB, ran fourth in a similar race at Warwick Farm on April 29, an effort Thompson said stands her in good stead to back it up if she gets a bit of luck from another outside alley.

“She had the outside alley and had to work to get across, the other couple that went forward finished at the tail and we were in a four way go to win,’’ he said.

“There was a lot of merit in the run even though she got beaten.’’

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting