Bypassing a Golden Slipper appearance may ultimately benefit Screen Icon ahead of her tilt at the $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.

The filly ended up excluded from the field for the major two-year-old contest last month as John Thompson declined to race her a week earlier purely for qualification purposes, opting to rely on draws instead.

“I didn’t run her again before the Slipper, because if I’d run her again, I wouldn’t have backed up in the Slipper. It would have been too much,” Thompson said.

“So I took a punt to see if she got a run, but the three late entries buggered me, and she was an emergency.

“Hopefully it’s a blessing, and she is right for the Percy Sykes.”

In her three races to date, Screen Icon has endured wide starts but delivered notable runners-up finishes in last spring’s Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) and February 28’s Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).

Recent jump-outs have kept the filly race-ready, even if the heavy track in her latest trial didn’t suit, with Randwick promising more suitable conditions.

“She didn’t like the really heavy track that she trialled on, but back on top of the ground, she’ll be right,” he said.

“She has got her foot on the till and the form around her is good, especially because she has been running well from bad draws.”

Thompson fields La Morra again in the Australian Oaks (2400m) post her fourth in the Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) over the weekend, while Flying Embers lines up in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m).

Flying Embers was second in the Wyong qualifier and performs well here at the distance; her connections feel the roomier track will help.

“She’s a big girl, so Wyong didn’t suit, but back to Randwick she will run well,” he said.

“She’s a swimmer, but it doesn’t matter. She goes well on dry too.”

Regan Bayliss rides La Morra, as Chad Scofield partners both Flying Embers and Screen Icon.

Discover top racing betting markets ahead of the Percy Sykes Stakes action.