Ultra Bliss, which was last in the 2020 final from a second-row draw, returns to the $100,000 race after a second and first across two rounds of heats at Newcastle Paceway.

The five-year-old gelding's win last week was in the equal fastest time of the series, a 1:56:0 mile rate, and he was an $8 TAB chance from the outside gate on the front-line with Maitland reinsman Peter Hedges aboard.

Victory would be a welcomed boost for Thompson, who is facing a third shoulder operation after he was injured while handling Franco Storm at Menangle.

The problem wasn't helped 10 months ago when he was felled at his property while trying to put Ultra Bliss onto a float.

"I was loading Ultra Bliss here back in July, and he's a very quiet horse, so easy to work with, but I was putting him on and this plane came over," Thompson said.

"He nearly took the tops off the trees and it spooked him and he came flying off the float and took me with him.

"I finished up with a fractured pelvis, ruptured bladder and it exacerbated my shoulder injury. I spent another four weeks in hospital with that. I had to learn to walk again but I'm on the mend."

Thompson, who still prepares a team of two or three horses, will chase a first group 1 win as a trainer.

"You'd think I'd be looking to retire," he said of still training.

"But I guess you need a reason to get out of bed and the property up here keeps me going with the track maintenance and everything.

"Apart from my odd broken bones, I'm fine and I'll keep doing it for a little while yet. But if I win this final, I might go on a holiday."

Ultra Bliss, with almost $60,000 in prizemoney, has already proven a handy horse for Thompson, who bought the Darren Reay-bred yearling cheap at the Bathurst sales.

"I was going to buy something else but it fell through and I had a breeders certificate to use on a yearling or service fee, so I put my hand up, I was the only bidder and I got him for $3000," he said.

"He's going nice for a little pony. I'm really pleased with him. He was placed in the final of the Inter City over the 2400, which proved he was a little bit versatile. And they went nearly a track record, so he's been very competitive in anything he's been in and he's sort of hit form.

"But in saying that, they are not easy races to win."

Thompson's daughter, Lisa McDonald, trained runner-up Master Catch in the inaugural final last year and he was hoping for luck from the wide draw to go one better.

"I'm happy probably to be out there," he said. "It's not a good draw but it's not a draw that will worry me too much.

"He's got gate speed and they might go a bit fast early and he'll be running home at the finish. But you are going to need a bit of luck and some of the good teams have drawn worse than me on the second row."

"It's a great concept. It gives our locals a chance at group 1 success."