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By Graeme White

In his 14-start career, the aptly named Eighth Immortal has had five different trainers but might have found a place he can call home with Troy O’Neile.

Eighth Immortal - named after his former part-owner in rugby league legend Andrew Johns - has had a few different postcodes for a horse that has been so sparingly raced as a seven-year-old.

The gelding will start for the third time for O’Neile at Tamworth on Sunday in the Hygain Class 3 (1200m) with jockey Kacie Adams aboard from a wide gate.

Eighth Immortal produced his best effort when a closing second when comfortably held by Tawfiq Lass on a heavy track at Tamworth on July 23. There was a four lengths margin between the pair that time, but on Sunday they square off on a good rated surface yet the difference in the betting is significant.

Tawfiq Lass has raced once since for a third at Coffs Harbour and is quoted as a $4 chance on the NSW TAB behind I’m A Cracker ($3) while Eighth Immortal ($34) is an outsider.

O’Neile believes Eighth Immortal is capable of improving on his last run judging by the progress he has made in trackwork. The former cowboy feels Eighth Immortal is ready to show up.

“His last run gave me a lot of hope and his work since has shown me he could do something on Sunday,” he said. “He did his usual thing and was slow away, then circled them and finished off well.

“It was a big effort and he has definitely improved since then.”

Eighth Immortal was originally trained by Tim Martin, then found a home with Mitch Newman for his only two wins before he was transferred to Claire Lever and then Kris Lees.

“He is with a new group of owners with me who purchased him from an online sale,” O’Neile explained.

The trainer turned 42 last week and has 12 horses in work including Cassy’s Sister which he hopes can propel herself into calculations for a start in The Kosciuszko at Randwick in October. Like his horses, O’Neile flies under the radar and will let his team sell themselves.

“I reckon if Cassy’s Sister was with a big name trainer she would be being discussed for a start in the ace,” he said. “I’m a smaller trainer, but I feel her form warrants looking at for The Kosciuszko.

“She will start within the next fortnight and I hope someone selects her. She is exactly what this race is about – she is owned by a country owner Tony Aceti, I’m a little country trainer and she has form on the board around horses they are mentioning for a start.”

Cassy’s Sister had a three-week break after her last start second at the Grafton carnival on July when she beat home Ice In Vancouver (third) which ran in last year’s The Kosciuszko.

Tamworth’s meeting was to coincide with a National Rugby League game planned for the town before lockdown with Covid 19 forced the cancellation.

Meanwhile, Lees has a strong hand at the meeting with early favourites Winter Thorn ($2.20), Hemsworth ($2.25) while Cody Morgan is also fancied with his representatives Brave Enough ($2.90) and Sole Heir ($2.60). Both horses will be ridden by three kilogram claiming apprentice jockey Jackson Searle.

Morgan and Searle combined for a winning double at the previous Tamworth meeting on August 6.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Tamworth here