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By Geoff Newling

He ran a big third in this year’s Tamworth Cup when drawn wide but a much better barrier could help Hammoon Boy annex tomorrow’s $20,000 Goodwin Kenny Spring Cup (1200m) at Tamworth. Trained at Tamworth by Sue Grills, Hammoon Boy had to start from the cheap seats in the April 30 when a narrow third to Timeless Prince and Mapmaker in the 1400m Tamworth Cup.

While the Cup prizemoney goes up next year, Hammoon Boy’s barrier draw has come down for tomorrow’s 1200m Spring Cup. He will jump from barrier seven although Allan Chau won’t be aboard. “He broke his hand at Gundagai yesterday,” Sue Grills said this morning. “I’ve just had a message from his manager and I've since booked Robert Thompson.”

Hammoon Boy is one of her favourites. An eight-year-old gelding son of Bite The Bullet who has won nine of his 50 starts and been placed another 14 times. “He goes well at Tamworth too (one win and five placings from seven starts). He drew wide in the Tamworth Cup, had to get across and go forward. Just had to use him up a bit too much and only just got beat.”

He has had two runs back from a spell, the latest being a close third to Epic Dan in the Gunnedah Lightning. “He drew wide there too, that was also a good run,” Sue Grills said. “He hasn’t had a lot of favours from the barrier draws, they do make a lot of difference these days especially.

“He’s honest as the day is long though, always tries his heart out. I think he’s a nice each way chance in the Spring Cup. It’s a tough race though, they all are these days. There are a lot of chances.”

Melissa Dennett has two runners – Brilliant Poet and Rubymay. The latter is coming off a fourth to Blinkin Fast at Moree while Brilliant won the Coonabarabran Cup last October at his most recent run before spelling and running nice third in a recent Quirindi trial.

Last start Tamworth winner New Endeavour bounced back to form for his Armidale trainer Stirling Osland, Mishani Stealth is coming off back-to-back seconds in the Gunnedah and Moree Cups for Inverell trainer Shane Edmonds while topweight Sky Limit (Allan Denham) won the Blacknugget at Mudgee last time out.

He has won five of his 24 starts and $174,705 in prizemoney for his Wyong stable. Broadmeadow-trained Anecdote (Ben Smith) adds provincial flavour as well, a Bengalla Cup winner at Muswellbrook two runs back before finishing third to Randiki at Taree last start.

Meanwhile, Tamworth trainer Melanie O’Gorman has a runner, Pomme La Belle, tomorrow after winning another Highway Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday with the brilliant Suncraze. He is now heading straight into the $200,000 Anniversary Highway (1400m) at Randwick on The Everest Day, October 14.

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