By Neil Evans
Two hardened sprinters are set to resume their rivalry and again fight out the finish when they clash in the feature race at Monday’s Taree meeting.
In Spades, an ultra-honest six-year-old mare stabled at Muswellbrook, drove home best to win a competitive entree at Taree ahead of the Hannam Vale Cup run at Benchmark 82 level.
Jockey Ashley Morgan.Credit: Getty Images
That was In Spades’ second win in four starts, and fifth overall from 31, and placed her in good stead to go back-to-back at the track.
That day she had to do plenty of early work from a wide barrier in a BM 66 Handicap before holding off the late challengers.
Drawn much better this time, and linking up again with form jockey Ashley Morgan, In Spades is primed to take the next important step.
But drawn right alongside, and with a weight advantage from their last clash, is improving Wauchope-based Dissident stallion Dis Is Heaven, which ran home into third behind In Spades nearly three weeks ago.
Hitting peak fitness now third-up, Dis is Heaven meets In Spades 1kg better despite both dropping down to the limit weight for this tougher contest.
Dis Is Heaven hasn’t won since last October, but having resumed in much tougher Country Championship qualifying company, and with the track drying out and likely to reach soft six or even a five, he emerges as a serious threat.
Throw in Tuncurry five-year-old De Poet resuming off a trial win, locally trained Debussy, coming back from a deeper provincial race, and talented Scone mare Fill A Promise, and the race promises to be a rapid-fire and strong form reference.
A win for In Spades will certainly boost the challenge of Morgan claiming the NSW jockeys’ title.
Right behind the lead in the title chase, and despite a lean Saturday at Rosehill where three of his accepted rides were scratched, Morgan remains a hungry and well-travelled rider who has a good quality book at Taree.
He hops aboard well-credentialled three-year-old King Soleil first-up in a Maiden Handicap to open the meeting before partnering progressive six-year-old Yorkiri, which is hunting a third straight win in a BM 66 Handicap over 2018m.
