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By Geoff Newling

Murvate might be nine years of age but the veteran of 50 races will give as good as he gets when he contests a 'crash-hot' $22,000 Allsopp Signs Open Handicap (1000m) at Tamworth on Monday.

The gelding son of Murtajill is coming off a half-length second to Dream Ascot in the 950m Moree Town Plate and has drawn barrier seven with Greg Ryan to jump on.

Zach Hatch prepares Murvate ($11 on TAB fixed odds), who has won two of his eight starts on his home track and believes the gelding will “get back and run on.”

“It is a crash-hot field,” Zach hatch said of a race containing James Kirby Handicap (Grafton) winner Attila (Sue Grills, $4.80), Sydney winner The Lion (Michelle Fleming, $8) and Rod Northam’s talented Professor Marx ($9).

“We do a lot of swimming with him. He will get back so hopefully, there will be a bit of speed on to suit him.”

He did have Aaron Bullock booked to ride but the HNWRA premiership leader couldn’t make the weight.

“He (Aaron) was keen to ride him again and we prayed he’d get a bit more weight. But he only got 55kg and it wasn’t possible Aaron could ride him at that. Greg was the next on the line, not a bad replacement.

“He will suit him and does have the best set of hands in country NSW.”

Murvate has been something of a family horse too.

“Pop (David Hatch) had him first in the early days, then dad (Mark Hatch) had him for four or five runs,” Zach said.

“Then he went to Damien Lane for a while after he’d had a few little injuries. He had him on a treadmill down there before he came back to me.”

Zach went close at Gunnedah on Saturday with Kensington Kid, who was beaten in the last few bounds at Gunnedah while Schappose finished out of a place at Scone on Friday.

Schappose had run some nice races in two Highway Handicaps in Sydney before he ran on from back in the field at Scone.

“He’s had a nice little preparation, two wins and a second, been pretty consistent,” Zach said of the gelding who is now “going to the paddock”.

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