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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 today's Taree meeting.

In Spades ($5.50 on TAB), an ultra honest six-year-old mare stabled at Muswellbrook, drove home best to win a competitive entree at Taree ahead of the Cross Family Como Dairy Hannam Vale Cup run over 1007m at Benchmark 82 level.

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.

In Spades (Aaron Bullock) returns to scale after winning at Taree. Image by Trackside Photography

That day she had to do plenty of early work from a wide barrier in a BM 66 Hcp 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 ($4.80 favourite) who 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 Championships qualifying company, and with the track drying out all the time and now a Soft 5, he emerges as a serious threat.

Throw in Tuncurry five-year-old De Poet ($5.50) resuming off a trial win, locally-trained Debussy ($12) coming back from a deeper provincial race; and talented Scone mare Fill A Promise ($5), and the race promises to be a rapidfire 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 ($2.80 fav) first-up in the Coopernook Pub Country Boosted Maiden (1007m) to open the meeting before partnering progressive six-year-old Yorkiri ($3.70) who is hunting a third straight win in the RTS Earthmoving BM66 Handicap over 2018m.

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