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By Geoff Newling

Water Boy and Dexter Dutton are last start winners chasing wins on their home track in the same race on Tuesday. The pair of Lismore geldings have drawn well in the $22,000 XXXX Gold CG&E Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m) at Lismore, Water Boy ($9 on TAB fixed odds) going from barrier seven and Dexter Dutton ($6) faring even better to jump from barrier two.

Dexter Dutton is trained by Owen Glue and the four-year-old son of Ambidexter has won three of his 16 starts, two of them at Murwillumbah and Grafton at his last two outings.

Paul Hammersley will ride the gelding after partnering him in those past two wins. He was also on deck when Dexter Dutton ran fifth at Lismore on December 21. He has raced twice at home for a fifth and a second and had a gallop on the course proper on Saturday.

“He worked well too,” reported Lismore Turf Club secretary-manager, Scott Jones. “I think Owen is pretty confident after winning his past two. I think he might make it three in a row.”

Unlike Dexter Dutton, the Daniel Bowen-trained Water Boy has won on his home Lismore track. The seven-year-old gelding son of Bachelor Duke has won seven of his 47 starts and has won twice in seven attempts at Lismore. He has also placed there twice, the latest being a second to Al Magico at home on December 21.

Daniel Bowen then took him to Glen Innes on January 12 where he won a Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1200m.

“Both Gluey and Daniel are going well,” Scott Jones added. “Will be good to see them continue their good runs.”

Daniel Bowen also has three other runners racing tomorrow, including debutante Shoryuken (R1, $5.50), Hope Island (R2, $10) and Mudgee Road (R5, $19) tomorrow while Owen Glue has three runners at home, debutante Saddler’s Diva (R1, $17) and Violet Jane (R3, $81) joining Dexter Dutton.

Another Lismore trainer, Sharon Pepper, has We Are All Ears (R5, $15) engaged while Ballina’s John Everson and Sean Hendry also venture inland. Everson has Our Blanc Canvas (R4, $11) engaged while Hendry starts three – Glenturret (R5, $51), Dark Image (R7, $12) and Myboycellito (R7, $26).

The race meeting also includes the Jodi’s Inspiration Golf Day February 17 Class 1 & Maiden Handicap (2100m). That race is named for a local charity raising money for the fight against cancer.

“It’s something we are trying to do at our race meetings where we can,” Scott Jones said of the decision to give charities free naming rights.

It will also be a great day on the local Lismore Golf Course: “They raise something like $100,000 every year,” he said as he also readies to tee off this year as well.

Jones, who was nearly killed in an explosion at the Lismore club, said his therapist said playing golf would be good therapy for his hand: “I’ll be teeing off at 7am,” he said.

The fact he lives just 300m “strategically placed” from the Golf Club is also a major plus for the jockey club sec/manager. He also has plans to ramp up more support for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service this year as well.

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