After four consecutive trainers premierships Martin left the bush to open up stables at Rosehill in 2001, but Sunday’s $150,000 Tamworth Cup (1400m) has always been in the back of his mind.

“It’s a race I’d love to win,” Martin said. “I’ve won six Armidale Cups and every other cup race in the area bar the Tamworth and Scone Cups, and I’ve trained out of both tracks so it would be a thrill to win it. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

MATT JONES’S BEST BETS

TAMWORTH

BEST BET: RADIANT CHOICE (Race 5, No. 1)

He gets his chance to win here after running in much stronger company. He gets a top country hoop on and from a good gate he will be hard to hold out.

NEXT BEST: ROYAL TUDOR (Race 7, No. 3)

He should have won first-up in town on a Saturday and ran well in Group company. He just needs to get the breaks and he can show his true form.

VALUE BET: VEGA DE LAGO (Race 3, No. 1)

Any horse that can match it with Don’t Give A Damn in the bush is a top performer and Adam Hyeronimus takes the ride so that’s a further confidence booster.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1, 7, 8, Race 6: 3, 4, 5, 8, Race 7: 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Race 8: 1, 7, 9, 10

TRAINER TO WATCH

BRETT CAVANOUGH brings a nice team to the races and if his emergencies in the Tamworth Cup get runs he will be even more formidable.

JOCKEY TO WATCH

He’s a city jockey these days but ADAM HYERONIMUS is from the bush and he returns to country racing with three good chances.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MATT’S EXTENDED PREVIEW & TIPS

SHAYNE O’CASS’ BEST BETS

NOWRA

BEST BET: TYPHOON CHARLIE (Race 6, No. 3)

Matthew Smith-trained gelding who lost the rider at his most recent start at Nowra, in January, and was spelled. The horse has trialled twice in readiness for his return and was the eye-catcher each time.

NEXT BEST: LIVIA’S STORY (Race 1, No. 5)

Handy and superbly bred Sepoy out of the G1 placegetter Galileo’s Daughter trained at Randwick by Edward O’Rourke. Broke her maiden last start in super impressive order and can go on from here on.

VALUE: SLICK SPEED (Race 3, No. 1)

An 8YO veteran of 53 starts who has his share of weight here first-up but he has earned it by way of his superior benchmark rating. Has performed fresh in the past and won a recent trial at Warwick Farm beating Montauk et al.

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Takeover Target’s former rider, Jay Ford, has a sterling book of rides at Nowra and could well be the on to win the TAB Jockey’s Challenge.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,2,3,5, Race 5: 3, Race 6: 2,3,5,7, Race 7: 2,6

*****

And the race is worth an extra $50,000 this year.

“The way Racing NSW has got behind racing at these cup meetings has been fantastic and I’m really looking forward to it,” Martin said. “They mean a lot to the town.”

Martin is again trying to win the race with Mapmaker, who finished second last year to Timeless Prince, but this year regular rider Adam Hyeronimus is making the trip from Sydney to ride him. He has had a solid trail to keep him ticking over since running third to Dissolute first-up at Rosehill on April 2.

During last year’s winter and spring he was a regular in Sydney Saturday grade and racked up four placings to his name, including a second to top-liner Interlocuter.

And he will need all that good form for Sunday’s race which is stacked with quality city-class runners, including a few Queenslanders, most notably Plucky Girl and Sheiswhatsheis.

RAWILLER RELEASED BY HONG KONG ICAC

“He’s in good form and right on song for this race,” Martin said. “He’s well-placed from a form point of view and he’ll be very hard to beat.

“He’s tough and he loves the stable life. The more you work him the more he thrives and Adam really knows him and we’re both confident in him.

“I think he’s well treated at the weights, but it’s not an easy race. It’s definitely winnable, though.”

“He’ll be right on the speed. He won’t get back in the run. Suncraze will get back and will be running home hard.”

Punters may take note at mapmaker’s record at Tamworth which stands at 7:2-2-2. That’s because he was previously trained at the track by Martin’s brother Craig, who also part-owns him. He was too good for country racing so he sent him to his brother to be trained out of Rosehill. Horses are smarter than most people think and he will be an even more happy horse in Sunday’s surroundings.

“Oh, he’ll know he’s back home,” Martin said. “He races well in Tamworth and barriers are so important for this race and he’s drawn a favourable barrier. He’ll have a trot around the track before the race and it will be very familiar surroundings for him. It’s such a big advantage to race on a horse on a track they know. They always race better.”

After Sunday’s race Mapmaker will head towards the Scone Cup, the other country cup from the region that has eluded Martin.

INSIDE MAIL WITH MATT JONES

TAMWORTH

RACE 1 (12.25pm)

2. Knees is coming back off a year-long break where he showed promise so he’s the X-factor runner in the field. 4. Pamplemousse raced really well on debut considering he got shuffled back early in the race. I liked the way he gathered himself up and ran on well. 6. Bushie’s Crumpet is still finding her way but looks to have potential. 10. Peloso Lass should have won a race by now and she will be right in it again as will 9. Licenced To Win.

BETTING STRATEGY: PAMPLEMOUSSE to win.

RACE 2 (1.05pm)

6. The Naked Truth is knocking on the door for a win and proved last start that 1400m is his trip, but he will need a good ride from leading country hoop Aaron Bullock from a wide gate. 13. Such A Hussy could do anything from a wide gate, but if she gets an easy enough run in transit she can go on with it. If she finds cover off the speed she will get a chance. 14. Rabbiosa comes down from Queensland but the form isn’t bad and off the last run she will enjoy racing over 1400m. 8. Trainsaw’s trials have been against Open company horses, including one behind Furore.

BETTING STRATEGY: THE NAKED TRUTH to win.

RACE 3 (1.40pm)

4. Sea Lady is back in easier grade after finishing unplaced in the Country Championships Final but can bounce back here. 1. Vega De Lago ran two lengths behind Don’t Give A Damn two runs back and if he produces that again, he wins. He’s also got a top city jockey on. 3. Clevanicc runs over his perfect trip and has pretty good form around him so expect a good showing from a strong stable/jockey partnership. 2. Cadogan goes straight from 1100m to 1400m but he needs the extra distance.

BETTING STRATEGY: VEGA DE LAGO to win.

RACE 4 (2.15pm)

1. Dalmatia Prince is going OK in higher grade and if he brings his A-game he will be fighting out the finish at a track he’s already won at. 4. Exilia Miss is a mare in form and goes straight up to 2100m from 1400m, but it shouldn’t matter too much. She is used to racing over the trip but will be suspect over the final 50m. 5. Bob’s A Dazzler produces his best at Tamworth and went over the line with Exilia Miss last start and drops 3.5kg off that run. 7. Al Cubana is on trial at the trip but is racing well enough to suggest he will stay the journey.

BETTING STRATEGY: AL CUBANA to win.

RACE 5 (3pm)

1. Radiant Choice gets a much easier task here than he’s faced for the majority of his career. He was running just off them in Saturday metropolitan races in Sydney in the spring so he should win this if he produces his best effort. 7. Arleta has proved she’s a nice horse and she’ll give a good sight on the speed. She just needs to find a length to turn those placings into wins. 8. Nais Ko and 6. Dual Escape are the first-up horses who also have winning fresh form.

BETTING STRATEGY: RADIANT CHOICE to win.

RACE 6 (3.35pm)

5. Heat Haze is a well-bred filly who has won in higher grade before but she still takes on the older horses here first-up. Her trials suggest she will be a force. 3. Mystic Moon’s last run on a heavy track can be forgotten and she gets back on top of the ground here and will be much more competitive. 8 Elle’s Nel made good ground last start and has previous form behind country racing’s biggest star Victorem so she will be flying again and was more than competitive in Highway races last preparation. 4. Tycoon Street started slowly in higher grade last time but still ran on hard.

BETTING STRATEGY: Boxed trifecta 3, 4, 5, 8.

RACE 7 (4.15pm)

A cracking Tamworth Cup. 3. Royal Tudor has been unlucky this preparation and has matched it with Group 1 horses. Suncraze has a wide gate but races in the back half of the field anyway and if the pace is on he’s got the ability to storm over the top of them. Tim Martin has the highly rated 9. Mapmaker in the race trying to go one better than last year’s second, but says he’s slightly worried about the good form Queenslanders 4. Sheiswhatsheis and 7. Plucky Girl bring to the race. 11. Most Exalted and 16. Brazen are also ones to watch.

BETTING STRATEGY: ROYAL TUDOR to win.

RACE 8 (4.50pm)

7. In Good Time puts her unbeaten record on the line and it’s worth noting she would have raced in a stronger race than this if she drew a better gate. 10 Anna’s Joy hasn’t won this preparation but drops way back in class after running in a Group 3 race last time. She’s right in this. 1. Azzie’s Ready has to go up in grade and carries the topweight, which isn’t ideal. Neither is the fact she’s yet to win over 1000m from six attempts but will give a good sight.

BETTING STRATEGY: IN GOOD TIME to win.